The Kansas City Monarchs’ (34-19) seven-game win streak came to an end at Legends Field Sunday in a 3-2 loss against the Kane County Cougars (27-29).
The Kane County Cougars started the game off quickly, putting a run up on the board in the first inning on a sacrifice fly RBI from Mark Karaviotis and adding another run off the bat of Jefferey Baez on a fourth inning sacrifice fly to take a 2-0 lead.
The Monarchs didn’t respond right away, as they were unable to produce a base hit until the bottom of the fourth with a single from Colin Willis.
Darnell Sweeney put Kansas City on the board in the fifth inning with a home run to right field, his seventh of the season, cutting the lead to 2-1.
Right-handed pitcher Brian Ellington came in with bases loaded in the eighth and managed to walk away from the mound with no damage done, the score still 2-1.
Willis came back in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI single, bringing in Gaby Guerrero and tying the game at 2-2.
However, a two-out triple from Mark Karaviotis off Ellington in the top of the ninth was enough for the Cougars to break the tie and win the game 3-2.
Kanas City got a strong outing from Jose Taveras who tossed six innings, scattering seven hits and giving up two earned runs in a no decision. Ellington took the loss, and Christian DeLeon of Kane County got the win.
Kansas City will be off Monday before embarking on a six-game road trip beginning Tuesday night at Lincoln. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday in Lincoln and the game can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning at 6:35 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.
- Story by Kaitlyn Sanders