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Kansas City, KS - The Kansas City T-Bones used a four run eighth inning to get the come from behind 7-5 win in the opening game of the series with the Sioux City Explorers.

The T-Bones used a pair of home runs to take a 3-0 lead. Keith Curcio hit his 11th of the season in the third and the two run blast gave Kansas City a 2-0 lead. A solo home run to lead off the sixth by Colin Walsh gave the T-Bones a 3-0 lead.

Those were really the only two mistakes that Ian McKinney made in the ball game as he took a no decision after going 7 innings, allowing 3 runs, he struck out 5 and walked 4. 

He would finally get some run support in the seventh inning. Marcus Crescentini would walk the bases loaded with the first three batters that came to the plate. With the bases loaded and no one out Michael Lang doubled down the left field line plating two runs and pulling the X’s back within a run. Though the X’s then had runners at second and third with no one out but could not score as Kansas City was able to turn a double play as Nate Samson flied out to right field and Luis Durango attempted to score on the fly ball but was thrown out at the plate. 

In the eighth Sioux City would take the lead. Dean Green lead off the inning with a walk, and Jay Baum blasted a towering home run to left to put Sioux City up 4-3. Blake Schmit would follow with a double and would steal third and score on a Daniel Jackson RBI single to make it 5-3 X’s.

But Kansas City a tough team to finish off put together a rally in the eighth. A one out ground rule double by Alay Lago against X’s relief pitcher Patrick Schuster started it. But after a strike out of Danny Hayes made it two outs in the inning it made it seem as though the X’s could leave the eighth still with the lead. But Anthony Phillips would single, Keith Curcio would walk and the bases would be loaded. Ryan Brett facing an 0-2 count doubled to left, scoring two runs and tying the game. Mason Davis would was 0-4 on the night with three strike outs in the game, also facing an 0-2 count singled to plate two more runs to give Kansas City a 7-5 lead. It was a four run inning for Kansas City.  

Sioux City would get a one out single in the ninth but Cody Winiarski would finish the Explorers off by striking out three of the four batters that he faced. 

WIth the loss the Explorers were unable to clinch the southern division title and will attempt to do so on Monday when they take on the T-Bones in game two of the series. Justin Vernia a pitcher of the year candidate in the American Association will take the ball for Sioux City while Hunter Adkins will be on the hill for Kansas City with first pitch scheduled for 7:05.