by Dan Vaughan Jr., Monarchs
The Kansas City Monarchs (60-34) crossed into Canada Monday and did not miss a beat as the team clubbed 15 hits and scored 12 runs in a 12-5 win over the Winnipeg Goldeyes (50-43) at Shaw Park.
The win extended the Monarchs winning streak to six games.
Ryan Grotjohn got the Monarchs on the board in the top of the first with a two out solo home run to left field to make it 1-0 off Winnipeg starter Luis Ramirez (10-6).
The Goldeyes tied it in the second on an RBI double from Logan Hill off Monarchs’ starter Matt Hartman (ND).
Kansas City took the lead for good in the top of the fourth with a three-run home run for Casey Gillaspie with two outs to make it 4-1. It was his 17th of the season and his 52nd in franchise history.
The Monarchs plated two more runs in the top of the fifth with a two-out single from Kevin Santa followed by a double from Grotjohn. With runners at second and third Jacob Robson drove both runners home with a double to extend the lead to 6-1. It was Robson’s 19th RBI in his last 10 games.
Winnipeg loaded the bases off Hartman in the bottom of the fifth inning with one out. Brian Glowicki came into the game and gave up a sacrifice fly to Jacob Rhinesmith to cut the lead to 6-2.
Hill was hit by a pitch to load the bases once again. Kevin Lachance drove a pair home with an RBI single, but Glowicki struck out Hidekel Gonzalez to end the inning with the Monarchs leading 6-4.
The Monarchs answered once again with four more runs in the top of the sixth. Ramirez got the first two outs of the inning but left the game after a single by Pete Kozma.
Travis Seabrooke came in from the pen for the Goldeyes and gave up a single to Dylan Harris followed by back-to-back doubles from Mallex Smith and Santa to make it 9-4 Kansas City.
Grotjohn picked up his third hit of the night on an infield single, but a Goldeyes error allowed another run to score to increase the lead to 10-4.
Kansas City added two more runs in the seventh on a fielder’s choice from Kozma and an RBI single for Smith, his second of the night, to make it a 12- 4 Monarchs lead.
Glowicki worked 3.2 innings with five strikeouts to pick up the relief win for Kansas City. Alex Valdez worked the ninth inning and gave up a solo home run to Max Murphy, for a final 12-5 for Kansas City.
The Monarchs’ winning streak sits at six. The Monarchs are 2.5 games behind the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks for first place in the West Division, with six games to play.
The Monarchs continue their six-game road trip with the second game of a three-game series across the border against the Winnipeg Goldeyes at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30. The game can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning at 6 p.m. 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.