The Kansas City T-Bones added another extra inning game to their league-leading total of 11 Tuesday night with a 7-4 comeback win over the Cleburne (Texas) Railroaders in 10 innings from the Depot at Cleburne Station.
After being held to two hits the night before, Kansas City once again got off to a slow start on offense.
Both starters retired the other club in order with three straight strikeouts to start the game after the first inning. Cleburne got on the board first with a sacrifice fly run batted in from Blake Grant-Parks and another RBI single from Hunter Courson in the home half of the second.
The T-Bones tied the game in the fifth after being held to one hit through four by Cleburne starter Dylan Mouzakes.
Kyle Petty led off with a walk in the top of the fifth. Kansas City looked to have a hit-and-run play on with Chantz Mack rolling a slow ball to charging third baseman Courson down the third base line. With third base uncovered, Petty raced around second to third, drawing a low throw from first baseman Gerlado Valentine who was charged with an error, allowing Petty to score to make it 2-1.
With two outs in the inning, Zane Chavez walked, and Jerome Pena singled to put runners at the corners. Cedric Hunter then delivered an RBI single to tie the game up at two. Hunter became the first T-Bone to have five hits in a game since Ryan Cavan had five in July 23, 2015.
Matt Sergey settled in for Kansas City after the second and retired 12 straight batters. Cleburne would get to Sergey as he crossed the 100-pitch count in the seventh. The Railroaders scored on a wild pitch and an RBI single from Alex Polston to take the lead, 4-3.
The T-Bones forced extra innings with a top of the eighth comeback. Chantz Mack doubled to start the inning off reliever Casey Upperman. After a strike of Jordan Edgerton, Zane Chavez single and Jerome Pena walked. Cedric Hunter then tied the game with an RBI single, scoring Mack.
The teams played into the 10th after a scoreless ninth. In the top of the 10th Pena walked with one out and was followed by a single from Hunter.
Marcus Lemon then walked to load the bases. Lefty Will Mathis then issued a wild pitch to score Pena to give Kansas City a 5-4 lead. Then Kevin Keyes doubled down the third base line to score two more and the score was 7-4.
Grant Sides worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the 10th to get his third save. Luis Paula (4-2) picked up the relief win while Will Mathis (0-1) was tagged with the loss.
Kansas City (39-27) moved back to a season high 12 games above .500 in the win while Cleburne dropped to 29-40.
The two teams will meet again Wednesday in Texas in the final game of the three-game series with game time set for 7:06 p.m. The game can be heard online on the T-Bones Broadcast Network with the pregame starting at 6:40.
Tickets to home games are available online, by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting in person the Providence Medical Center Box Office.
– Story from T-Bones