T-Bones take series opener from Explorers Brett Wiley recorded two hits and two runs Thursday night. (Photo by John Ellis.) KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Kansas City T-Bones got a solid pitching performance from David Holman and jumped to an early lead, as they defeated Sioux City 4-3 Thursday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. Kansas City got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, Brett Wiley singled to right field. Dalton Wheat followed with a double to right, giving the T-Bones two in scoring position with one out. Vladimir Frias then lifted a sacrifice fly to left fielder Tim Colwell, scoring Wiley and giving Kansas City a 1-0 lead.
The T-Bones strengthened their lead by one in the fourth, bringing the score 2-0. Wiley led off the inning with his second hit of the game. That gives him 17 hits in his last eight games, and a .586 batting average in that span. Wiley moved to second on a wild pitch by Sioux City’s starter Ryan Zimmerman (2-7). After retiring Wheat and Frias, Zimmerman walked Brian Erie. Starlin Rodriguez then singled to right field, scoring Wiley.
The Explorers had trouble against Holman (3-3), who gave up only one hit and faced two over the minimum through the first four innings. Sioux City broke through in the fifth. With two outs, the next four batters got a hit off Holman, with the big blow coming on a two-run single by Derrick Robinson that scored Matt Koch and Brendan Slattery, tying the game 2-2. Holman ended up giving up two runs and five hits in 5 innings.
The game didn’t stay tied for long, though. The T-Bones capitalized off two costly mistakes by the Explorers. Zimmerman began the bottom of the fifth by walking Jake Blackwood, who went to second on a wild pitch and then moved to third on a bad throw by the catcher, Koch. That set up Jimmy Mojica for an RBI single to center, giving Kansas City a 3-1 lead.
Each team added an extra run in its last at-bat, including a two-out solo home run by Sioux City’s Ralph Henriquez in the ninth. But Mark Haynes struck out the side in the ninth, as he recorded his eighth save of the season.
The T-Bones have now won the first game in 10 of their 15 series in 2016.
Kansas City (21-26) and Sioux City (22-25) are scheduled to continue their three-game series Friday night at 7:05. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.
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