By DANNY JONES
tbonesbaseball.com

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Sioux City Explorers outdueled the Kansas City T-Bones in a defensive affair Tuesday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, nabbing the winning run in the eighth inning on an error by Jairo Perez that made the score 2-1.

T-Bones starter Lucas Irvine allowed 10 hits, but made it through seven innings after giving up only one run. Sean Toler (1-1) took the loss despite not giving up an earned run.

In the eighth, with the game tied at 1-1, Sioux City had runners at second and third with two outs. Eliezer Mesa grounded a slow roller toward second that Perez had trouble handling and threw too late. The error allowed Alberto Espinosa, a former T-Bones player, to score from third.

“That wasn’t a routine play for Perez, but it’s one that has to be made,” said T-Bones manager Kenny Hook. “It was a well-pitched game on both sides that came down to that one play.”

Sioux City starter Preston Olson, who cruised through the first five innings, left the game after trying to bare hand a ball hit by Jeff Squier. Explorer relievers Cody Satterwhite (1-0) and Chris Bodishbaugh (5) stepped up admirably, shutting out the T-Bones over the final four innings.

The lone run for Kansas City came in the second inning off of a Ray Sadler home run to left field. Sioux City led in the first after Wally Backman Jr.’s RBI single, but then the Explorers stranded nine runners over the first four innings.

The third game of the four-game series between the two clubs begins at 11:05 a.m. on Wednesday. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618 or at tbonesbaseball.com.