Catcher Brett Wallace drove in a team record seven runs for the RailCats (29-24) as they defeated the Kansas City T-Bones (25-27), 14-8, this afternoon at U.S. Steel Yard.

Chris Rhoads (3-3) lasted just two innings for the T-Bones, allowing seven runs on eight hits in the loss.  Gary plated four runs in the first inning on four hits and a wild pitch, with a two-run single by Wallace capping off the frame.  Wallace added two more with a double in the second before an RBI single from Chris Carrara pushed the RailCats ahead by seven.

Gary extended their lead to nine with a two-run third inning against reliever Weston Curles.  The first run of the frame scored on a bases loaded walk by Jordan Czarniecki and the second on a sacrifice fly from Cristian Guerrero.

Jim Fasano ended Gary’s shutout bid with a solo home run against Chris Jones (3-1) in the fourth, but the RailCats responded with an RBI double by Eric McNamee to maintain a nine-run lead, 10-1.  A three-run blast by Wallace in the fifth finished the scoring for Gary and gave the RailCats’ catcher the new team record.

Wallace finished a triple shy of the cycle with a three-for-four performance.

Jones left with two one and one out in the sixth, giving way to Eddie De la Cruz.  After striking out his first batter, De la Cruz surrendered a home run to Neb Brown to push the score to 13-4.  Jones was charged with three runs on four hits over five and one-thirds innings in the win.

Payton Tweddale relieved Curles in the sixth and threw two scoreless innings for Kansas City.  Ryan Fox pitched the eighth for the T-Bones, surrendering one unearned run on one hit and two errors to finish the game.

The T-Bones added two unearned runs on a hit and an error in the eighth against Aaron Cook.  Rookie Cody Neer drove in his first professional run with a single and Aharon Eggleston drew a bases loaded walk to chase Cook from the game.  Former T-Bone Andy Shipman got the final out in the inning and surrendered two runs on three hits in the ninth to finish the contest for Gary.

Neer singled in his first professional at bat and finished his professional debut two-for-four with an RBI.

Kansas City looks to salvage a series split tomorrow night as they send ace left-hander Luis Villarreal (3-3, 2.53) to face Northern League wins leader Tom Thornton (7-3, 4.76) and the RailCats.  First pitch is set for 7:00.