07/17/2004 2:12 PM - KANSAS CITY – Pitcher Greg Bicknell was dominant and three T-Bones hit home runs as Kansas City held on for a 5-2 victory over Schaumburg Saturday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. Bicknell took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and struck out nine Flyers batters in seven innings to set a new season high.

Bicknell (5-2) fanned five of the first six batters he faced and allowed just a third-inning walk to Chris Weekly through the first four frames. The right-hander retired the side in order in the first, second, fourth, and seventh innings before being relieved by Derek Forbes in the eighth. Closer D.J. Johnson pitched the ninth to record his 10th save of the year. Schaumburg starter Matt Bailie (5-3) surrendered four runs on seven hits in five innings.

Chris LePine broke a scoreless ball game in the fourth with a lead-off home run to right field. Ray Brown, who hit his 11th homer of the season in the eighth, followed by lacing a 1-0 offering past a diving Schuyler Doakes in center field to record his first triple of the year. Eddie Pearson slapped a ground ball to third to make the score 2-0.

The T-Bones struck again in the next inning with a two-run home run by Rick Prieto, his third of the season. Also crossing the plate for Kansas City was Matt Ceriani, who reached on a fielder’s choice. Schaumburg finally broke through on Bicknell in the sixth inning when Mario Delgado doubled to the corner in right field to plate Billy Malone. Kirk Pierce trimmed the lead to 4-2 with a single off the glove of third baseman Mike Hass.

The T-Bones (20-28, 3-3) and Flyers (31-17, 4-2) will conclude their four-game series Sunday beginning at 5:05 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. Kansas City’s Jon McDonald (6-3, 3.19) will take the hill against Schaumburg’s Greg Salvevold (1-0, 5.14).

Game Notes: Brown’s triple in the fourth inning was just his second in four years and the 13th of his 11-year professional career… Bicknell’s no-hit bid was spoiled in the fifth inning when T.J. Staton led off the frame with a single to right field. The right-handed pitcher threw a first-pitch strike to 13 of the first 16 batters of the game and allowed just five hits, four coming in the sixth inning alone. He improved to 4-0 on the year at CommunityAmerica Ballpark… Cody Nowlin extended his modest hitting streak to four games with a double in the first inning.

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