The Calgary Vipers scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to come from behind and win 9-5 over the Kansas City T-Bones at Foothills Stadium in Calgary, Alberta. The Vipers trailed 5-3 heading into the inning and earlier were behind 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth before exploding by sending 11 batters to the plate for the six runs on six hits. With the win Calgary continues to hold onto top spot in the North Division now by two games, with Fargo-Moorhead playing tonight in Joliet and eight games remaining in the first half. Also today Calgary announces the acquisition of 1B/DH Kyle Nichols from Edmonton for future considerations. Nichols joins the team with a .331 average, seven homeruns, and 29 runs batted in.

 

Kansas City took the early lead scoring three times in the second inning on five hits. Calvin Pickering started it by doubling and later scoring on a Austin Easley RBI fielder's choice. Nelson Gord followed with a double and plated on a Geoff McCallum RBI single, and finally after reaching on a fielder's choice Aharon Eggleston cashed on a Rob Watson base hit.

 

Jason Colson responded in the bottom of the inning hitting his seventh homerun of the season, an opposite field blast to make the score 3-1.

 

That run was captured right back in the top of the third by the T-Bones when Al Benjamin and Neb Brown hit doubles to regain the three run lead at 4-1.

 

The game was made closer in the fifth with Jorge Tang doubling to lead of the inning. Darryl Brinkley later singled and Drew Miller remained red hot scoring Tang with a base hit. With two outs Aaron McEachran clutched up and drove home Brinkley to bring the Snakes within a run at 4-3.

 

With two outs in the seventh Kansas City got one run back when Aharon Eggleston walked, stole second, and scored on McCallum's second RBI of the game.

 

The game remained 5-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning with Mitch Evans leading off and earning a great nine pitch walk. Colson was next up and doubled, Kevin Price followed and hit a fly ball to left field for the first out of the inning. With Evans bluffing at third base after catching the fly ball left fielder Benjamin riffled it home but it was off line and went to the backstop allowing Evans to score and again make it a one run ballgame at 5-4. After another fly ball there was two outs but Manabu Kuramochi came up huge with a RBI triple to tie the game at five. After a Brinkley walk, T-Bones pitcher Dan Jackson uncorked a wild pitch allowing Kuramochi to score and give Calgary their first lead of the game. However the Snakes were not done in the inning as Miller, Carlos Duncan, McEachran, and Evans all getting two out hits with McEachran's being the only one that did not plate a runner.

 

Tom Lyons came back out for the ninth inning and finished off the game with a one, two, three frame. Lyons went three innings giving up only two hits and one run for his first victory of the season.

 

Miller is now eight for eight in the series, reaching base all ten times to the plate while driving in seven runs.