Game at 1 p.m. today to determine West division winner
by G.M.W. Vaughan, Monarchs
In a high stakes game for the Kansas City Monarchs (64-35) and the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (64-35), they both came to Legends Field ready to fulfill their postseason dreams as both team’s standings depended on the outcome of Sunday’s game.
With Matt Hartman starting on the mound for the Monarchs and Tyler Grauer for the RedHawks, the Monarchs showed their hunger for another crown as they kept Fargo-Moorhead from clinching the division title, ending the game tied for first place in the division, winning the game 12-3.
A walk for Dylan Harris started the offense in the third inning. Mallex Smith followed with a single, adding to the offensive momentum. After a wild pitch got away from catcher Christian Correa, Harris and Smith moved to second and third, and fans were feeling the energy.
Darnell Sweeney then walked, loading the bases as Ryan Grotjohn stepped up and knocked a triple that wiped the bases clean, putting the Monarchs on top 3-0. After a sacrifice fly from Jacob Robson, Grotjohn raced home, and the Monarchs ended the inning with a commanding lead, 4-0.
The fifth inning once again saw the Monarchs’ offense take a bite out of the RedHawks. Smith started with a double off Home Run Patio wall. Sweeney followed with a single and quickly advanced to second on a wild pitch. Grotjohn stepped up and cranked another hit — a double — that scored both Smith and Sweeney.
After a walk for Robson, Jan Hernandez crushed a home run over Home Run Patio, scoring Grotjohn, Robson and Hernandez, giving the Monarchs a monstrous lead, 9-0, and highlighting the grit of a Monarchs team hungry for a division title.
Fargo decided not to give the Monarchs the shutout they hoped for as Novak hit a solo home run off Jeremy Rhoades, who came in after a quality start for Hartman, who had eight strikeouts before he left the mound, but the Monarchs’ defense kept the RedHawks from further damage, heading into the seventh inning stretch with a 9-1 lead.
In the home half of the seventh, Robson started with a walk off Alec Olund, followed by another for Hernandez. Casey Gillaspie got a single that loaded the bases. J.C. Escarra followed with a base hit that scored Robson.
A sacrifice fly by Pete Kozma scored Hernandez, and the Monarchs closed out the inning up 11-1 over Fargo.
Grotjohn started the inning with a walk off Evan Alexander, followed by a single from Robson. Hernandez followed with another walk, loading the bases for Gillaspie, who also walked, scoring Grotjohn and increasing the Monarchs’ lead, 12-1.
Frank Rubio came in to close the game in the top of the ninth. Alec Olund started with a base hit, followed by Evan Alexander who advanced to first on a fielder’s choice. Nick Novak got a base hit off a ball that got past Sweeney at third base, loading the bases.
Ben Livorsi then got a base hit scoring both Olund and Alexander, making the score 12-3. But Rubio and the Monarchs’ defense kept the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks from clinching the division title, tying them for first place.
The pivotal game with Fargo-Moorhead starts at 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 5, Labor Day, at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas.
The final game of this series will determine the winner of the division and what team the Monarchs will face in round one of the playoffs.
The division-deciding game can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning at 12:30 p.m. and the video stream airing on aa baseball.tv.
Tickets to Monarchs playoff games can be purchased by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting monarchsbaseball.com.