Anderson goes eight as T-Bones take lead in wild card race

By ASHLEY DUNKAK, Tbonesbaseball.com

T-Bones starter Devin Anderson gave up just one run over eight innings as Kansas City sealed a series win and a lead in the wild card race with an 8-3 victory Friday night in front of 6,107 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

Anderson didn’t allow a hit until the fifth and, thanks to a double play, faced the minimum through six.

“When his sinker is on like that, he can be really tough,” said T-Bones manager Kenny Hook. “His last three outings have been great. Typically he’s a guy that really doesn’t go that deep in games, so to see him go eight innings, taking a no-hitter into the fifth, he was dominant, so that was awesome to see.”

Kansas City scored its first run in the fifth, when Sioux Falls pitcher Alan DeRatt threw to an empty third base, an error that allowed Trevor Coleman to score. With two outs, Justin Bass doubled in Jose Duran and Devin Goodwin before getting thrown out at third base.

Leading 3-0 in the sixth, the T-Bones got three straight singles, and DeRatt walked Coleman with the bases loaded and gave Kansas City its first run of the inning.

A sacrifice fly by Enrique Cruz scored Brandon Jones and Ray Sadler, pushing the T-Bones’ advantage to 6-0. A two-run homer by Goodwin put Kansas City up 8-0.

The Pheasants’ Cristian Guerrero hit a solo blast in the top of the eight, scoring Sioux Falls’ first run of the game on his 13th homer of the season. The Pheasants did their best to rally in the ninth, adding two runs, but ultimately could not overcome the deficit.

Entering the series, Sioux Falls led Kansas City in the race for the wild card slot in the playoffs, but the T-Bones took the edge after winning three of four games in the series this week.

The T-Bones (27-21) begin a six-game road trip, starting at Fargo-Moorhead on Saturday at 7:02 at Newman Outdoor Field.