Fielders continue to struggle; Fall 10-2 to T-Bones

Zion, Ill. – The Lake County Fielders (38-57) continued to struggle as they lost their seventh consecutive game after falling to the Kansas City T-Bones (56-38) 10-2 on Wednesday night at Fielders Ballpark in Zion.

The T-Bones blew the game open against Garry Bakker (5-10) in the second inning, plating five runs off five hits and one Fielders error. Jim Fasano led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on a Rico Washington single. Luis Nieblas drew a walk to load the bases and Jimmy Mojica came up with an RBI single to right field to score Fasano. Washington then scored on a Lake County error. Keanon Simon added an RBI single and Gabriel Martinez plated two more runs off a single to give the T-Bones an early five run lead.

Bakker was chased with two outs in the third after surrendering two more runs on a wild pitch and an RBI fielder’s choice groundout by Mojica. The right-hander was tagged with the loss after surrendering seven runs, five earned, on six hits and five walks over two and two-thirds innings pitched.

Alec Lewis came in to relieve Bakker and gave up one run in four and one thirds innings pitched, surrendering one hit while striking out three and walking one.

Jeff Dunbar put Lake County on the board with a lead off home run in the bottom of the third, his 15^th of the season. This was Mike Rocco’s only blemishas the right-hander retired nine of the final 10 batters he faced, leaving after a perfect sixth inning. Rocco earned the victory after allowing the one run on four hits while striking out five in six innings of work.

Washington added an RBI single in the fourth inning to push the score to 8-1. Todd Moser entered for Kansas City in the seventh and surrendered the Fielders final run on an RBI double by Kyle Higgins that scored Zach Larson. Larson reached on a walk and advanced to third on two wild pitches out of the hand of Moser; Moser let three wild pitches pass in the inning. Hunter Mense took over in the eighth and threw two scoreless frames to close out the game.

The T-Bones added their final two runs in the ninth on a solo home run by Martinez and bases-loaded walk from Nieblas to cap the scoring at 10-2. Martinez finished two-for-three with three RBI to pace the offensive effort.

The Fielders look to break the losing streak today as they wrap up the series in Zion against the T-Bones at 7:00pm. Lake County will send Ryan Bicondoa (2-9, 5.18) to face Cody McAllister (11-5, 4.32) and the T-Bones.