By MATT FULKS, tbonesbaseball.com
WICHITA, Kan. – Byron Wiley has been struggling at the plate in the early part of this season, but he unleashed himself Tuesday night in Kansas City’s 4-2 win over Wichita at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.
Just three pitches into the game, Wiley homered to left field, giving Kansas City an early 1-0 lead off Wichita's starting pitcher Jon Link (0-1).
Wichita struggled against T-Bones starter Daniel Barone until the fifth inning, when the Wingnuts scored two runs on four hits. Chris McMurray and Carlo Testa both hit RBI singles, giving Wichita a 2-1 lead. Barone left after 6 2/3 innings in which he allowed two runs on six hits and struck out a season-high seven.
Link gave up two more runs in the top of the eighth, when Robby Kuzdale led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on a double by Wiley. Then, with one out, Bryan Sabatella and Nick Giarraputo both hit RBI singles, scoring both Kuzdale and Wiley, respectively.
Wiley ended the game with a single shy of the cycle, after he added a triple in the ninth inning that scored Brian Erie and gave Kansas City an insurance run.
The T-Bones (3-3) and Wingnuts (4-2) conclude this Kansas Turnpike Showdown on Wednesday night at 7:05 at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.
