A muffed fly ball by Peter Barrows in the bottom of the 10th inning allowed the winning run to score for the Amarillo Sox (40-51) as they defeated the Kansas City T-Bones (42-48), 7-6, in the first game of a three-game series.
 
After a one-out double by Lee Cruz in the 10th, T-Bones reliever Brian Grening (5-3) intentionally walked clean-up hitter Tim Alberts. Van Pope then drew a free pass to load the bases before former T-Bone Nick Farnsworth lifted a fly ball to left. Barrows had a line on the ball but muffed the catch, allowing Cruz to score from third for the decisive run.

Kansas City opened the contest with a two-run first against Matt Elliot before the Sox responded with five in their half of the frame, all coming after a two-out error by first baseman Kala Ka’aihue. Starter Matt Mitchell allowed four hits and two walks in the inning, including three straight singles following the miscue.

After an RBI single by Harrison Kain ended the scoring in the first, Mitchell retired the next four hitters before surrendering a walk to begin the third. The right-hander used two double plays to face the minimum over his final five innings, finally giving way to Grening to begin the seventh.

Mitchell was charged with five unearned runs on five hits over six innings of work. He did not factor into the decision.

Jeff Hulett opened the T-Bones half of the second with a solo home run to make the score 5-3. After adding a single tally in the third, Kansas City gained a 6-5 advantage with back-to-back RBI doubles by Barrows and Keanon Simon in the fourth.

Elliot lasted seven innings for Amarillo, leaving after surrendering six runs on 11 hits in a no-decision.

A solo home run by Jason White greeted Grening in the seventh as the Sox tied the game at six. Grening suffered a blown save with the blast and eventually the loss after allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits over three and one-thirds innings of relief. Chad Povich (7-3) held Kansas City scoreless in the top of the 10th to secure the victory.

Simon, Barrows and Jim Fasano each collected three hits for the T-Bones in the loss. Six of the seven Sox runs were unearned.

T.J. Large (4-6, 6.57) takes the mound for Kansas City opposite Justin Garcia (7-5, 5.00) and the Sox in game two of the three-game set on Saturday night. First pitch is set for 7:05. To follow the T-Bones on the road, listen live on KUDL Radio Bach 1660 AM or online at www.tbonesbaseball.com.