Kansas City saw its first lead of the series early Friday night but could not hold on in a 5-1 loss to the Sioux City Explorers at Lewis and Clark Park in Sioux City, Iowa.
After trailing the entire game Thursday, the T-Bones jumped ahead in the first inning Friday night when Tyson Gillies, who reached on a fielder’s choice, scored on a double by Jake Blackwood against Sioux City starter Jacob Kuebler. That was the only run Kuebler surrendered. In his first start of the season for the Explorers, Kuebler (2-2) went 5 innings, and allowed five hits and two walks.
Sioux City answered in the second by taking a lead it wouldn’t relinquish. Kansas City starter Jordan Cooper struck out lead-off batter Tim Colwell, but walks to Brennan Slattery and Tom Mendonca sandwiched a single by Ralph Henriquez and loaded the bases.
After Bryan Johns struck out, Cooper (3-3) allowed a two-run single to Derrick Robinson that gave Sioux City a 2-1 lead in the second. Cooper worked out of trouble and ended the inning by picking Robinson off at first, stranding a runner at third.
The Explorers added to their lead in the fourth, when Mendonca hit a two-run home run, his sixth of the season, over the right field wall against Cooper, who allowed 11 hits and walked three in 6 innings.
Leading 4-1, Sioux City added its last run in the eighth against T-Bones reliever Tyler Ybarra. Michael Lang reached on the fielder’s choice and proceeded to steal second and third with Nate Samson at the plate. It was Lang’s 20th and 21st swipes of the season. After Samson walked, LeVon Washington grounded out to third, scoring Lang and pushing the Explorers’ lead to 5-1.
It’s the T-Bones’ seventh consecutive loss. The last time they lost seven in a row was nearly a year ago, during Aug. 14-20, 2015. That streak started with four games at Sioux City.
Kansas City (29-41) continues the four-game series at Sioux City (36-35) with game three Saturday at 7 p.m. All of the action can be heard at TBonesBaseball.com.
– Story from T-Bones