Wheels fall off for Monarchs late in Milwaukee

by Jaxson Webb, Monarchs

Franklin, Wisconsin — The Kansas City Monarchs (37-19) had the lead for five and a half innings before the Milwaukee Milkmen (28-28) went on a tear in the seventh inning to complete the comeback win at home on Monday night.

After a scoreless first inning on both sides, the Monarchs broke the ice by manufacturing two runs in the second inning off Milkmen starter, A.J. Jones.

David Thompson got the ball rolling in the inning by working a walk. Following Thompson was a single by Casey Gillaspie that had the runners set at the corners with no one out.

Willie Abreu did the RBI honors by singling to right field to score his former college teammate, Thompson (1-0).

Moments later, J.C. Escarra roped a double on the first pitch he saw. The hit scored Gillaspie and stretched the lead to 2-0.

Keon Barnum, a Milwaukee star who did not play when the Milkmen played Kansas City in June, made up for lost time by sending his 15th homer of the season way over the outfield fence to close the gap (2-1).

The offenses kept producing with Kansas City adding two runs in the third inning. Thompson, the American Association home run derby champion, hammered a two-run home run to bump the Monarchs’ lead to three (4-1).

Jon Harris did a great job of retiring the Milkmen in order for the second time in the home half of the third inning to keep momentum on Kansas City’s side.

Both teams struck again in the fourth inning, with Milwaukee notching three runs after Kansas City scored one. It was none other than Keon Barnum who did the damage by homering for the second time of the night, this time a three-run homer to bring his team within one (5-4).

The Milkmen made a pitching change after the first out in the fifth inning. The new pitcher, D.J. Sharabi, was faced with a tough task as Thompson stepped up to the plate.

Thompson continued his success at the plate after collecting another RBI off a single through the left side against Sharabi (6-4).

Harris finally exited the game in the sixth inning after a line of five innings pitched, three hits, four runs, and one base on balls.
Harris handed the ball off to Jacob Lindgren who got his second appearance since returning to the active roster. Lindgren retired the Milwaukee offense without surrendering a run in the sixth.

In the seventh inning, the Milkmen did some major damage by compiling eight runs off seven hits, burning through three Monarchs pitchers in the inning (12-6). The most impressive parts of the inning were that the Milkmen scored all eight runs without a home run and sent 12 batters up to the plate.

Kansas City answered but with just one run of Escarra’s second hit of the evening (12-7). The single from Escarra allowed Gillaspie to cross home plate for the second time as well.

Frank Rubio finished the night on the mound for Kansas City after entering the game at the end of the seventh.

Only one Monarch reached base in their final chance at a comeback, but Rodrigo Benoit finished strong and clinched the series-opening victory for Milwaukee.

The Monarchs will look to rebound in game two in their series with the Milwaukee Milkmen at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday, July 19.evening at Franklin Field.
The game can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning at 6:05 p.m. and the video stream airing on aabaseball.tv.

Tickets to Monarchs games can be purchased by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting monarchsbaseball.com.

Cooling centers available

Cooling centers are available throughout Wyandotte County.

A map of the cooling centers is online at https://unifiedgov.maps.arcgis.com/apps/LocalPerspective/index.html?appid=05d96f432cd645f6a59512875df09d6b.

A listing of cooling centers on the Unified Government website also contains phone numbers for residents to call to see if there has been updated information about the cooling centers.

The cooling centers listed include:

  • Kansas City, Kansas, City Hall lobby, 701 N. 7th, Kansas City, Kansas; open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays;
  • Main Branch Kansas City, Kansas: Public Library, 625 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kansas; open 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. weekdays;
  • Armourdale Community Center, 730 Osage Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, open 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays;
  • Cross-Lines Community Outreach, 736 Shawnee Ave., open 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. weekdays;
  • Willa Gill Center, 645 Nebraska Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays;
  • Bethany Community Center, 1120 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, open 2 p.m. to 9 p.m weekdays;
  • Joe E. Amayo Argentine Community Center, 2810 Metropolitan Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays;
  • South Branch Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library, 3104 Strong Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday;
  • Kensington Community Center, 2900 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, open 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays;
  • Turner Community Library, 831 S. 55th St., Kansas City, Kansas, open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday;
  • Providence YMCA – Ball Family Center, 8601 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas, open from1 p.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
  • Bonner Springs-Edwardsville Library, 201 N. Nettleton Ave., Bonner Springs, open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.
  • Bonner Springs Community Center, 200 E. 3rd St., Bonner Springs, open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
  • Bonner Springs Family YMCA, 2251 S. 138th St., Bonner Springs, open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Sundays. Open as cooling center only on days when the National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning. ID is required.

Also listed as cooling places:

  • Bonner Springs Aquatic Park, 1200 S. 134th St., Bonner Springs, open from noon to 7 p.m. Mondays through Sundays. A fee is required.
  • Heathwood Spray Park, 10th and Parallel, Kansas City, Kansas, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Parkwood Pool, 859 Quindaro Blvd., Kansas City, Kansas, noon to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturday and 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. A fee is required for temperatures under 100 degrees.
  • Pierson Spray Park, 1800 S. 55th St., open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Sundays.
  • Eisenhower Spray Park, 2901 N. 72nd St., Kansas City, Kansas, open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Sundays.

Residents jump out of window to escape house fire on Crest Drive

A resident jumped out of a window to escape a fire overnight at 5309 Crest Drive, Kansas City, Kansas.

The resident was taken to a hospital by nonemergency transport for smoke inhalation and ankle pain, a spokesman for the Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department stated.

One firefighter reported feeling ill during the salvage and overhaul operations, the spokesman stated. Another firefighter was taken by a safety officer to a hospital for a foot injury, he added.

Fire crews were dispatched to the fire around 2:06 a.m. Tuesday, according to Assistant Chief Scott Schaunaman. A second home next door also was damaged by the fire.

Heavy smoke and fire were reported when they arrived at the split-level residential home, he stated. Four occupants jumped out of a window about one and a half stories high to escape the fire, according to the spokesman.

Heavy fire damage was reported to the back of the structure and the upper level, he stated.

Because of the nearness of the fire to the home next door, the call was upgraded to a general alarm, according to Schaunaman. The home next door suffered fire damage to the attic.

Occupants of the second home safely evacuated, Schaunaman stated.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to Schaunaman.