By GM Vaughan

Kansas City, Kan.—At this time of the year, every game feels like a playoff game because the stakes are so high for each team, so the match-up between Eric Karch (6-6) for the Sioux City Explorers (56-42) and Akeem Bostick (2-1) for the Kansas City T-Bones (57-41) seemed as if everything was on the line.

After seven strike-outs in a row, Akeem Bostick left the ballgame, apparently injured, bringing Henry Owens to the mound in the top of the third. And after walking Dylan Kelley, and a bunt by Kyle Wren that advanced him to second, the Explorers threatened early, but the T-Bones defense kept them from scoring.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Stewart Ijames hit a single to the shortstop and advanced to first. A base hit by Nava sent Ijames to third. And with T-Bones on the corners, Casey Gillaspie got on base and drove in Ijames for a 1-0 T-Bones lead.

A walk for Sebastian Zawada and a single to left field by Dylan Kelly helped the Exes charge back in the top of the fifth. Kyle Wren got a double, bringing Zawada home, tying the game 1-1. After a 3-1 groundout fielder’s choice, Drew Stankiewicz got Kelly home, and the Exes took the lead 2-1.

The T-Bones responded quickly, with a single by Omar Carrizales and another by Ramsey Romano. With T-Bones on the corners again, a Dylan Tice base hit brought home Carrizales, tying the game 2-2.

After several innings of great defensive playing, the T-Bones and Exes were tied at the end of nine innings. But things turned around quickly in the tenth inning. Tice advanced to first on a hit-by-a-pitch by Jose Velez and then stole second base. And finally, Ijames got the game-winning RBI as he hit a single that brought Tice home, and the T-Bones walked it off, winning 3-2, and securing first place—all alone—in the South.

The winning pitcher for the T-Bones was Hunter Smith (1-0), and the losing pitcher was Jose Velez (2-1) for the Explorers. The T-Bones and Exes still have two more games to play to finish out the season, with the third game of the four-game series starting tomorrow at 7:05pm. Catch all the action live on the T-Bones Broadcast Network.

Tickets to all T-Bones home games are on sale now online or by calling (913) 328-5618 or by visiting the Saint Luke's Box Office between the hours of 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Group ticket sales are also on sale now. 

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

LISTEN TO ALL T-BONES GAMES LIVE ON THE T-BONES BROADCAST NETWORK