by Kaitlyn Sanders
The Kansas City Monarchs (45-23) could not keep a lead or the Sioux Falls Canaries (25-41) off the bases in a 8-6 loss Sunday afternoon at the Birdcage in South Dakota.
The Monarchs bullpen allowed nine walks and faced three bases-loaded scenarios, and the Canaries capitalized, taking the lead twice and avoiding another sweep this week.
While the Monarchs saw a quick 1,2,3 first half inning, starting pitcher Matt Hall took the mound and loaded the bases. Osvaldo Martinez singled to center field before Zane Gurwitz and Jabari Henry both walked. Gavin LaValley then brought a runner in with a single and the Canaries took the lead early,1-0. With the bases still loaded, Hall struck out Trey Michalczewski and escaped the first with only one run.
Kansas City didn’t trail for long as Matt Adams and Casey Gillaspie completed two back-to-back solo home runs to quickly take the lead at 2-1.
The seventh inning proved a big one for the Monarchs as they added three more runs. Gillaspie reached second on a pop-up to right field, and a putout from J.C. Escarra landed Gillaspie at third base. Alexis Olmeda sent an RBI single to left field, bringing Gillaspie in for a 3-1 score.
Willie Abreu walked before the Canaries had a pitching change. Darnell Sweeney singled courtesy of an error by the right fielder Gurwitz and brought in Olmeda, making the score 4-1. Charlie Hasty then balked, bringing in Abreu and giving Kansas City a buffer with a 5-1 lead.
Monarchs pitcher Brandon Koch took the mound at the start of the half inning and Sioux Falls fought back. Martinez singled to center field before Gurwitz was hit by a pitch and Henry hit an RBI single out to left field.
Michalczewski walked to load the bases, and Kona Quiggle fired one to right center field where Sweeney could hold onto the ball, allowing two batters to score, dwindling Kansas City’s lead to 5-4. A sacrifice fly from Angelo Altavilla gave Michalczewski the run in. Jeremy Rhoades took the mound with men on first and third with two outs. Rhodes walked two batters, Martinez and Gurwitz, and the Canaries took the lead going into the eighth, 6-5.
The Monarchs fired back with David Thompson’s long ball to tie the game again at 6-6. Kansas City could not manage to take the lead, however, with Gillaspie doubling to right and Escarra reaching first on an error by the left fielder Nick Gotta, with both runners remained stranded.
Frank Rubio came in for the Monarchs when the bases were loaded.
Michalczewski singled before Quiggle and Altavilla both walked. Shamoy Christopher singled, bringing in two runs, and the Canaries took back the lead and the win, 8-6.
Monarchs starter Hall went five innings pitched fir six hits, one run and eight strikeouts. Hall was matched against Neil Lang who went 6.2 innings pitched, five hits, five runs and three strikeouts.
The Monarchs will have Monday, Aug. 1, off before starting a three-game series on Tuesday, Aug. 2, in Kansas City against the Kane County Cougars, with the first pitch at 7 p.m. 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 aabaseball.tv.
Tickets to Monarchs games can be purchased by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting monarchsbaseball.com.