FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (May 23, 2016)
Contact: Jared Shlensky
[email protected]

Kansas City, Kan. — Three hits from Colin Willis and Frank Martinez led the Gary SouthShore RailCats to a 10-7 victory over the Kansas City T-Bones on a cool Tuesday evening. Willis finished with three RBIs and was a home run shy of the cycle while Martinez drove in three runs and was a triple shy of the cycle.

Ryan Fritze (2-0) picked up his second win in as many nights with 1.1 scoreless innings while Drasen Johnson (2) earned his second save in as many games with a scoreless ninth inning. After falling behind in Monday’s series opener, Gary struck first with three runs in the top of the first. Willis put the RailCats up 2-0 with with a two-run triple to the left-center wall, plating both Chase Harris and Anthony Cheky Jr. Alex Crosby made it 3-0 with an RBI groundout to second, bringing home Willis.

Kanas City (1-4) countered with two runs in the home half of the first, trimming the RailCats’ lead to 3-2. Kevin Keyes made it 3-1 with a sacrifice fly to right for the T-Bones’ first run of the evening. Two batters later, Chase McDonald scored Lemon from second on an RBI double to the left-center wall.

Gary (3-3) went back in front by three on Frank Martinez’s two-run home run to right field. Martinez’s homer was the RailCats’ first round tripper of the year and gave him his team-leading sixth and seventh RBIs.

The T-Bones put up another two-spot in the fifth on McDonald’s two-out, two-run single to center. McDonald’s two-run single was his second of three hits and his third RBI of the evening.

The RailCats took their largest lead at 8-4 with a three-run top of the seventh. Willis recorded his second two-run hit of the night with a single to center to make it a three-run game. Another throwing error by Kansas City on a possible double play ball scored Cheky Jr., increasing Gary’s lead to 8-4.

Patrick Brady cut Gary’s lead back down to one with a three-run opposite field shot to right field. The home run was Brady’s first homer of the year and first RBIs of the season as well.

Gary went back up by three with a pair of two-out runs in the ninth. Martinez recorded his final of three hits with an RBI double down the right field line before Crosby brought him home for the final run of the evening with an RBI single to center.

Former Chicago White Sox pitcher Scott Carroll (0-1) suffered the loss in his American Association debut. Carroll went five innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on three hits and struck out four.

Gary and Kansas City conclude their three-game series on Wednesday night from Community America Ballpark at 7:05 p.m. Gary has yet to announce their starter for the series finale while sends RHP Calvin Drummond (0-0, 4.91).

Gary’s home opener is on Friday, May 26 vs. the Texas Airhogs. Friday’s game vs. the Airhogs is a Fifth Third Bank Fireworks Friday and features a free magnet schedule giveaway to the first 1,000 fans, courtesy of Great Lakes Orthopedics. Jared Shlensky and Austin Anderson bring you all 100 RailCats games this season on WEFM (95.9 FM) and online at railcatsbaseball.com. Fans can purchase tickets for RailCats home games by calling (219) 882-BALL or online at railcatsbaseball.com. The RailCats box office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.