Category: Kansas City Monarchs

by Gabriel Lopez, Monarchs

A high-powered second inning from the Kansas City Monarchs (4-3) helped the team secure a 4-3 win in the series opener against the Chicago Dogs (3-4) on Friday night.

On Wyandotte County Appreciation Night at Legends Field, the Dogs were able to scrape across one run in the second inning after Charlie Tilson grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Grant Kay. That was the only run Akeem Bostick (1-1) gave up on the night.

After surrendering the lead, the right-hander settled in and delivered three scoreless innings including retiring the last 10 batters he faced.

The Monarchs’ offense quickly responded with four runs in the home half of the second off Chicago starter Shane Barringer (1-1).

Casey Gillaspie led the charge, hitting a fielder’s choice that would score Jan Hernandez for the Monarchs’ first run of the game.

After Alexis Olmeda worked a walk, Joel Booker roped a double down the left field line to score Gillaspie. Darnell Sweeney got involved in the action, driving a single to right to score Olmeda. Pete Kozma brought home Booker on a fielder’s choice to short, giving the Monarchs a 4-1 lead entering the third.

Both teams were quiet for the next three innings. This changed in the sixth as K.C. Dobson scored Danny Mars on a fielder’s choice and Grant Kay belted a solo home run to pull the Dogs to within one.

It was still a one-run game entering the ninth inning, but Brandon Koch struck out the side to shut the door on the Dogs and earn his first save of the season.

The Monarchs will play game two against Chicago at 6 p.m. Saturday with the gates opening at 4 p.m.

The game can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning at 5:30 p.m. and the video stream airing on aabaseball.tv.

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

by Kaitlyn Sanders, Monarchs

The Kansas City Monarchs (3-3) crushed five home runs against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (3-3) in a dominating 6-1 series clinching win Thursday night at Legends Field.

Gaby Guerrero got the scoring started early in the first inning with a home run to the visiting bullpen in left field for a 1-0 score.

Jan Hernandez followed for back-to-back scoring innings launching a home run to make it a 2-0 advantage in the second.

With Hernandez at the plate a wild pitch was served up by RedHawks starter Francisco Jimenez bringing in Willie Abreu, extending the lead to 3-0 going into the fourth.

The fourth inning was an electric inning for the Monarchs. The club launched three home runs in a row coming from the bottom three spots in the lineup off the bats of Casey Gillaspie, Alexis Olmeda and Willie Abreu.

Gillaspie launched a homer over the home run hill in right field, Olmeda sent one to the popular home run patio, while Abreu hit a line drive straight to center field to round out the scoring for Kansas City.

The RedHawks got on the board in the seventh, when Manuel Boscan’s base-hit brought in Darian Sandford, to avoid the shutout and make the score 6-1.

Monarchs starting right-handed pitcher Matt Hall finished with a line of 6.0 innings pitched, three hits, no runs and six strikeouts to even his record at (1-1). Jimenez (0-1) suffered the loss surrendering six earned runs over four frames including all five long balls.

The Monarchs continue their homestand Friday night with game one of a three-game series against the Chicago Dogs with the first pitch at 7 p.m. and the gates opening at 6 p.m. 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.

by Gabriel Lopez, Monarchs

The Kansas City Monarchs had a quiet night at the plate as they dropped the second game of the series against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 2-1 Wednesday night.

A pitching duel between Nick Beltzer (0-1) and Kevin McGovern (1-0) kept the game scoreless through the first three innings.

The RedHawks broke the tie in the fourth inning when Drew Ward roped a double down the right field line to score Manuel Boscan from second base. Leobaldo Pina immediately followed up with a double of his own down the left field line to bring in Ward, making the score 2-0.

The Monarchs offense was held at bay until the sixth inning when Darnell Sweeney hit a solo home run over the “home run patio” in left field, cutting the lead in half.

Sweeney’s long ball marked back-to-back nights with a home run for the veteran.

Kevin McGovern had an excellent start for the RedHawks. The former Winnipeg Goldeyes’ starter and the all time American Association strikeout leader finished his night allowing one run and three hits, fanning 11 Monarchs through seven innings pitched.

In the eighth inning, the Monarchs offense started to show some life. David Thompson reached on an error made by shortstop Sam Dexter. Casey Gillaspie followed by walking on four straight balls. Darnell Sweeney singled on a hard ground ball off the pitcher loading the bases. However, the Monarchs weren’t able to cash in any runs.

Game three against Fargo-Moorhead is at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 19. 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.