08/19/2004 11:22 AM - KANSAS CITY – Jack Jones and Phil Thompson each connected for two-run home runs to fuel the T-Bones to an 8-6 win over Fargo-Moorhead Thursday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. With the win, Kansas City improved to 18-16, 38-44, on the season and picked up a game on front-running Joliet, which fell to Sioux Falls, 5-3.

Kansas City wasted little time figuring out left-handed starter Mike Peschel (6-2), who allowed seven runs in four innings. The T-Bones scored twice in the third, and three times in the fourth and fifth innings to build a commanding lead for starter Jon McDonald (9-7), who pitched in and out of trouble but held on during his seven innings of work. Derek Forbes closed out the game to earn his second save of the season.

The RedHawks (17-16, 49-32) took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when a one-out, bases-loaded wild pitch allowed Derek Dormanen to score. McDonald limited the damage however by retiring the next two batters on a strikeout and a ground ball, respectively, to end the inning. That would pay dividends in the home half as the T-Bones reversed their fortunes on a two-run home run by Jones, his fifth of the season.

Fargo-Moorhead knotted the game at 2-all in the following frame with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Brad Mazer. But once again, Kansas City came right back to regain the lead. Eddie Pearson led off the frame with a bloop single to center field and moved to second on a walk to Cody Nowlin. Mike Brown advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher and reached when Peschel’s throw to third was not in time to get Pearson. Thompson followed with a single to center that brought home Pearson and Jones drove in his third run of the game to make it 4-2. Rick Prieto capped off the big inning with a sacrifice fly to left that gave Kansas City a three-run lead.

The RedHawks got one run back in the fifth inning with three straight singles by Bryon Jeffcoact, Demon Smith and Eric Kofler, but once again, McDonald limited the damage by inducing Kelley Gulledge to bounce into a 5-3 double play and got Jason Fitzgerald to fly out to center. The T-Bones struck for three runs again in the fifth inning – highlighted by a two-run homer from Thompson to left – that made it 8-3.

Fargo-Moorhead scored three unearned run in the eighth inning off of reliever David Viane to close out the scoring. The T-Bones will next head to Lincoln for a three-game series beginning Friday night at 7:05.

Game Notes: Prieto singled in the third inning to extend his team-high hitting streak to 11 games. He set the franchise mark with a 17-game hitting streak earlier this season and has hit safely in 28 of his last 29 contests… Thursday night’s paid attendance was 4,017, which pushed the T-Bones’ season total to 202, 921 in 40 home games this year… Jones’ home run in the third inning was his first hit since returning to the lineup Tuesady night. Jones missed 23 games due to a groin injury and had been 0-for-8… The start of the game was delayed 1:07 due to rain. The first pitch was thrown at 8:12 p.m.

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