Category: Kansas City Monarchs

by Kaitlyn Sanders, Monarchs

The Kansas City Monarchs (46-22) secure game two against the Kane County Cougars (35-36) in a 4-3 game.

Monarchs starter Lewis Thorpe produced a quick 1,2,3 first inning on the way to retiring the first nine batters in a row.

The Monarchs stranded five runners in the first two innings before breaking through in the third.

David Thompson started two-for-two with a stand-up triple to right-center field in the home half of the third. Matt Adams batted next and sent a ball to center for an RBI double; the Monarchs held their first lead at 1-0.

Kane County avoided another bases-loaded scenario with a 4-6-3 double play, taking out Gillaspie at second and Escarra at first.

Cougar Ernie De La Trinidad got a walk in the top of the fourth. Jimmy Kerrigan sent a base-hit single to left field, but both men were left stranded by the third out.

In his first game back with the Monarchs, Ryan Grotjohn reached base on a walk before Sweeney singled to right field, but an error by first baseman Dylan Busby sent him to second.

Santa singled to center for two RBI before Thompson singled to right. Monarchs extended the lead further as Adams sent one deep to left-center field, bringing the score to 4-0.

The Cougars put the first run on the board in the fifth as Alexis Pantoja tripled to deep right-center field and a put-out from B.J. Lopez brought him in, Kane County no longer scoreless at 4-1.

Kane County brought in another run in the seventh courtesy of a putout from Pantoja. Dylan Busby singled to left field before Sherman Johnson sent one to deep right field for a double.

After a pitching change from Brian Glowicki to Jordan Martinson, Galli Cribbs Jr. completed a single to center for an RBI, digging into the Monarchs lead at 4-3.

In the top of the eighth, Jeremy Rhoades took the mound for two strikeouts, one being Kerrigan, who in game one went two -or-four with three RBI courtesy of a home run, ending the night one-for-four with three strikeouts.

Manager Joe Calfapietra said of Kerrigan, “We got ahead, you get ahead, you know then you get a chance, you get behind a good hitter it just makes it a little more difficult.”

In the bottom of the eighth, Cougars pitcher Koby Bishop loaded the bases. Santa and Thompson both singled to left field before Adams was walked.

Monarchs finished the night at 4-3 as Santa was picked off at third by catcher B.J. Lopez and Jameson McGrane ended the top of the ninth with two strikeouts.

It was a tense match-up on the mound with Lewis Thorpe going 6 innings pitched for 2 hits, 1 run, 2 bases on balls and 5 strikeouts compared to Jack Fox at 5 innings pitched, 9 hits, 4 runs, 6 bases on balls and 4 strikeouts.

The Monarchs will finish this series homestand against the Kane County Cougars at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4. The game can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning at 6:30 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.

The Kansas City Monarchs signed one of the most valuable players from last season’s roster on Aug. 3. Ryan Grotjohn returns to the Monarchs after leaving his mark on the club’s first season a year ago by being one of the biggest contributors to the team both at the plate and in the field.

Grotjohn made the jump from one Kansas City club to another after being signed by the Kansas City Royals after the conclusion of the 2021 American Association Playoffs.

Before beginning his time with the Royals, Grotjohn spent the winter playing for the Gigantes de Carolina in Carolina, Puerto Rico.

For the current 2022 season, Ryan Grotjohn spent his time playing for Royals AA affiliate, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Springdale, Arkansas). Grotjohn appeared in 34 games, and totaled 68 at-bats. In those at-bats, he had 11 hits, two homers, nine RBI, two doubles, and has stolen nine bases.

Grotjohn played in 97 total games a season ago and finished the regular season by ranking top five on the team in 10 different offensive stat categories.

Grotjohn led the Monarchs in runs scored (76), triples (6), and hit by pitches (10). The versatile standout hit .328 (116-354) the entire season with 23 doubles, 11 home runs, and 63 RBI.

Defensively, Grotjohn played many positions, including third base, center field, left field, and right field, but he played the better majority at second base. He finished the season with a .966 fielding percentage, tallying 78 putouts, 91 assists, and helped turn 21 double-plays.

He was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 10th round of the 2017 June Amateur Draft out of California State University, Bakersfield. In 2019 Grotjohn saw time at both high-A Visalia in the California League and AA Jackson in the Southern League.

Grotjohn had a four-year college career at Cal State Bakersfield. In four seasons he played in 184 games, hitting .302 (.302/.394/.413). He finished his career with four home runs and 89 RBI. His senior season in 2017 he finished second on the Roadrunners with 42 RBI while leading the team in doubles with 15. He also hit a team-leading .390 (.390/.459/.512) and led the team in hits (83) and runs (51) in his final season.

Grotjohn is a 2013 graduate of Brophy College Prep in Phoenix, Arizona where he hit .391 with four home runs and 33 RBI as a senior on the way to being named honorable mention All-State. He had seven doubles and a .477 on-base percentage in 2013 on a team that finished second in the state in 2012. Grotjohn also lettered in soccer and was a member of the BCP soccer team, which won two state championships and where he earned first team All-State honors. He also played club soccer in Spain
The Monarchs continue their three-game series tonight, Aug. 3, against the Kane County Cougars at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas. The first pitch is set for 7 p.m. and the game can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning at 6:30 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 from Monarchs

by Kaitlyn Sanders

The Kansas City Monarchs (45-23) could not keep a lead or the Sioux Falls Canaries (25-41) off the bases in a 8-6 loss Sunday afternoon at the Birdcage in South Dakota.

The Monarchs bullpen allowed nine walks and faced three bases-loaded scenarios, and the Canaries capitalized, taking the lead twice and avoiding another sweep this week.

While the Monarchs saw a quick 1,2,3 first half inning, starting pitcher Matt Hall took the mound and loaded the bases. Osvaldo Martinez singled to center field before Zane Gurwitz and Jabari Henry both walked. Gavin LaValley then brought a runner in with a single and the Canaries took the lead early,1-0. With the bases still loaded, Hall struck out Trey Michalczewski and escaped the first with only one run.

Kansas City didn’t trail for long as Matt Adams and Casey Gillaspie completed two back-to-back solo home runs to quickly take the lead at 2-1.

The seventh inning proved a big one for the Monarchs as they added three more runs. Gillaspie reached second on a pop-up to right field, and a putout from J.C. Escarra landed Gillaspie at third base. Alexis Olmeda sent an RBI single to left field, bringing Gillaspie in for a 3-1 score.

Willie Abreu walked before the Canaries had a pitching change. Darnell Sweeney singled courtesy of an error by the right fielder Gurwitz and brought in Olmeda, making the score 4-1. Charlie Hasty then balked, bringing in Abreu and giving Kansas City a buffer with a 5-1 lead.

Monarchs pitcher Brandon Koch took the mound at the start of the half inning and Sioux Falls fought back. Martinez singled to center field before Gurwitz was hit by a pitch and Henry hit an RBI single out to left field.

Michalczewski walked to load the bases, and Kona Quiggle fired one to right center field where Sweeney could hold onto the ball, allowing two batters to score, dwindling Kansas City’s lead to 5-4. A sacrifice fly from Angelo Altavilla gave Michalczewski the run in. Jeremy Rhoades took the mound with men on first and third with two outs. Rhodes walked two batters, Martinez and Gurwitz, and the Canaries took the lead going into the eighth, 6-5.

The Monarchs fired back with David Thompson’s long ball to tie the game again at 6-6. Kansas City could not manage to take the lead, however, with Gillaspie doubling to right and Escarra reaching first on an error by the left fielder Nick Gotta, with both runners remained stranded.

Frank Rubio came in for the Monarchs when the bases were loaded.
Michalczewski singled before Quiggle and Altavilla both walked. Shamoy Christopher singled, bringing in two runs, and the Canaries took back the lead and the win, 8-6.

Monarchs starter Hall went five innings pitched fir six hits, one run and eight strikeouts. Hall was matched against Neil Lang who went 6.2 innings pitched, five hits, five runs and three strikeouts.

The Monarchs will have Monday, Aug. 1, off before starting a three-game series on Tuesday, Aug. 2, in Kansas City against the Kane County Cougars, with the first pitch at 7 p.m. at Legends Field.

The game can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning at 6:30 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.