Monarchs Finish Off Canaries, Move On to West Division Championship

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Kansas City, KS — In a game delayed over two hours, the Monarchs outlasted the Canaries with a 7-3 win and clinched a spot in the West Division championship series.

For the first time in the series, it was the Canaries who threw the first punch in the second. Anthony Hall led off with a base hit and Grady Mee smoked a two-run blast into right field to take a 2-0 lead.

This did not phase Kansas City as they immediately responded with a three spot in the bottom of the frame. Sahid Valenzuela led off with a base hit while Onix Vega cranked a two-run moonshot into left field and just like that, this game was tied. The inning did not stop there when Hudson Head walked, Jose Torres singled, and Tyler Gentry slapped a ball the opposite way to bring home Head. The Monarchs had their first lead and would not surrender it the entire way.

On the first pitch of the inning in the sixth, Mike Hart jacked a solo homer to tie up the game.

Michael Mariot made his 11th appearance on the bump and the veteran right-hander met the moment in this game. The former Royal threw the second-most strikeouts this season with six. KC went through three more pitchers out of the bullpen as Tyler Myrick, Jack Walker, and Durbin Feltman each put up a zero to seal the game.

Once again, KC orchestrated an immediate response in the bottom of the sixth. Valenzuela collected a base-knock and Head ripped a ball down the left field line to bring home Valenzuela from second. The momentum shifted and it was 4-3 Monarchs.

This game stayed at a one-run advantage, but the Monarchs added some much needed insurance tallies in the eighth. Valenzuela collected his fourth hit of the game to finish out a 4-4 night at the dish. Vega followed it up with a base hit while Head registered a single. The bases were juiced which allowed Torres to put a sac fly into right field. Later in the frame, Luken Baker arrived on the scene with a a liner up the middle to plate Vega and Torres.

The Monarchs fought hard and faced some early adversity, but they were never phased and played really clean baseball throughout this game. They have a date with the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks on Monday night at Newman Outdoor field. It’s a best of five series and the first two games will be on the road. KC will be back in action at Legends Field on Thursday night, but first has to take care of business in Fargo. It will be a 7:02 first pitch on Monday.