by Caleb Grizzle
Franklin, Wisconsin — The Kansas City Monarchs (38-21) bid for a series split with the Milwaukee Milkmen (30-29) was soured early on Thursday, as Kansas City surrendered seven runs in the first inning.
Milwaukee took the Monarchs’ milk money and never looked back, taking a commanding series win in 14-7 fashion.
In the first inning, the Monarchs struck first, for only the second time this series, to take an early 1-0 lead against the Milkmen.
The Monarchs relied upon a two-out David Thompson double to set up Matt Adams for his hard hit, error-inducing ground ball to score early.
Jake Matthys, the starting Milkman on the mound, finished the inning with two hits allowed and one earned run.
The Milkmen provided an emphatic answer in the home half of the first. Matt Hartman received the start for the Monarchs and gave up a leadoff double to Bryan Torres.
Following a fly out and Torres tagging to third base, Hartman walked Will Kengor. With runners at first and third base, Milkman Keon Barnum drove a towering blast to left field for Milwaukee’s first of two, three-run home runs in the inning.
After an RBI single from Christ Conley, runners were once again on first and third, and Logan Trowbridge capitalized with a three-run blast over the left field wall. The Monarchs trailed 7-1 heading into the second inning.
Both pitchers settled in on the mound in the second inning as Matthys retired three out of four Monarchs in the second inning to hold them scoreless. Hartman followed suit with a one, two, three inning and recorded two strikeouts along the way.
Each offense stayed quiet in the third frame, as Matthys allowed one base runner, no hits and no runs on the way to a swift inning of work. Hartman mirrored Matthys’ swift inning of work, allowing one base runner, no hits and no runs.
The Monarchs struggled once again to generate momentum in the fourth inning, as Matthys secured a one, two, three inning with two strikeouts.
The Milkmen controlled the fourth inning on the mound and at the plate, posting two more runs on the board. Following two walks to begin the inning, Correlle Prime singled to center field to bring home Trowbridge.
Following a fielder’s choice for Kengor, the Milkmen had runners at first and third with one out. Barnum grounded into a 4-3-6 double play, as the Milkmen picked up one more run in the inning as the Monarchs ended the inning due to heads up baserunning from Kengor.
In the fifth, Willie Abreu led off the inning with a solo home run to right field to start the Monarchs potential comeback trail. The Monarchs went quietly in the inning with Matthys only facing three more Monarchs in the inning, allowing only one more hit in the inning and picking off Darnell Sweeney following Sweeney reaching first upon a fielder’s choice.
Hartman’s last inning of work came in the fifth as he allowed only one hit, no runs and recorded his fifth strikeout of the night holding the score at 9-2.
The base paths were busy in the sixth inning, in the top half of the sixth the Monarchs put three runs on the board behind a key double from Casey Gillaspie, and an RBI single from Abreu.
The Monarchs’ three runs cut the deficit to only four runs but the Milkmen kept their distance with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Frank Rubio entered for Hartman on the mound and recorded one out before surrendering a walk and a single from Torres and Prime. Torres stole third base, placing the Monarchs in a dangerous spot. The Monarchs nearly turned two to end the inning but only got the lead runner, allowing Torres to score.
Barnum brought home the runner from first with a single to center field before Rubio could escape the inning. Rubio struck out Dylan Kelly to end the inning, leaving the Monarchs trailing 11-5.
In the seventh inning, Jack Mahoney, who entered to record the final out in the sixth on the mound, slowed the Monarchs’ offense to a halt. Only allowing one hit and no runs to hold Milwaukee’s commanding lead. Brandon Koch replaced Rubio for the Monarchs, retiring three out of four Milkmen, allowing only one hit and no runs.
The Monarchs threatened to make a late push against a new Milkman on the mound, Juan Echevarria, by loading the bases with two outs.
With the bases loaded, Kevin Santa brought home two runs with an RBI single but that was all the Monarchs could muster in the inning, as Kansas City trailed 11-7 heading into the home half of the eighth.
Jameson McGrane entered in the eighth, surrendering four hits and three runs, including a two-run home run, Milwaukee’s third of the night. The Milkmen led 14-7 heading into the ninth. Milkman Rodrigo Benoit entered in the ninth on the mound, holding the Monarchs scoreless and retiring three of four batters.
The Monarchs will play the first game of their three-game series with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks on the road at 7:05 p.m. Friday, July 22, The game can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning at 6:35 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.