The Kansas City Monarchs (43-22) played the Chicago Dogs (40-27) for the first time this season on Friday, Christmas in July night, and kept them stunned for eight straight innings at Legends Field.
Chicago struck first in the top of inning one with a two-run home run by K.C. Hobson.
The Monarchs quickly hit back with a two-run homer by Darnell Sweeney, scoring him and Ryan Grotjohn.
Following Sweeney, Gaby Guerrero hit a single to left field then Gillaspie brought him home with an RBI double, putting Kansas City in the lead 3-2.
Newcomer right-handed pitcher Keyvius Sampson started out at the mound for the Monarchs. Sampson pitched for four innings, recorded three hits, two runs, one home run, and six strikeouts.
The game stayed quiet until the bottom of the sixth when Morgan McCullough hit a solo home run, extending the Monarchs’ lead 4-2.
After getting on base on a walk off of John Baker in the bottom of the seventh, Darnell Sweeney slid home after newbie Drew Ferguson hit a sacrifice fly to left to make it 5-2 in favor of the Monarchs.
Winning pitcher Jameson McGrane (5-1) shut the Dogs’ offense down for four innings with no hits, no runs, two walks, and eight strikeouts in the relief win.
The Monarchs will continue their series at 7 p.m. Saturday night against the Chicago Dogs.
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.
Saturday is Pride Night at the Legends Field, with a celebrity kickball game scheduled at 5:30 p.m. There will be post-game fireworks.
- Story by Emerson Peavey, Monarchs