KANSAS CITY, Kan. – After giving up the lead in the top of the sixth inning, the Kansas City T-Bones scored four in the bottom of the sixth and went on to win the season opener, 9-4, Thursday night over Texas in front of 5,297 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

 

T-Bones starting pitcher Casey Barnes (1-0) held the AirHogs in check until the top of the sixth inning when Texas hammered him for four runs. After Brian Bistagne led off the inning with a triple and Michael Hur walked, Juan Sanchez belted a three-run home run into the visitor’s bullpen that gave Texas a 3-2 lead. The next batter, Burt Reynolds, launched a solo homer that gave the AirHogs a 4-2 lead.

 

The T-Bones answered with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. One of the newest T-Bones, Anthony Gallas, smacked his first home run of the season to straight-away centerfield, scoring Vladimir Frias and tying the game at 4. Brandon Tierney and Cole Leonida both singled before Christian Torres grounded a two-run down the right-field line, helping Kansas City reclaim the lead, 6-4.

 

The T-Bones added insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, when Tierney, who walked, scored on a single by Robby Kuzdale. The final run of the night came on a sacrifice fly to right center by Frias, scoring Brett Wiley, and giving the T-Bones a 9-4 lead.

 

Kuzdale got the action started in the bottom of the first inning with a leadoff double. After Frias sacrificed Kuzdale to third and reached first on the fielder’s choice, Tyler Massey pushed the first T-Bones run across the plate when he scored Kuzdale on a sacrifice fly against AirHogs’ starter Cody Hebner (0-1).

 

The T-Bones (1-0) and AirHogs (0-1) are scheduled to continue their four-game series at 7:05 Friday night. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.