A four-run third inning by the Gary SouthShore RailCats (15-17) prevented a doubleheader sweep for the Kansas City T-Bones (13-16) as Gary salvaged a split, 4-3, in game two of tonight’s twinbill at the U.S. Steel Yard in Gary, Indiana.

Damian Rolls gave the T-Bones a 1-0 lead against Jeff Fischer in the first inning with a solo home run.  Following a two home run performance in game one, Mark Minicozzi gave Kansas City a two-run advantage with his third solo shot of the night to begin the second frame.

Dustin Bolton (1-2) threw a perfect first before surrendering a leadoff triple to Steve Haake in the third.  Haake was thrown out at home by T-Bones right fielder Greg Jacobs when he tried to score on a flyout by the next batter, Jordan Czarniecki.

Gary plated all four of their runs in the third inning against Bolton, using three hits and two T-Bones’ errors to take their first and only lead of the contest.  Mike Massaro collected an RBI with a fielder’s choice groundout for the first run.  On the play, a second run scored when second baseman Jeff Helps overthrew first base on a double play attempt.  Rob Marconi then reached on a bunt single, advancing Massaro to third.  Following a stolen base by Marconi, Jay Pecci drove in both runners with a single to cap off the four-run frame.

Bolton retired the final eight batters he faced following Pecci’s single, but took the loss after allowing four runs, three earned, on four hits through five innings of work.

Fischer left after allowing two runs on two hits over three innings.  Alex Rollin entered in the fourth and surrendered a solo home run to Ryan Fox, his league-leading ninth of the season, to pull the T-Bones within one, 4-3.

Eddie De la Cruz (3-0) relieved Rollin with one on and one out in the fifth and earned the victory after inducing groundouts from the only two batters he faced.  Kansas City got the tying run to third with two outs against former T-Bone Andy Shipman in the seventh, but the University of Missouri product struck out Jim Fasano to end the game and earn his fourth save of the season.

Cody McAllister threw a scoreless sixth to finish the game for Kansas City.

The final game of the four-game series is set for tomorrow night with Chris Rhoads (2-1, 3.48) taking the hill for Kansas City versus Onan Masaoka (1-4, 5.50) and the RailCats.  First pitch is set for 7:00.