RailCats walk off with a big victory
By MichaeL Osipoff 648-3137 or mosipoff@post-trib.com June 26, 2012 11:14PM
Updated: July 28, 2012 6:38AM
GARY — After three straight one-run losses, the RailCats snagged a dramatic one-run win of their own — a badly needed win, regardless of variety.
Sean Henry’s walk-off single against his former team capped a two-run ninth inning, as the RailCats edged Kansas City 5-4 on Tuesday night at the Steel Yard.
“This win is big,” said Henry, who singled to left on a 3-2 pitch against T-Bones closer Jake Wiley. “This is a good team, that’s why I came here. I think we can build off this win. Winning in the ninth, it’s as big as could be.
“It doesn’t matter to me (getting the game-winning hit against Kansas City). It’s kind of cool, but I’m a RailCat, I’m not a T-Bone.”
David Cooper led off the ninth with a pinch-hit single, and stole second. Adam Klein doubled to left-center for the tying run, hustling to take the extra base. After a 1-0 count, the T-Bones intentionally walked Mike Massaro and, after a wild pitch, they intentionally walked Mike Coles after a 2-2 count, loading the bases. After Ryan Babineau struck out, Henry delivered for the RailCats (16-21).
“Winning, period — for every club that goes through a tough stretch, you don’t know what starts anything,” RailCats manager Greg Tagert said. “It always starts with playing better.”
The T-Bones (20-18) had snapped a 3-3 tie with a run in the ninth. Jose Duran led off with a triple against Chuck Lukanen, and Justin Bass followed with a single.
The RailCats had tied the score at 3-3 with a run — on four hits — in the eighth. Kyle Haines drove in the run with a one-out single. With two outs, Brian Kolb singled to left, but Brandon Jones threw out pinch runner Babineau at the plate to end the inning.
Will Krout, in his second start of the season and third of his career — his other one came in 2007 — was considerably better than his start last Wednesday. He went five innings, allowing two runs on six hits with two strikeouts and no walks. At Laredo, he had allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits in three innings.
“Will Krout, he was pretty good for five innings,” Tagert said.
T-Bones starter Devin Anderson went seven innings, allowing two runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
Before the game, the RailCats signed rookie right-hander Nick Polsinelli, and they wasted little time in sending him to the mound for his pro debut.
And the T-Bones wasted little time in breaking a 2-2 tie with a run in the sixth. Former major leaguer Jones doubled to lead off, and Trevor Coleman had a one-out single.
Coles had given the RailCats the lead with a two-run single with two outs in the third.
The T-Bones got back both runs with two outs in the fourth, as Enrique Cruz singled and Hunter Mense doubled to plate one each.
The RailCats added Polsinelli, who completed his college career at Saint Rose (N.Y.) this spring, in an effort to aid their heavily worked bullpen. They put rookie infielder K.C. Judge on the disabled list.
Polsinelli worked out twice for the RailCats, in May shortly after his college season ended, then again on Saturday with other undrafted seniors. He had been scheduled to pitch in a simulated game on Tuesday, but after the use of the bullpen on Monday night, the RailCats decided to sign him.
“He’s not going to be electric. ... But he’s got a little moxie to him,” Tagert had said before the game.
