by Dan Vaughan Jr., Monarchs
A week ago the Kansas City Monarchs (54-34) went to Canada and had their way with the Winnipeg Goldeyes (49-39) winning all three games. What a difference a week has made, as after two games of the four-game series, the Goldeyes have a 2-0 series lead following a 7-5 win at Legends Field Tuesday night.
The Monarchs’ Mallex Smith started the game with a walk and stole a pair of bases, coming home on a Darnell Sweeney fielders’ choice to take a 1-0 lead after one. The game stayed that way a matter of minutes as Winnipeg got rolling in the second.
The Goldeyes borrowed a page from the Monarchs’ play book using the long ball off Monarchs’ starter Jordan Martinson. Logan Hill walked and then came home on a two-run homer from Kevin Lachance to make it 2-1 Winnipeg.
The Goldeyes then got another walk from Deon Stafford Jr. followed by a fly out by Reggie Pruitt Jr. for out number one. Raul Navarro then stepped to the plate and launched a home run to left to give Winnipeg a 4-1 lead. The Goldeyes added another run on an RBI single from Max Murphy and it was 5-1 in favor of Winnipeg.
The Monarchs grabbed a run back in the top of the third on an RBI single from Sweeney off Goldeyes’ starter Alex Hart. Winnipeg came right back with an answer in the top of the fourth.
Newly signed Monarch Jalen Miller provided Navarro with free transportation to first. A throwing error on a pickoff attempt and a wild pitch moved the runner to third. Max Murphy picked up his second RBI of the game and 82nd on the season on a sacrifice fly scoring Navarro.
On the mound neither starter figured in the decision. In the pen, Miller allowed just one earned run in 4.2 innings of hitless ball in his Monarchs’ debut, while R.J. Martinez allowed one earned run in two innings to pick up the relief win.
With the Monarchs trailing 6-2 in the sixth, Jacob Robson hit a solo home run to right off Martinez. It was his third game with at least one long ball and his sixth of the season.
The Monarchs loaded the bases in the seventh, but Zac Ryan struck out Sweeney to end the threat for KC.
In the top of the ninth the Goldeyes picked up a big insurance run on a double from Murphy off Jameson McGrane. David Washington singled to right and moved Murphy to third. Jacob Rhinesmith hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Murphy and the lead was 7-3.
The Monarchs battled back in the ninth to make it interesting. Pete Kozma singled and Alexis Olmeda doubled off left-hander Tasker Strobel. Mallex Smith singled to load the bases for Kansas City. Ryan Grotjohn hit a fielder’s choice to score one run but force out Smith at second.
Sweeney singled in Olmeda for his third RBI of the night to cut the lead to two runs. Once again, the Monarchs had a chance with the winning run at the plate but back-to-back strikeouts by Robson and Jan Hernandez ended the night for the Monarchs and gave the Goldeyes a 7-5 win.
The loss dropped Kansas City five full games behind front running Fargo and five games clear of Winnipeg for second place in the American Association West.
The Monarchs will try to end their three-game losing streak at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24, in game three of the four-game series with the Winnipeg Goldeyes 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 aa baseball.tv.
Tickets to Monarchs games can be purchased by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting monarchsbaseball.com.