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Sermo Makes it Close, But T-Bones Pull Away Late

Sioux City, IA- For a moment it seemed as though Jose Sermo had brought the X’s back with a grand slam to make it a one run ball game in the fifth but the T-Bones would prevail tallying a couple of extra runs in the final innings to win the first game of the series and take a one game lead in the wild card 9-5. 

The reason for Sermo’s heroics was due to a crooked number hung by the T-Bones in the second inning. A couple of singles and a walk loaded the bases with no one out. Christian Correa then hit a ground ball to first baseman Adam Sasser but Sasser bobbled the ball in his glove for a brief moment and was hesitant on getting the out at home or first and in the end retired no one leading to a 1-0 Kansas City lead. Danny Mars then drove home a pair with a base hit. And Dylan Tice began his big night offensively with an 11 pitch at bat that ended as a two run triple. Tice would score on a Mason Davis sacrifice fly ball finishing the six run rally. 

All the runs were charged to X’s starter Sam Held (2-1) who took the loss. Held who was celebrating his 25th birthday held the T-Bones scoreless outside of that second inning. He ended up throwing five and two-thirds, allowing those six runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and a single walk as he was making just his second start of the season. 

Sioux City would chip away at the Kansas City lead with a a pair of two out doubles in the fourth inning. First it would be Sermo reaching and then Dexture McCall driving him in with a double to make it 6-1. 

Sermo’s grand slam came the next inning after Sioux City loaded the bases with a trio of singles with two outs. Sermo launched a two strike pitch down the left field line that stayed fair for his fifth grand slam of his Explorers career and second of the season. In the blink of an eye it was a 6-5 ball game. 

TJ House (8-9) was making his debut for the T-Bones after being acquired via trade from Milwaukee just a few days prior. Other than the grand slam House pitched well in his debut. He surrendered five runs on nine hits over six innings of work. Striking out seven and walking just one as he picked up his first win with Kansas City

From there the Kansas City bullpen behind Hunter Smith and Carlos Diaz tossed three no hit, shut out innings to close the door on the X’s completing the comeback. 

The T-Bones assured their victory by pulling away with some late inning runs. An error a single and intentional walk loaded the bases with one out in the seventh. Chris Colabello then hit a ground ball to second that snuck under Drew Stankiewicz’s glove and allowed a pair of runs to score. Kansas City finished their scoring in the eighth with Dylan Tice’s fourth hit of the ball game, an RBI single to make it 9-5. 

Tice went 4-5, with a triple, three RBI’s and a pair of runs scored as he was the main catalyst of the Kansas City offense. 

The X’s will look to even things in the wild card race and series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 4:02 pm as Carlos Sierra (7-1, 3.46) takes the bump for the X’s and will face Dylan Baker (3-4, 3.36) for Kansas City.