Herrmann Scorching Hot, Earns League Weekly Honor

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Kansas City Monarchs catcher Chris Herrmann has been unstoppable to start the season, and the league is taking notice.

Herrmann has won the American Association’s Pointstreak Batter of the Week award for the week ending May 21, the league announced Monday.

The former Twins and Diamondbacks catcher has been at the center of a resurgent Monarchs lineup.

Herrmann is riding a six-game hitting streak, during which he’s batting .583 with three home runs, 14 RBIs, five walks and just four strikeouts.

10 of those RBIs have come in the last three games alone, when the Monarchs swept Sioux Falls in a weekend series. Herrmann blasted an eighth-inning grand slam in the Monarchs’ 18-6 victory on Friday, and added three more RBIs in an 11-3 triumph on Sunday night.

Herrmann is the Monarchs’ first weekly honoree of 2023. He’s the first Kansas City player to take Batter of the Week honors since Jan Hernandez won the honor in the week ending May 29, 2022.

Herrmann, 35, has eight years of big-league experience with the Twins, Diamondbacks, Mariners and Athletics. His most recent action in the US before arriving in KC came with Triple-A Rochester in the Nationals system in 2022.

The Monarchs begin a three-game home series tonight at Legends Field against the Milwaukee Milkmen. First pitch Monday is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Monarchs Offense Unstoppable In Sweep Of Canaries

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By Nolan Brooks

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Kansas City Monarchs’ offense shined in the series finale against Sioux Falls, scoring double-digit runs for the second time in three nights and cruising to a three-game sweep.

The Monarchs lit up the scoreboard again with ten runs across the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. The Monarchs’ bullpen also contributed with another solid outing that helped the Monarchs cruise to an 11-3 win at Legends Field.

Johneshwy Fargas has been red hot at the plate for the Monarchs at home. Fargas kicked off the series finale with a leadoff triple and later scored thanks to Jan Hernandez getting the RBI groundout.

Unfortunately, the Canaries loved the third inning in this series as Darnell Sweeney smashed a double and scored one batter later thanks to an RBI ground-rule double from Welington Dotel that tied the game at 1-1.

Sioux Falls continued to score runs in the fourth inning via a solo moonshot homer from Trevor Achenbach that gave the Canaries a 2-1 lead.

But just when the Canaries seemed to have the Monarchs figured out, here came Kansas City.

The Monarchs broke the game open with five runs in the fifth. Another RBI from Hernandez, a Micker Adolfo RBI double that scored two runs and a sacrifice fly from Justin Wylie that scored Keon Broxton helped put the Monarchs in front 9-2.

Monarchs starter Cody Deason got the win (1-0) and Canaries starter Colby Wyatt got the loss (1-1).

UP NEXT: The Monarchs continue their home slate with a new series against the Milwaukee Milkmen. Game one is scheduled for 7 p.m. tomorrow evening.

Finnegan Gets First Win, Monarchs Clinch Series

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By Nolan Brooks

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Brandon Finnegan got the win in his Kansas City Monarchs home debut, but the Monarchs bullpen stole the show and sealed a 5-3 victory over the Sioux Falls Canaries.

The Monarchs’ second home game was a fun one, featuring a back-and-forth battle at the plate early on.

Monarchs fan favorite Jan Hernandez continued to show why he was a Player of the Year candidate the last two seasons. The first baseman got the Monarchs on the board with an RBI double in inning number one. Chris Herrmann would add onto the total with an RBI single scoring Hernandez making it 2-0 Monarchs after one inning.

The Canaries stormed back in the second inning, scoring three runs. Trevor Achenbach drove in the first on a bases-loaded hit by pitch. A sacrifice fly from Marshall Rich that scored Hunter Clanin and an Ozzie Martinez RBI single that scored Jordan Barth put Sioux Falls up 3-2.

Brandon Finnegan settled in by the third inning and the Monarchs bats stayed active. Chris Herrmann kept the line moving with a base hit to move the runners and Gavin Collins did the job with a sacrifice fly to center scoring Hernandez and we were all tied up.

The final exclamation point for the Monarchs offense came from none other than Hernandez on an RBI single that scored L.J. Hatch. Hernandez was then picked off stealing second base but he set up an easy hustle play for left fielder Jacob Robson to sprint home and that made it 5-3 Monarchs.

Finnegan went five innings and allowed three runs, striking out three without walking a batter.

The Kansas City bullpen was locked in after that. Jordan Martinson faced nine batters and sat down every one of them in three innings of work. Patrick Weigel closed the door on Sioux Falls and retired all three batters he faced.

Finnegan got the win (1-0) in his second start of the season, D.J. Sharabi got the loss (0-2) and Patrick Weigel picked up his first save of the year and the first save of the season for the Monarchs.

The Monarchs 5-3 victory marked the first series win on the year for KC and moved them to 3-5 on the season overall.

UP NEXT: The Monarchs continue their home slate with the final game of their series against the Sioux Falls Canaries, series finale scheduled for 6 p.m.

Monarchs Happy To Be Home, Blow Out Canaries

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By Nolan Brooks

KANSAS CITY, KS – Nothing compares to playing in front of your home fans and the Monarchs did not disappoint in their home opener.

The Monarchs jumped out to a 10-1 lead and cruised to an 18-6 victory in game one of a three-game series versus the Sioux Falls Canaries at Legends Field.

Johneshwy Fargas tallied five hits, Chris Herrmann knocks in six runs and Keon Broxton smashed two homers.

The offense was not done after a four-run first inning. The hot bats continued into the second putting up six runs thanks to a few infield hits and a clutch triple by Justin Wylie put KC up 10-1 in just two innings of baseball.

While the Monarchs held a big lead for most of the game, Sioux Falls did not go down quietly scoring five runs total across the fourth and fifth innings. Jordan Barth hit a no-doubt three-run blast for Sioux Falls and Welington Dotel smoked a base hit to keep the Canaries bats alive.

Monarchs relief pitchers Zach Matson, Carlos Sanabria, and Beaux Bonvillain came in and threw a combined four shutout innings to close out the game.

The cherry on top was a no doubter grand slam from Chris Herrmann to make the score 18-6 Monarchs giving them six more runs in the eighth inning and shutting the door on game one.

Jalen Miller got the win (1-1) and Neil Lang got the loss (0-2), the Monarchs will look to win the series in game two tomorrow evening.

UP NEXT

The Monarchs continue their home slate with game two of their series against the Sioux Falls Canaries, game two scheduled for 6 p.m.

Monarchs Erase 5-Run Deficit, But Fall To RailCats Late

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GARY, Ind. — A thrilling five-run comeback wasn’t quite enough for the win for the Kansas City Monarchs on Thursday.

The American Association side’s star-studded lineup erased an early 5-0 deficit. But the Gary SouthShore RailCats pulled ahead late to win 8-6 in the rubber game of a three-game series at the Steel Yard.

Monarchs shortstop LJ Hatch celebrated his 29th birthday in style, driving in three runs including a go-ahead single to make it 6-5 Kansas City in the sixth.

Dylan Rosa homered for the Monarchs (0-1), who return to Kansas City for their home opener Friday night against Sioux Falls.

The RailCats scored the game’s first five runs in the second off Monarchs starter Jeff Singer. The inning featured RBI doubles from Francisco Del Valle and Thomas Greely.

Singer settled in after that, throwing three scoreless innings to finish his outing. He allowed five runs (four earned) on nine hits while walking one and striking out three.

Meanwhile, the Monarchs offense went to work.

Rosa, a native of the Chicago area, homered to lead off the third inning, his first blast of the year. Chris Herrmann delivered an RBI double later in the frame to score Jacob Robson and make it 5-2.

Hatch knocked a two-run single in the fourth inning to bring in Micker Adolfo and Gavin Collins, cutting the RailCats’ lead to one.

Adolfo tied the with a sixth-inning single, though Collins was tagged out at the plate trying to score the go-ahead run. Two batters later, Hatch came through again with a go-ahead RBI single to make it 6-5.

The Kansas City lead wouldn’t last long. Daniel Lingua led off the bottom of the sixth with a double off Monarchs righty Carlos Sanabria. Later in the inning, RailCats cleanup hitter Emmanuel Tapia hit a go-ahead two-run home run to make it 8-6 Gary SouthShore.

The home run would turn out to be the last scoring of the day. The RailCats’ bullpen held Kansas City to one hit over the final three innings. Keon Broxton struck out with men on first and second to end the game.

UP NEXT

The Monarchs kick off their home slate with a three-game series against the Sioux Falls Canaries, starting Friday at 7 p.m.

Collins Stays Hot, Monarchs Fall In Gary

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GARY, Ind. — Gavin Collins continued his hot streak at the plate, but the Kansas City Monarchs dropped one to the Gary SouthShore RailCats on 13-1 Wednesday night at the Steel Yard.

Collins went 3-for-4 and has reached safely in eight of his last nine plate appearances.

The result sets up a rubber game Thursday at 11 a.m. in the Monarchs’ last road test before their home opener on Friday night.

Gary SouthShore scored four runs in the first inning, three on a home run from Francisco Del Valle. They didn’t look back from there on their way to leveling the series.

Monarchs starter Dalton Moats was tagged with the loss, throwing four innings and allowing six runs (five earned) on four hits. He walked two and struck out five.

RailCats right fielder LG Castillo finished the game with five runs batted in, capped off by a two-run double in the sixth off Ruben Garcia to make it 12-1.

Trey Jeans finished the game off for KC, allowing one run over the final two innings and earning two strikeouts.

UP NEXT

Kansas City will send Jeff Singer to the mound looking for the rubber game win on Wednesday. The former Philadelphia Phillie will face off against Gary SouthShore’s Edwrd Cuello. First pitch is at 11 a.m Central time.

Monarchs Offense Explodes For Win In Gary

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GARY, Ind. — When Chris Herrmann’s home run cleared the right-field seats and landed on the concourse at the Steel Yard in Gary, it helped jump-start a star-studded Kansas City Monarchs offense and power the club to its first win of the season.

After a difficult opening in Sioux City without a win over three games, the Monarchs (1-3) showed what they were made of Tuesday, knocking off the Gary SouthShore RailCats 10-4.

The game included two homers from Herrmann, a steal of home from Keon Broxton, and a sense of beginning in the Monarchs’ clubhouse.

“There’s a saying going around in the clubhouse: Every day is Opening Day,” Herrmann said. “New day, new opportunity. That’s the way we look at things.”

Herrmann hit two homers on the day, following up his two-run fourth-inning blast with a solo shot in the sixth. The Monarchs jumped out to a 10-1 lead in the series opener and never looked back.

“I think everyone saw that this is a glimpse of what we’re capable of as a team,” Monarchs third baseman Gavin Collins said. “I think our true colors are going to show up a bit more as we start getting into it here.”

Like many Monarchs, Collins had his best game of the year at the plate, going 4-for-4 including an RBI triple in the Monarchs’ three-run eighth. Eight of the nine Monarchs hitters reached base via a walk or a hit at least twice in the contest.

The Monarchs pitching staff also had a banner day, with four pitchers holding the RailCats (2-2) to one run over the first eight innings. Starter Cody Deason, whom the Monarchs signed earlier Tuesday, tossed three scoreless innings to set the tone.

Jordan Martinson earned the win for the Monarchs. He allowed a solo home run to Francisco Del Valle to begin his outing but settled in after that, allowing just the one run over three innings.

Grant Gavin and Beaux Bonvillain threw scoreless seventh and eighth innings, respectively. Patrick Weigel handled the ninth, allowing an RBI double to Emmanuel Tapia and a two-run home run to LG Castillo in his first action of the season.

By then, the Monarchs’ bats had provided plenty of support, including a bases-clearing triple from Shawnee, Kansas native LJ Hatch to make it 10-1.

“For us to come out as a team, to pitch well, to hit well, it was more fun,” Herrmann said. “It’s good that we came out today and showed people what type of team we are.”

UP NEXT

The Monarchs face off against the RailCats in game two of their midweek series Wednesday night at 6:45 p.m. Kansas City native Dalton Moats is set to start the game for the Monarchs against Gary Southshore’s Julio Vivas. Fans can catch the game on MonarchsBaseball.com/LIVE and AABaseball.TV.

Monarchs Add Right-Hander Deason

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GARY Ind. — Cody Deason’s baseball journey has taken him from the College World Series to a full season of Double-A. Now he’s suiting up for the Kansas City Monarchs.

The American Association club has signed Deason to a contract, the Monarchs announced Tuesday.

Deason was activated ahead of the Monarchs’ game with the Gary SouthShore RailCats scheduled for 11 a.m. Central time at the US Steel Yard.

Deason was a fifth-round draft pick by the Astros after a superb collegiate career at the University of Arizona.

The Ojai, California native helped Arizona to the College World Series in 2016. The Wildcats made it all the way to the finals, losing to Coastal Carolina.

Deason was the Wildcats’ ace of staff as a junior. Armed with a low-90s fastball and effective 12-to-6 curveball, he earned a 2.87 ERA and 1.18 WHIP over 91 innings.

The right-hander moved up the Astros’ system over the next several years, inclding putting up a 3.57 ERA over 9 games (6 starts) with High-A Fayetteville in 2019.

He most recently pitched with Double-A Corpus Christi in the Astros system. Over 21 games (14 starts), he posted a 6.14 ERA and 8.3 K/9.

The Monarchs are looking for their first win of 2023 after being swept in a season-opening three-game series at Sioux City.

About the Kansas City Monarchs

The Kansas City Monarchs are a professional baseball team in the American Association, an MLB Partner League. This year, they are celebrating their 20th year of baseball in Kansas City, Kansas. In 2020, the team partnered with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and changed their name from the T-Bones to the Monarchs in honor of the legendary Negro League franchise that played from 1920 to 1965. The Monarchs won ten Negro American League championships and two Negro League World Series championships in their history. The team featured numerous notable players over the years, including Hall of Famers Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson, Ernie Banks, and Buck O’Neil.

About the American Association

The American Association of Professional Baseball played its first season in 2006. It is a professional partner league that is affiliated with Major League Baseball but not specifically with any one team. The league consists of 12 teams located primarily in the Midwest and the South of the United States. Its season runs from May to September and features players who are looking to showcase their talents for a chance to be signed by a major league team.

Finnegan Shines, Monarchs Fall To Sioux City

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa — Brandon Finnegan lived up to the hype in his much-anticipated Kansas City Monarchs debut, but the game’s result didn’t go according to plan.

Sioux City edged the Monarchs 2-1 to earn a season-opening three-game sweep on Sunday evening at Lewis and Clark Park.

A walk-off sacrifice fly from Wilfredo Gimenez sealed a 2-1 win for Sioux City (3-0), who swept the Monarchs in a season-opening doubleheader on Saturday.

The former Kansas City Royal Finnegan tossed five shutout innings, allowing two hits (both singles), walking none and striking out four. He threw 63 pitches.

On a misty day with the wind blowing in from center field, runs were at a premium throughout the afternoon.

The Monarchs (0-3) took the early lead in the first inning, loading the bases with none out. Jan Hernadez hit into a double play, bringing Johneshwy Fargas in with the game’s first run.

Hernandez would leave the game in the fourth inning after fouling a ball off his foot.

Sioux City leveled the score in the sixth inning. With men on first and second, Jake Sanford hit a potential double-play ball to shortstop. Second baseman Olivier Basabe’s throw to first base got away, allowing Vince Fernandez to score the tying run from second.

The Monarchs threatened again in the seventh inning, putting runners on first and third with two away. Fargas drove a ball to deep left field, but Sioux City left fielder Eury Pérez made an outstanding leaping catch against the wall to keep the game tied.

The Explorers loaded the bases with none out in the ninth after a walk, an error and an intentional walk. That brought up Gimenez, who ended the game with a flyout to deep left field.

UP NEXT

The Monarchs are off Monday. They will look to get in the win column Tuesday morning when they start a three-game road series at the Gary SouthShore RailCats. First pitch of the series opener is set for 11 a.m. Central time.

About the Kansas City Monarchs

The Kansas City Monarchs are a professional baseball team in the American Association, an MLB Partner League. This year, they are celebrating their 20th year of baseball in Kansas City, Kansas. In 2020, the team partnered with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and changed their name from the T-Bones to the Monarchs in honor of the legendary Negro League franchise that played from 1920 to 1965. The Monarchs won ten Negro American League championships and two Negro League World Series championships in their history. The team featured numerous notable players over the years, including Hall of Famers Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson, Ernie Banks, and Buck O’Neil.

About the American Association

The American Association of Professional Baseball played its first season in 2006. It is a professional partner league that is affiliated with Major League Baseball but not specifically with any one team. The league consists of 12 teams located primarily in the Midwest and the South of the United States. Its season runs from May to September and features players who are looking to showcase their talents for a chance to be signed by a major league team.

Monarchs Swept In Season-Opening Doubleheader

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa — The Kansas City Monarchs are determined to make 2023 a season to remember, even if it started with a night to forget. 

The Sioux City Explorers swept the Monarchs in a season-opening doubleheader, taking the first game 10-1 and the second game 7-0 at Lewis and Clark Park in Sioux City. 

BOX SCORE GAME 1

BOX SCORE GAME 2

The Monarchs are 0-2 on the young season and will look to rebound in the series finale on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. Brandon Finnegan will start the game for Kansas City. 

Jan Hernandez provided a bright spot for the Monarchs in the second game of the twin bill, making a spectacular catch falling over the fence in foul territory. 

Sioux City jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three innings in game one, chasing Monarchs starter Jeff Singer from the game in the third inning. They took a 10-0 lead after six. 

Explorers left fielder Vince Fernandez drove in five runs in the contest, including a two-run single in the third and a two-run double in the fifth. 

Justin Wylie scored the Monarchs’ only run of the night on a wild pitch in the sixth inning of game one. Sioux City starter Solomon Bates tossed five scoreless innings to earn the win. 

In the nightcap, Sioux City again broke the game open. Fernandez hit a two-run homer off Monarch’s starter Jalen Miller to make it 2-0 X’s. 

The Explorers plated four runs in the fifth, three of which came on a home run by leadoff hitter Chase Harris. Starter Mitchell Verburg got the win, allowing one hit over five scoreless frames. 

Keon Broxton, Gio Brusa and LJ Hatch collected the Monarchs’ three hits of the doubleheader, all of them singles.