The Kansas City T-Bones (38-40) pulled within one with a four-run eighth inning but the Gary SouthShore RailCats (46-32) held on for a 7-6 win at U.S. Steel Yard on Saturday night.
 
Gary struck for two runs on four hits against Trent Lare (3-3) in the second inning to grab an early 2-0 lead. After a solo home run by Rico Washington off Scott Shaw (9-3) pulled Kansas City within one in the top of the fourth, the RailCats added three additional runs on four more hits in the bottom of the frame. A two-run double by Adam Klein highlighted the fourth-inning attack.

Lare took the loss for the T-Bones after allowing five runs on 10 hits over four and two-thirds innings. The left-hander had surrendered just one run on six hits in his previous 15 innings since moving into the starting rotation.

Kansas City picked up a single tally to make the score 5-2 in the sixth before Shaw left the contest. The right-hander picked up his ninth win of the season after surrendering two runs on five hits over five and two-thirds innings.

The RailCats plated their final two runs against reliever Steven Stewart in the seventh to gain a 7-2 advantage. Stewart was charged with two runs on three hits over two innings of relief for Kansas City. Martin Dewald retired the only batter he faced to end the seventh before Andy Shipman added a scoreless eighth to close the game for Kansas City.

The T-Bones sent nine men to the plate in the eighth inning, with the first five batters reaching safely to open the frame. Aharon Eggleston (pictured) and Gerardo Caceres each collected RBI singles in the inning while Johnny Bowden added a sacrifice fly. Gary used three relievers in the frame, eventually calling on Travis Minix with one out and the tying run at third. Minix immediately struck out the next two batters to end the threat.

Kansas City pushed the tying run to second in the ninth with an error and a wild pitch, but Minix again escaped the jam to hold off the T-Bones and secure his seventh save of the season.

Eggleston led the offensive attack for Kansas City, finishing three-for-three with a double and two RBI. Ray Sadler singled in the eighth to snap his hitless streak at 19 at bats.

The T-Bones send Reid Santos (7-5, 5.17) to the mound on Sunday afternoon to face Alain Quijano (5-4, 5.28) and Gary in the rubber match of a three-game set. First pitch is set for 2:10. To catch all the action while the team is on the road listen live on KUDL Radio Bach 1660 AM or online at www.tbonesbaseball.com.