06/20/2006 12:30 AM - KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The power failure that delayed the start of the Kansas City T-Bones’ (12-18) Monday evening contest with the Joliet JackHammers (11-18) turned out to be more far reaching than initially expected, as the T-Bones offense sputtered and stalled in a 4-1 loss before 4,657 spectators at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

A sudden loss of power just prior the first pitch resulted in an hour and forty-one minute delay before the proceedings could get under way. Following a scoreless top half of the first, another black-out ensued, bringing another 18-minute halt to the contest.

Once the action got under way, neither starting pitcher appeared to be affected by the hold-up, as both held their opposition scoreless for the first five frames. Joliet drew first blood in the sixth, scoring three times off T-Bones’starter Buddy Blair. Chad Ehrnsberger led-off with a walk and Bubba Smith singled to set up Jayson Drobiak’s RBI single to center for the games’ first run. Kyle Nichols followed with another single up the middle to score Smith for a 2-0 JackHammers’ lead. Drobiak then came home on a 4-3 double-play off the bat of J.D. Foust for Joliet’s final run of the inning.

Kansas City appeared to be poised to answer the JackHammers’ three-spot with an offensive outburst of their own after Eddie Pearson doubled to start the inning and Pat Magness followed with a single to right. Joliet reliever Victor Kleine, who spelled starter Luis Villarreal after five shutout innings, got Craig Hurba to roll into a 6-4-3 double-play that brought home Pearson, but spoiled the T-Bones’ hopes of a big inning.

Joliet threatened to break the game wide open when Ehrnsberger reached base on a wild third strike from reliever James Morrison after Mike Goss singled and John Lackaff doubled to lead things off in the seventh. After Smith delivered a sacrifice-fly to bring Goss home with the JackHammers fourth run, Eric Ebers got Drobiak to hit into an inning-ending double-play to keep the T-Bones within three runs.

The T-Bones mounted one final threat in the ninth, loading the bases with no-outs before Amad Stephens retired the final three batters in order to nail down the 4-1 win and his sixth save of the season. Villarreal (3-3), who defeated Kansas City for his first win of the season on May 24, allowed just four hits and four walks in his five innings of work to pick up the victory. Blair (1-5) took the loss after permitting three runs on four hits and four walks in five innings.

The T-Bones and JackHammers will meet again Tuesday evening at CommunityAmerica Ballpark for the second game of their four-game series. RHP Jonathan Krysa (4-2, 3.35) will take the mound for the Kansas City and Joliet will counter with RHP Mark Sauer (0-1, 6.00). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.