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ThunderHeads Win Big Before Taking Road

July 27, 2015 - American Association (AA)
Amarillo ThunderHeads News Release


ThunderHeads hitters probably aren't that crazy about the prospect of an all-day bus trip to Canada today and a full day off after that.

The way they've all been swinging the bats lately, 48 hours off might be the last thing they'd want, especially Kjerstad.

Sunday afternoon at ThunderHeads Stadium, Kjerstad completed his first week back home with his best performance yet. Kjerstad went 5-for-5 with two home runs and six RBIs as the ThunderHeads thumped the Sioux Falls Canaries 12-7 to salvage a split of the four-game series.

Less than a week after he was released by the Kansas City Royals organization, Kjerstad, a Randall graduate, has been right at home the last three games. He has 11 hits in his last 13 at-bats with nine RBIs.

"It's been good to get seven games in a row here," Kjerstad said. "I'm seeing the ball really well but I'm really excited to get the win today."

It was a wild series between the two teams, as the winner of each game scored at least nine runs. Over their last three games, two of which were wins, the ThunderHeads (29-33) pounded out 43 hits, highlighted by Sunday's 18-hit outburst.

Thanks to a scheduling quirk, Amarillo has two days off before starting a three-game series at Winnipeg on Wednesday.

"As much as a 24-hour bus ride (can be fun) it's always nice to go on a road trip with a win under your belt," ThunderHeads manager Bobby Brown said. "We need the two days off to get our pitching right."

Yet, the ThunderHeads have to hope that the two days off and the Canadian weather don't cool off their bats.

Sioux Falls (25-37) took a 1-0 lead against Amarillo starter Matt Larkins in the top of the second. Jason Repko scored on a wild pitch right after Brown was ejected for arguing a call at third base where he thought the ThunderHeads had turned a double play that would have retired Repko.

In the bottom of the third, the ThunderHeads took their first lead of the game one Kjerstad's inside-the-park homer that made it 2-1, as Kjerstad appeared to hit the ball over the yellow home run line at the top of the fence. However, the ball was still considered live as it bounced back into play off the tall fence, but Kjerstad still beat the throw home.

But after the Canaries tied it again in the top of the fourth, Kjerstad gave Amarillo the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth, with a no-doubt three-run blast that cleared all fences to make it 5-2.

"The second one for sure I thought was gone," Kjerstad said. "I was waiting for the umpire to signal the first one and Freddy (Flores, subbing as third base coach after Brown was ejected) just waved me to keep going."

After Kjerstad's second homer, Sioux Falls starter Steven Bougher walked Juan Martinez and was evengually pulled. Stefan Gartrell greeted reliever Josh Ferrell with a two-run homer to make it 7-2.

Amarillo added four more runs with a two-out uprising in the eighth, as Kjerstad capped his day with an RBI infield single.

Larkins saved a struggling bullpen with a gutty performance, going eight innings and scattering seven hits for the win.

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