Category: Kansas City Monarchs

The Kansas City Monarchs (17-12) lost the road series opener to Milwaukee (20-11) Monday night as the Milkmen’s starter David Holmberg (4-2) went for a complete game in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The Monarchs wasted no time getting on the board Monday. In the second inning, Gabby Guerrero doubled to center field. Guerrero advanced to third on a Gillaspie groundout to put Charcer Burks in position to drive in a run for Kansas City. Burks drove in Guerrero on an RBI groundout to put the Monarchs up 1-0.

In the bottom half of the second inning, starting right-handed pitcher Cody Mincey gave up a solo shot to Trey Martin for the Milkmen to tie the game, 1-1.

In the fourth inning, Gillaspie and Burks both singled, keeping the offense going for the Monarchs, putting runners at first and second.

Kansas City could not capitalize though, leaving both runners stranded. In the bottom half of the fourth inning, Mincey gave up a double to Christian Correa, putting Milwaukee in scoring position.

With two outs, Morgan McCullough made a diving grab that saved a possible go-ahead run for the Milkmen.

Despite giving up the early home run, Mincey in five innings gave up only four hits, no walks, and struck out five.

Right-handed pitcher Jose Taveras (0-1) replaced Mincey in the sixth inning. Taveras ran into trouble in the seventh inning, giving up a single to Aaron Hill. Trey Martin of the Milkmen then drove in Hill on an RBI double to give Milwaukee a 2-1 lead.

The Monarchs could not mount a comeback as they dropped this one 2-1 in Milwaukee. It was the Monarchs’ first game against the Milkmen played in Wisconsin, with all previous seven meetings played in KCK and in Kokomo, Indiana.

The Kansas City Monarchs will take on the Milwaukee Milkmen in game two of this four-game road series on Tuesday night. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. in Milwaukee. The game can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning at 6:10 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 Jason Nick, Monarchs

It was home runs to left field, right field, and center field as the Kansas City Monarchs (17-11) and Winnipeg Goldeyes (11-16) combined for seven long balls Sunday afternoon at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas.

It was the final blast, a two-run home run by Jan Hernandez, that was the difference in a 9-8 win for the Monarchs. It was deja vu with Hernandez delivering a walk-off dinger a day after Casey Gillaspie’s own walk-off two-run home run in Saturdays 5-3 win over Winnipeg.

The Monarchs took an early lead at 2-0 with a two-run home run from Morgan McCullough in the second inning.

The Goldeyes’ Max Murphy earned an RBI in the fourth before Winnipeg took the lead in the sixth with a two-run home run from Martin, bringing the score to 3-2.

The Monarchs answered right away in a day of two-run home runs as Casey Gillaspie got one for himself in the bottom of the sixth to help the Monarchs take back the lead at 4-3.

Winnipeg came back in the seventh inning with a home run from Logan Hill, accompanied by a triple from Tyler Hill that brought in three runs for the Goldeyes, but they weren’t done as Murphy earned his second RBI of the night, putting them back up by four at 8-4.

The Monarchs were not going to take it lying down as Darnell Sweeney continued the scoring in the bottom of the seventh with yet another two-run home run, shortening the lead to 8-6.

Gaby Guerrero joined the home run club in the eighth inning, the score 8-7 going into the ninth.

The rest is history—with Ryan Grotjohn on first, two outs the first pitch for Hernandez, he launched the ball into left field.

“[Grotjohn’s] been doing fabulous for us, all the guys, they’re believing in themselves and what we’re doing,” manager Joe Calfapietra said.

With a win on Father’s Day, Calfapietra got choked up talking about his team.

“I love my kids, and I have 25 of them out there, and my two girls know that,” he said.

The Monarchs begin a seven game road trip starting Monday night in Franklin, Wisconsin against the Milwaukee Milkmen. Game time is 6:35 p.m. and can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning at 6:10 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 Dan Vaughan, Kansas City Monarchs

It had been 21 months and 19 days since Kansas City had walked off winners in a game at home.

Casey Gillaspie had a 13th inning RBI single on Sept. 1, 2019, against Sioux City. On Saturday, June 19, Gillaspie did it again, delivering a walk-off winner as the Monarchs (16-11) beat the Winnipeg Goldeyes (11-15) 5-3 in 11 innings on a two-run home run by the former Wichita State standout.

It was a quiet four innings for both teams until the Winnipeg Goldeyes’ Wes Darvill hit a home run in the top of the fifth.

The Goldeyes’ Darren Seferina hit another home run, scoring him and Sonny Ulliana to take the lead 3-0.

The Monarchs responded with a homer of their own by Darnell Sweeney off the batter’s eye. Sweeney’s home run scored him and Morgan McCullough, cutting into Winnipeg’s lead 3-2.

It seemed to be a bullpen day at Legends Field, starting with Jameson McGrane (0-1) who came off the mound after pitching the first three innings, allowing three hits and three strikeouts. Then Jacob Lindgren pitched for one inning, recording one hit and allowing one walk. Jose Taveras then pitched one inning, allowing three hits, three runs, and three errors.

Erik Cha pitched an inning, allowing one hit and a single strikeout. Cody Mincey also pitched one inning and allowed one hit and two strikeouts.

Charcer Burks became the star with a defensive play in the top of the eighth inning, catching what could have been a double, right by the home bullpen. Burks’ clutch play and Brian Ellington’s pitching kept the Goldeyes from scoring.

Kansas City hopped back to action in the bottom of the eighth and tied the game, with Grotjohn hitting a double to centerfield and then crossing home plate, thanks to a groundball single to centerfield by Jan Hernandez.

Brian Ellington pitched for an inning and allowed two walks and recorded one strikeout. Carlos Diaz took the Monarchs into overtime, pitching for two innings, allowing one hit and recording four strikeouts. Elroy Urbina (1-0) closed the game out for Kansas City, pitching for one inning, not allowing any hits. Urbina was credited with the win.

Both teams couldn’t manage to get on the board in the ninth, bringing the game to extra innings. It was a quiet tenth, but then the Monarchs cracked it back open in bottom of eleventh with a two-run homer, courtesy of Casey Gillaspie, scoring him and Gabby Guerrero.

The Kansas City Monarchs will close out its three-game series against the Winnipeg Goldeyes Sunday at 3 p.m. at Legends Field. The gates will open at 2 p.m.

The game can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning at 2:35 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 from Dan Vaughan, Kansas City Monarchs