GARY, Ind. – The Kansas City T-Bones took an early two-run lead and used a strong pitching performance from starter Anthony Boughner (pictured) to hold on 4-2 over the Gary SouthShore RailCats at U.S. Steel Yard in Gary, Ind.

Rob Watson drew a one-out walk in the first inning off Gary starter Josh Habel and later scored on a two-run home run from Al Benjamin to give Kansas City a 2-0 lead before the RailCats came to bat.

Boughner held Gary scoreless in the first but surrendered two runs in the second on a solo home run from Jermaine Allensworth and an RBI single from Eric McNamee to bring the teams even at two.

The T-Bones struck again in the fourth, taking a 3-2 lead on an RBI single from rookie outfielder Nick Jaros, scoring Calvin Pickering who led off the frame with a single.

Boughner quickly settled down after allowing the two runs, retiring nine in a row before walking Dale Mueller with two outs in the fifth inning.  He got Dave Detienne to end the fifth and left the game after seven innings, setting down 16 of the final 17 batters he faced.  He allowed two runs on four hits in the victory.  Habel took the loss, surrendering three runs on six hits in six innings of work.

Kansas City added an insurance run in the eighth off reliever Jim Crowell on an RBI single from Neb Brown.

Danny Core and Matt Schweitzer threw perfect eighth and ninth innings respectively for Kansas City, with Schweitzer picking up his fifth save of the season.

Game Notes:  Watson’s first inning walk extended his on-base streak to 20 games.  His hitting streak ended at 11 with an 0-for-three night…Pickering’s single in the fourth extended his on-base streak to 21 games and his hit streak to seven games…Schweitzer extended his scoreless innings streak to 16 and one-thirds innings with a scoreless ninth…Gary didn’t get a base hit after McNamee’s single in the second inning and didn’t get a baserunner after Mueller’s fifth-inning walk…Tonight was the first time in 10 games that the T-Bones held an opponent to less than four runs and was the first time in four games that they had scored less than six runs…Kansas City is now riding a five-game win streak, their longest of the season and longest since they won five straight from August 22-26 last season.  The T-Bones had two five-game win streaks in 2006.