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