Scott Carroll helped to continue the Wichita Wingnuts woes on Saturday evening, tossing five shutout innings in an 11-2 victory for the Kansas City T-Bones. The win was the third straight for Kansas City, moving them into a tie for second place in the South Division of the American Association while giving Wichita its franchise record sixth straight loss. Todd Cunningham continues his red-hot start with two hits to raise his average to .440.

The Kansas City T-Bones took command of this game from the start, scoring three runs in the top of the first. Dylan Tice led off with a single and moved to second two batters later when Nick Torres was hit by a pitch. A two run double by Cal Towey brought both runners around to score and he came home on an error by the shortstop to put the T-Bones up by three.

An inning later, Keith Curcio singled with one out and moved to third on a base hit by Tice. Curcio scored on a two-out single by Torres, the fourth run that Kansas City had scored with two outs, extending the lead to four.

It would stay that way until the fifth when Kansas City would extend their lead to seven. A walk to Todd Cunningham started the inning. He moved to second on a single by Torres and scored on a sacrifice fly by Zach Walters. With a runner on first and one down, Towey was hit by a pitch before Dexter Kjerstad doubled off the wall in left field, driving home Torres. An RBI fielder’s choice by Angel Rosa scored Towey to make it 7-0. The T-Bones scored three runs in the inning on just one hit.

In the top of the sixth, Tice led off with a walk before scoring on a Cunningham double in left-center. A single by Walters brought home Cunningham to extend the lead to nine.

It stayed that way until the top the ninth-inning when the Kansas City T-Bones would add two more insurance runs. With two down, Rosa and Curcio delivered back-to-back singles. Rosa came home on a bloop double down the line in right and Curcio scored on a hard single to right by Cunningham. The T-Bones scored six of their 11 runs with two outs.

That was far more than enough support for Scott Carroll (1-0) on this night. The Kansas City right-hander allowed two hits in the first, but would allow just two hits over the next four innings, blanking Wichita through five innings. Pasquale Mazzoccoli came on in the sixth and tossed three shutout innings, allowing just one hit, a two-out single in the eighth, as his only baserunner.

In the ninth, Wichita would finally get on the board. Jackson Lowery relieved and was greeted by the second home run of the season by Fernando Perez to break the shutout. Tony Thomas was hit by a pitch and would score when Ryne Willard delivered a one-out single into left field. That made it 11-2, but Wichita would get no closer.

Todd Cunningham finished 2-4 with 2-runs scored and 2-RBI. He also walked twice. Cal Towey was 2-3 with 2-runs and 2-RBI.

The Kansas City T-Bones will look for the sweep on Sunday. Casey Harman (2-1, 1.12) will go for the Wichita Wingnuts. He will be opposed by Lucas Irvine (1-0, 3.17). First pitch is scheduled for 1:05.

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Featured Image by Ed Bailey

By Robert Pannier