by Dan Vaughan Jr., Monarchs
A ninth inning pinch hit three-run blast off the bat of J.C. Escarra gave the Kansas City Monarchs a 5-2 lead as they won the first game of the West Division Championship Series over the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks on the road.
A pair of ace left-handers got the starting nods for both clubs in the game at Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo, North Dakota.
The Monarchs’ Matt Hall tossed 5.1 innings, giving up one unearned run on six hits with nine strikeouts in a no decision.
The RedHawks Kevin McGovern went seven innings surrendering one earned run on six hits to also not figure in the decision.
Kansas City got on the board in the fourth inning loading the bases with one out off McGovern. Jan Hernandez and Casey Gillaspie both singled with Pete Kozma drawing a walk.
Gio Brusa hit a bouncer to third bringing home Hernandez as Brusa raced to first, to beat out a double play chance for Fargo. McGovern would get Alexis Olmeda to ground out to first to get out of the inning with Kansas City leading 1-0.
In the home half of the sixth the RedHawks tied the game. Leo Pena reached on an error by Darnell Sweeney at third to start the inning. Hall struck out John Silviano, then walked Manuel Boscan to put runners at first and second. A wild pitch moved Pena to third for the RedHawks.
Alec Olund then singled through the five and six hole to tie the game at one. Evan Alexander reached on an infield single that second baseman Ryan Grotjohn was able to make a diving grab on to keep the go-ahead run from scoring but load the bases. Brandon Koch came in the game and got an infield pop out to second from Sam Dexter, then retired Christian Correa on a fly to left to end the inning and leave the way stations full for the RedHawks.
McGovern exited after the seventh inning stretch and saw his club grab the lead off the Monarchs pen. Jordan Martinson came in for Koch and got a strikeout of Peter Maris for the first out. Drew Ward worked a walk followed by a single from Leo Pena to put runners at first and second. John Silviano singled home the go-ahead run for the RedHawks scoring Ward. Martinson induced Manuel Boscan into an inning ending “pitcher’s best mate” double play, to leave the game at 2-1 in favor of the RedHawks.
Reid Birlingmair was summoned from the Fargo-Moorhead pen. The Monarchs mustered one hit off the right-hander but did not score in the top of the eighth frame. Brian Glowicki worked a scoreless bottom of the eighth for Kansas City to take the game into the top of the ninth and set up the heroics of the Monarchs.
Birlingmair retired Jacob Robson on a ground out to second for the first out. The Monarchs then got back-to-back walks from Hernandez and Casey Gillaspie to put runners at first and second with a wild pitch moving Hernandez to second during the Gillaspie at-bat.
Joe Jones came into the game for the RedHawks to face Kozma. The Monarchs shortstop, singled back up the box to score Hernandez and tie the game at two. Brusa struck out, looking for out number two. The Monarchs turned to Escarra with two on and two outs. On a one and one count, Escarra launched a three-run home run deep into the North Dakota night, to give the Monarchs a 5-2 lead.
Alex Valdez came into the game in the bottom of the ninth for the Monarchs. Valdez struck out pinch hitter Ben Livorsi and Peter Maris to get the first two outs of the inning. Drew Ward singled to right but Valdez got the 27th and final out on a fly ball to center from Pena to notch his second save of the postseason.
Glowicki (1-0) picked up the relief win for the Monarchs, while Birlingmair (0-1) was charged with the loss for the RedHawks. The Monarchs now lead the best of three game series one game to none.
The Monarchs and RedHawks will play game two of the West Division Championship Series at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday night, Sept. 14, at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas. The game can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning 30 minutes before game time 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.