By MATT FULKS, tbonesbaseball.com
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – The T-Bones found their power stroke at CommunityAmerica Ballpark Friday night, slugging their way to a 5-4 victory over the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks.
The RedHawks jumped out to an early lead on Kansas City starter Rick Zagone. Zach Penprase led off the game with a double off the left field wall and quickly came around to score on a Ronnie Bourquin double. Sawyer Carroll later scored Bourquin on a sacrifice fly that pushed the Fargo-Moorhead advantage to 2-0.
Zagone (2-0) then settled down and retired 20-of-21 RedHawk batters, including a stretch where he retired 11 in a row. He finished the night with six strikeouts over his seven innings of work.
Kansas City finally got to Fargo-Moorhead starter Brian Ernst (0-2) in the fourth. Robby Kuzdale legged out a bases loaded, RBI fielder’s choice that scored Danny Richar and cut the deficit in half. Byron Wiley then mashed a three-run home run over the right field wall, giving the T-Bones a 4-2 lead.
The T-Bones added to their lead in the sixth. Kuzdale tripled to centerfield off Fargo reliever Justin Erasmus and came home on a wild pitch soon afterwards, extending their lead to 5-2.
The RedHawks rallied in the ninth, scoring two and putting the tying run on base. Kansas City reliever Kris Regas forced a groundout that ended the game and gave Regas his second save.
With the win, Kansas City moves to 4-5 on the season, while the RedHawks fall to 4-4. The T-Bones continue their four-game series with Fargo-Moorhead on Saturday night at 7:05. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.
