Four Homers Not Enough in 16-11 Loss to Kansas City
Published on June 21, 2016 under American Association (AA)
Joplin Blasters News Release
The Joplin Blasters hit four home runs and recorded 18 hits, but could not overcome five early errors on Tuesday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, and dropped the series opener to the Kansas City T-Bones by a 16-11 margin. Kansas City has won four of the five matchups played between the teams thus far this season, and scored a season-high in runs.
Kansas City's offense wasted no time in starting, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first. Vladimir Frias reached on a fielder's choice, and advanced to second on a single by Tyler Massey. Both scored after a single from Jake Blackwood was misplayed in centerfield, which allowed the cleanup hitter to stand on third base. Blackwood scored the third run of the frame on a Brandon Tierney single.
The Blasters closed the gap with a run in their next at-bat. Willie Cabrera drew a leadoff walk, and the bases became loaded after singles by Edwin Gomez and Juan Medina. A grounder by Bobby Webb got Cabrera in from third to put the Blasters in the run column, trailing 3-1 after two innings.
Cabrera, the American Association's RBI leader, struck again in the top of the third. A two out single by Charlie Valerio brought the outfielder to the plate, where he belted a deep two-run homer over the left field wall in Kansas City. Cabrera's sixth homer of the season evened the game at three.
Aided by three Joplin errors, the T-Bones took the lead for good in the bottom of the third. Robby Kuzdale, Brett Wiley, and Brian Erie each drove in runs during the five-run frame, which culminated when two Blasters errors allowed two runs to score and gave Kansas City an 8-3 lead.
In his first game with the team, Gomez drew a walk in the top of the fourth, and scored when Mitch Glasser hit an RBI single with two outs. Gomez reached base twice in his Joplin debut.
Another five-run inning for Kansas City put the game out of the reach of or the Blasters. The fifth inning saw nine hitters come to the plate, and was led by a three-run double from Anthony Gallas. Wiley and Starlin Rodriguez also drove in runs as the T-Bones took a 13-4 lead in the fifth. Kansas City also scored three times in the bottom of the seventh on RBIs by Wiley, Erie, and Massey.
Medina recorded four hits for the Blasters, which included an RBI double in the seventh inning. A previous RBI groundout by Valentin had put Joplin within ten after Medina's two-bagger.
The top of the eighth inning was Joplin's most powerful of the season, hitting back-to-back-to-back home runs. Jesus Solorzano legged out an infield single and Glasser added a single of his own to set the table for the power hitters. Valentin, Valerio, and Cabrera hit three home runs in a ten pitch span. Cabrera's shot was his second of the game and seventh of the campaign. Valentin led the Blasters with four RBIs in the losing effort.
Josh Hodges was charged with his third loss of the season, while relief pitcher Josh Tols earned the victory for two innings of bullpen work.
The middle game of the three game series is a matinee set for Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. at CommunityAmericaBallpark.
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