Ryan Fox tied a team record with three home runs Tuesday night, but it wasn’t enough for the Kansas City T-Bones (40-26) as they fell 9-7 to the Joliet JackHammers (35-31) in front of 5,122 fans at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

The JackHammers opened the scoring off Andrew Cruse with a four-run first, picking up their first tally on an RBI double by Freddie Thon.  A bases-clearing double by Ryan Wehrle capped off the frame.

Fox hit his first home run of the night in the second off Rory Shortell, a three-run shot that pulled the T-Bones within one, 4-3. Joliet added an unearned run in the fourth on two hits and an error before Fox connected for solo shots in the fourth and sixth innings to tie the game at five.

Cruse left after six innings having surrendered five runs, four earned, on 10 hits. Shortell went five for Joliet, allowing four runs on eight hits. Neither starter factored into the decision.

Erik Hamren entered in the seventh and surrendered an RBI single to Chris Colton to put the JackHammers on top, 6-5.  Drew Shetrone added a perfect eighth to keep the deficit at one.

Kansas City took the lead in the bottom of the eighth off William Jackel (5-1), scoring the first run on an error by shortstop Kevin Rios. Pinch-hitter then Keith Hernandez plated the go-ahead run on an RBI fielder’s choice for a 7-6 T-Bones advantage.

Jackel picked up the victory despite allowing two unearned runs on one hit over one and one-thirds innings of work.

Francis Beltran (0-1) made his Kansas City debut in the ninth and was touched for three runs on two hits, with a two-run home run by Thon pushing the final score to 9-7. Griffin Bailey worked the ninth for the JackHammers, earning his 10th save of the season with a scoreless frame.

Fox finished three-for-four with five RBI. It marked the fourth time in T-Bones history that a player connected for three home runs in a game, with three of those four coming from Fox.  He accomplished the feat twice last season.

Kansas City left-hander Reid Santos (4-3, 4.90) is scheduled to start opposite left-hander Devin Anderson (3-3, 5.13) and the JackHammers Thursday night as the T-Bones look to avoid a three-game sweep. First pitch is set for 7:05. Catch all the action online at www.tbonesbaseball.com or on radio at KXTR 1660 AM.