05/26/2003 9:14 AM - May 26, 2003 - Almost 3,000 people turned out to watch the Kansas City T-Bones beat the Joliet JackHammers 5-to-2 at Silver Cross Field in Illinois last Monday night in the first of a three-game series against the Joliet team.

The T-Bones took a lead with one run in the top of the 5th and kept it all the way through, despite two runs earned in the bottom of the 8th by the JackHammers. After scoring the first run of the game in the top of the 5th, the T-Bones added four more in the top of the 6th inning when Sean Murphy (1-for-4) sent a three-run homer over the right field wall for a 5-to-0 T-Bones lead. The round-tripper was the first of the season for Murphy, the T-Bones and Silver Cross Field.

JackHammers starting RHP Hank Thoms (0-1) allowed those five runs, as well as six hits, two walks, and five strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched for the loss. T-Bones RHP Jonathan Krysa (1-0), on the other hand, worked seven scoreless innings for the win. He allowed four hits, no walks, hit one batter and struck out seven.

However, the JackHammers did score a pair in the bottom of the 8th inning off of RHP Tom Masterman. With one out and the bases loaded, JackHammers third baseman Troy Cameron (0-for-4) hit a roller to shortstop Jack Jones who bobbled the ball. Cameron picked up a RBI as Paul Bartolucci (0-for-3) scored from third base and Derek Kopacz (3-for-4) scored from second base because Jones tried shuffling the ball to the second baseman. The JackHammers stayed at 2 runs for the rest of the game with first baseman Peter DeYoung going day-to-day with a strained right quadriceps muscle.