By: Alex Dean

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- The T-Bones (39-37) squeezed out a win against the Texas AirHogs (20-58) 6-5 to take their second series in a row. The T-Bones brought a crowd of over 5,000 on Military Appreciation Night.

Robert Calvano (3-2) picked up the win for the T-Bones, pitching two scoreless innings in relief. Carlos Diaz got the save, working the eighth and ninth innings to close it out. Zech Lemond got tagged with the loss for the AirHogs (0-11).

Things did not get off to a good start for the T-Bones. Javion Randle lead off the game with a double for Texas and would come around to score on a Stewart Ijames’ sacrifice fly to right field. Chen Junpeng would follow with a three-run home run to left field off T-Bones starter Jose Mesa Jr., giving the AirHogs a 4-0 lead before the T-Bones came to bat.

Kansas City would respond in the bottom of the inning, however, getting two runs on a Casey Gillaspie double that drove in Dylan Tice and Mason Davis. Shawn O’Malley would follow up with a looper to left field off of Lemond, bringing home Gillaspie on a double of his own and tying the game at three.

The AirHogs would get two more in the third on a wild pitch by Mesa and an RBI double by Yang Jin, but KC would answer again in the bottom half of the inning. Chris Colabello got things started with a one out, opposite field home run off Lemond that cleared the right field fence. The T-Bones would go on to capitalize on a couple of AirHog mistakes, as Shawn O’Malley would advance to first on a dropped third strike. He would then come around to score on a throwing error by the shortstop Yang Jin, letting the T-Bones tie it at five.

Things would stay tied until Chris Colabello came home on a passed ball by AirHogs catcher Stephen Haviar, giving the T-Bones their first lead of the night, 6-5 against Lemond.

The bullpen would take over for Kansas City and shut Texas out over the next 4.1 innings. Evan Korson, Calvano and Diaz kept it a one run game, and the T-Bones were able to sneak out a win.

Chris Colabello was one of the main standouts for Kansas City on offense. He finished the night 2-4 with a couple of runs scored and an RBI. 

The T-Bones will look to get the sweep on Sunday, August 11 with a first pitch at 1:05 p.m. Tommy Collier (6-5) will get the start for KC. Former T-Bone Erik Manoah (2-2) will take the hill for the AirHogs. Catch the action live on the T-Bones Broadcast Network.

Full and half-season 2019 ticket packages, as well as mini-plans, are on sale now online or by calling (913) 328-5618 or by visiting the Saint Luke's Box Office between the hours of 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Group ticket sales are also on sale now.

For additional information or interview requests, members of the media may contact the T-Bones Media Relations Department at (817) 739-3693. Stay tuned to www.tbonesbaseball.com and the T-Bones Facebook and Twitter pages for updates throughout the season.

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