Lincoln, Neb- It was starting to look like a quiet night in Lincoln for the home team, as the Kansas City T-Bones (31-17) grabbed a 12-3 lead in the top of the 7th. After some pitching woes by the T-Bones, the score was suddenly 12-9 with the Lincoln Saltdogs on the comeback trail. The crowd kept cheering heading into 9th. The Saltdogs (27-22) looked like they could pull off the greatest comeback in their history batting the winning run, with the bases loaded, in the bottom of the 9th. Cody Winiarski was able to get the final out, as the bullpen righted the ship to help secure the T-Bones 12-9 win.

The T-Bones got things started from the get-go with a Dylan Tice off the wall double in the top of the first. Then Nick Torres hit an infield single, sending Tice home and giving Torres his 34^th RBI on the season. Noah Perio Jr and Taylor Featherston got on base before Dexter Kjerstad got his 26^th and 27^th RBI on the season, sending Perio Jr and Torres home. The T-bones started the game with a 3-0 lead.

Tucker Pennell got things started early in the second with a ground single to centerfield. Mason Davis hit a double to right center field, but Pennell was ruled out trying to sneak home. Torres walked to first before Perio Jr. hit a single and got his first RBI as a T-Bone as Davis won a run down with Lincoln, coming home and making the score 4-0.

Kjerstad kept things going in the top of the third with a single. As Pennell was up to bat, Kjerstad stole second before Pennell hit a single, sending Kjerstad home, making it 5-0 in the top of the third.

The Saltdogs got on the board in the bottom of the 4^th when Cesar Valera and Ivan Marin were walked, and Curt Smith got his 40th RBI of the season, sending Valera home and making the score 5-1.

The T-Bones struggled defensively in the bottom of the 5^th, allowing four infield singles and two runs to close the T-Bone lead to 5-3.  Randolph Oduber started off the inning for the Saltdogs walking to first base. After an error by right fielder Nick Torres, Nathanial Maggio ran to second base, and Oduber made it to third before Dashenko Ricardo’s RBI sent Oduber home, making the lead 5-2. Valera hit a single, sending Maggio home to end the inning with a 5-3 score.

The T-Bones said enough is enough and blew the game open in the top of the 6^th. Dylan Tice started off the inning with a single to centerfield. After an error by Cesar Valera, Mason Davis got on base while Tice scrambled to third. Nick Torres got his 35^th RBI of the season with a single to right field, sending Tice home, but the T-Bones wouldn’t stop there. Perio Jr. hit a sac-fly, sending Davis home and making the score 7-3. Then, Taylor Featherston walked to first before Keith Curcio hit a bases-clearing double, sending Torres and Featherston home, making the T-Bone lead 9-3.

Mason Davis came to play in the 7th inning with a solo home run, putting the T-Bones up 10-3. Perio Jr. had his second hit of the night, getting on base before Taylor Featherston hit a home run, sending both home and extending the T-Bone lead 12-3.

T-Bone pitcher Francisco Gracesqui really struggled in the bottom of the 8^th, allowing six runs before being pulled for Marcus Crescentini. The Saltdogs battled back with a three-run homerun in the bottom of the 8^th. Valera and Angel Reyes both hit singles before Christian Ibarra hit a home run, closing the gap 12-6. Then, T.J Bennett scored off of a wild pitch, cutting the lead 12-7. Randolph Oduber and Brandon Jacobs both came home to cut the T-Bone lead 12-9. That was the last time the Saltdogs scored. T-Bones would win it 12-9

Barrett Astin (7-2) was tonight’s winning pitcher. He started the game for the T-Bones and pitched six innings with four hits and three runs. Astin finished the night with a quality start. He was replaced by Kevin Hill at the start of the 7^thinning. Hill pitched one scoreless inning before Francisco Gracesqui took over in the 8^th. Gracesqui allowed six runs on three hits before being replaced by Marcus Crescentini. Cresentini finished the inning with one hit and zero runs before closer Cody Winiarski closed the game and was awarded a save. 

Lincoln’s Dimitri Kourtis (2-3) was tonight’s losing pitcher. He finished the game with eight hits and five runs in three innings. Tyler Herron took over and pitched four innings with eight hits and seven runs. Jake Hohensee took over in the 8^th, pitching a scoreless inning. Cortland Cox closed the game for the Saltdogs, pitching a scoreless 9^th inning. 

Kansas City looks to extend their winning streak Tuesday in Lincoln against the Saltdogs at The Ol’ Ballpark. The first pitch is at 6:45 PM and you can listen to the voice of the T-Bones, Dan Vaughan, call the game live on the T-Bones Broadcast Network.

Individual tickets, season, group, mini-plans and nightly party suites are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting the Box Office at T-Bones Stadium or 24/7 at www.tbonesbaseball.com . Call the Box Office at 913-328-5618.  Box office hours are 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday – Friday and 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Saturday. For additional information or interview requests, members of the media may contact the T-Bones Media Relations Department at (817) 739-3693. Stay tuned to www.tbonesbaseball.com. and the T-Bones Facebook and Twitter pages for updates throughout the season.

Box Score

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