Snyder Shines In Monarchs’ Comeback Win

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By Nolan Brooks

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Taylor Snyder’s Monarchs debut was a big one in the Monarchs’ 11-6 comeback win over the Sioux Falls Canaries Tuesday night at Legends Field.

Snyder finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs including a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning that helped the Monarchs pull ahead.

Chris Herrmann continued his MVP-level season going 3-for-5 with two RBIs including the RBI double that completed the Monarchs comeback in the bottom of the seventh.

The Monarchs trailed 6-1 through four innings before completing their largest comeback of the season erasing the five-run deficit. The Monarchs improve to 47-33 and end the Canaries’ eight-game win streak.

The Canaries started the scoring early in the top of the first. Jordan Barth bunted for a single to set up a two-run homer from Mike Hart that made it 2-0 Canaries.

Hunter Clanin smashed a solo home run in the top of the second to put Sioux Falls up 3-0.

The Monarchs got on the board in the bottom of the inning. A Micker Adolfo double set up Snyder’s RBI double to make it 3-1 Sioux Falls through two.

The Canaries answered in the top of the third on an RBI single from Ozzie Martinez. It was 4-1 Canaries after three innings.

Clanin was not done hitting homers. He crushed another solo shot to put the Canaries up 5-1. Another RBI single from Martinez put the Canaries up 6-1 through four.

The Monarchs came alive in the bottom of the fifth. Singles from Allante Hall and Odubel Herrera set up a three-run homer from Justin Wylie. It was 6-4 Sioux Falls through five innings.

Brandon Finnegan threw six innings allowing six earned runs on eight hits and struck out four.
The Monarchs completed the comeback in the seventh inning. Jacob Robson doubled and later scored on an RBI single from Herrera to make it 6-5.

A passed ball put Hall and Herrera in scoring position. Herrmann’s RBI double scored Hall and Herrera to put KC up 7-6.

An RBI single from Brian O’Grady made it 8-6 and the three-run shot from Snyder made it 11-6 Monarchs through seven.

Relievers Alex Valdez, Jordan Martinson, and Grant Gavin threw three shutout innings to help the Monarchs cruise to the win.

Valdez gets the win (1-2) and Canaries reliever Jose Cruz gets the loss (5-3).

UP NEXT: The Monarchs continue a three-game road series versus the Sioux Falls Canaries. Game two is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday night. Miller Hogan will open the game for Kansas City and Cody Deason will follow versus Akeem Bostick for the Canaries.

Snyder Joins Monarchs Infield

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. – A infielder with a great glove and a power bat is headed to the Kansas City Monarchs.

Taylor Snyder, a former Rockies and White Sox prospect, has signed with the American Association club, the Monarchs announced Tuesday.

Snyder joins the Monarchs from the White Sox organization, where he played 69 games at Double-A Birmingham earlier this season.

A strong defensive infielder, Snyder has played all four infield positions with Birmingham this year. He also has experience in the corner outfield spots.

In a corresponding move, catcher and infielder Gavin Collins was placed on the injured list with a hamstring injury.

Snyder’s entire pro career before this season was with the Rockies organization. He came up through the system with Monarchs shortstop LJ Hatch. The two will line up on the left side of the infield for Tuesday’s game.

Colorado drafted him in the 13th round out of Colorado State-Pueblo in 2016. Snyder made his Class A debut with Asheville in 2017 and made the jump to High-A Lancaster in 2019.

The Utah native hit 30 home runs in 2021 between Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque. He earned an .841 OPS over 121 games.

The Monarchs enter Tuesday’s action with the best record in the 12-team American Association. They lead the West Division by 4.5 games heading into a three-game series with Sioux Falls starting Tuesday.

The Monarchs are at home all this week, including HBCU and Greek Night on Thursday at 7 p.m. and a T-shirt giveaway Friday at 7 p.m.

Hall Hits First Pro Home Run In Monarchs’ Win

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LINCOLN, Neb. – Allante Hall was ready for the moment.

Promoted from bullpen catcher to the active roster on Thursday, Hall got his first at-bat of his Monarchs career Sunday.

He hit the first pitch out for his first professional home run.

“My buddy [shortstop] LJ [Hatch] was like, ‘Be ready for the fastball; you’re gonna get it.’” Hall said. “I don’t know what happened. I saw the pitch, I got my foot down early and I exploded through the baseball.”

Hall’s solo shot in the sixth stood up as the deciding blow in the Monarchs’ 4-2 win over the Lincoln Saltdogs Sunday at Haymarket Park.

Kansas City salvaged the final game of the three-game set with the victory heading into a seven-game homestand starting Tuesday.

Monarchs starter Jalen Miller earned the win, throwing seven innings and allowing two runs. He gave up six hits, walked three and struck out three. He improved to 8-2 on the season.

Saltdogs left fielder Aaron Takacs hit a solo home run in the second inning to give the home team the early lead.

Kansas City took their first lead of the game on a two-run blast from Micker Adolfo. It was Adolfo’s eighth home run of the season and his second in as many games.

Lincoln tied the game in the fourth but missed a chance for more. Takacs hit a bases-loaded single to drive in Connor Panas, but Micker Adolfo threw out Will Kengor at home plate to keep the game tied at two.

That set the stage for Hall’s home run, which made it 3-2 in the sixth.

Chris Herrmann drove in an insurance run for the Monarchs with a double in the seventh. It was Herrmann’s league-best 74th RBI of the season.

Patrick Weigel got the save for the Monarchs, striking out pinch-hitter Nick Anderson to end the game.

UP NEXT

The Monarchs are off Monday. They face the red-hot Sioux Falls Canaries at Legends Field Tuesday night at 7 p.m. The Canaries have won eight in a row to move into a playoff spot in the West. Fans can tune in to the game on AABaseball.TV.

Saltdogs Come Back To Beat Monarchs In Wild Contest

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LINCOLN, Neb. — In the wildest games the Kansas City Monarchs have played in recent memory, the Lincoln Saltdogs came from behind for a 20-13 win Saturday night at Haymarket Park.

The Saltdogs erased an 11-2 fourth-inning deficit to win the game and clinch the series. They scored seven runs in the seventh inning to take control.

Kansas City lost despite a season-high 20 hits. The 20 runs and 20 hits for the Saltdogs were the most the Monarchs allowed this season.

Micker Adolfo hit a grand slam and LJ Hatch hit a three-run home run and two-run single to build up Kansas City’s early lead.

The Saltdogs scored three in the bottom of the fourth to make it 11-5. Will Kengor and Drew Devine each had RBI hits in the inning.

A Connor Panas RBI single made it 11-6 after five.

Monarchs starter Dalton Moats left the game after five innings.

The sixth inning saw the momentum truly shift. Luke Roskam made it a four-run game with a sacrifice fly to score Devine. Jason Rogers and Yanio Perez each delivered two-run doubles to make it 11-9.

Kansas City got one back in the seventh on a solo homer from Brian O’Grady. O’Grady’s 10th of the season gave the Monarchs a 12-9 lead. They’d load the bases later in the frame but fail to add on.

The game unraveled in the seventh. Lincoln scored seven runs in the inning on four hits, sending 12 batters to the plate. Kansas City committed three errors in the inning.

Zane Zurbrugg hit a two-run triple in the inning, while Rogers and Nick Anderson contributed RBI singles. When the dust settled, it was 16-12 Lincoln.

The Saltdogs added four more in the eighth, capped off on a two-run home run from Anderson. His 20th of the season was the only Saltdogs home run of the night.

UP NEXT

Kansas City will look to shake this one off Sunday afternoon in the series finale from Lincoln. Jalen Miller will start for the Monarchs against the Saltdogs’ Josh Roeder. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.

Free Passes Sink Monarchs In Lincoln

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LINCOLN, Neb. — An early lead fizzled for the Kansas City Monarchs Friday night, as a patient Lincoln Saltdogs offense pulled away for an 8-4 victory at Haymarket Park in the opener of a three-game series.

Jacob Robson and Micker Adolfo both collected two-run hits in the effort. Monarchs starter Zach Matson worked five solid innings, allowing two runs.

Kansas City remains tied for the best record in the American Association. They lead the West Division by four games.

The Monarchs took a 4-1 lead in the fourth inning of Friday’s contest. Robson opened the scoring with a two-run stand-up triple in the third. Adolfo brought two more in with a single in the fourth.

Lincoln scored seven unanswered runs in the sixth through eighth innings to take control of the game.

The offensive outburst was fueled by a patient approach at the plate. The Saltdogs drew 12 walks in the game, the most free passes the Monarchs have allowed this season. That included three bases-loaded walks during the comeback.

Jason Rogers went 2-for-2 with two walks and an RBI for the Saltdogs. Yanio Perez, Drew Devine and Marshall Awtry finished with two RBIs each.

UP NEXT

Kansas City will look to even the series Saturday night at 6 p.m. Dalton Moats will get the start for the Monarchs against Lincoln’s Tanner Brown. Moats has allowed one total run over his last two starts (12 IP).

Monarchs Rally Falls Short At Milwaukee

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FRANKLIN, Wisc. — The Milwaukee Milkmen salvaged the final round of their three-game showdown with the Kansas City Monarchs Thursday night, taking the series finale 5-3.

Odubel Herrera hit a leadoff home run and Justin Wylie tied the game in the sixth with a two-run blast, but Milwaukee quickly re-took the lead and hung on from there.

The Monarchs took a two-games-to-one victory in the three-game set, the last meeting between the two teams in the 2023 regular season.

The result moves the teams into a virtual tie for the best record in the American Association. They have comfortable leads in their respective divisions.

Cody Deason got the start for Kansas City. He ran into trouble in the first, allowing a solo home run to leadoff hitter Bryan Torres and an RBI single to Cam Balego.

The Milkmen added a third run on a Michael Crouse RBI knock to make it 3-1 in the third.

Deason went four innings, allowing three runs on four hits. He walked six and struck out one.

Wylie’s homer tied the game at three in the sixth inning. It was the second baseman’s 13th home run of the season and fifth in his last 10 games.

Milwaukee plated two in the sixth to turn the tables. Balego delivered his second RBI single of the night off Sam Jacobsak, who took the loss for Kansas City. Drew Ward added an insurance run with his own RBI knock off Jordan Martinson.

The Monarchs brought the tying run to the plate in the eighth and ninth innings, but did not score.

UP NEXT

Kansas City heads to Lincoln to kick off a three-game series with the Saltdogs Friday night. Zach Matson will start for Kansas City against Lincoln’s Zach Keenan. Fans can tune in at MonarchsBaseball.com/LIVE and AABaseball.TV.

Monarchs Sign Local Catcher Hall

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FRANKLIN, Wisc. — Kansas City Monarchs bullpen catcher Allante Hall has earned a promotion.

The Monarchs have signed Hall to a contract, the American Association club announced Thursday. He will be on the active roster for Kansas City’s game with Milwaukee Thursday night.

In a corresponding move, outfielder and second baseman Aaron Whitefield was placed on the injured list with a leg injury suffered in Wednesday’s game.

2023 will be Hall’s third professional season. He made his pro debut in the Twins organization in 2021, making it as high as High-A Cedar Rapids.

The 24-year-old appeared last season with Billings in the Pioneer League, an MLB partner circuit.

Hall is a local product from Blue Springs, Missouri. He played college ball at Pensacola State College in Florida

Hall will be available off the bench for Thursday’s game.

The Monarchs (45-30) own the best record in the American Association. They lead the West Division by six games with less than a month to go in the regular season.

Monarchs Claim League’s Best Record

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FRANKLIN Wisc. — The Kansas City Monarchs have clinched a series win in their biggest series of the year so far.

The Monarchs topped the Milwaukee Milkmen 9-6 in a battle of division leaders to claim the American Association’s best record Wednesday night.

Brian O’Grady and Gavin Collins both homered for the second straight night for the Monarchs (45-30). They expanded their lead in the American Association to six games.

Justin Wylie went 4-for-5 for Kansas City, driving in two. Jan Hernandez continued his hot hitting for the Monarchs, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs.

“We feel good right now. The pitching is there, the clutch hitting is there,” Hernandez said. “We have a good team right now.”

Hernandez has driven in 18 runs in 12 games since returning from a knee injury.

“Just put the ball in play, that’s it,” Hernandez said of his approach. “We have so many talented guys in the lineup.”

Brandon Finnegan got the win for the Monarchs, throwing five innings. He allowed three runs on seven hits, walking five and striking out two.

The Milkmen led 1-0 after three. Starter Christian Young struck out six and faced the minimum over three no-hit innings to start off the game.

The Monarchs’ offense came alive in the fourth, when Hernandez brought in two runs with a double (along with an error in the outfield). O’Grady hit a two-run homer one batter later.

It was O’Grady’s third homer in two nights and fifth blast in his last five games. He now has 10 home runs on the season in 34 games.

Milwaukee closed the gap to one run in the fourth inning, but they never got closer than that. Kansas City pulled away with two runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings. That included Collins’ two-run homer in the sixth, his 10th of the season.

Wylie added an insurance run with an RBI single in the top of the ninth. The Milkmen pushed two across in the bottom half, but Matt Hartman finished out the victory.

UP NEXT

Kansas City goes for a sweep Thursday night at 6:35 p.m. Cody Deason will start for the Monarchs against Milwaukee’s Gregori Vasquez. Fans can tune in to the game at MonarchsBaseball.com/LIVE.

Monarchs Win Thriller In First-vs-First Showdown

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FRANKLIN, Wisc. — In a clash of the titans, the Kansas City Monarchs came out on top.

Kansas City edged the Milwaukee Milkmen 11-8 in a 10-inning nail-biter Tuesday night between the American Association’s two division leaders.

Brian O’Grady hit two home runs in the contest and drove in three, including a go-ahead double in the top of the 10th.

“They’re a good team; it’s definitely nice to beat them. I feel like we’re the best team in the league,” O’Grady said. “Every night we come out we expect to win.”

Chris Herrmann, Jan Hernandez and Gavin Collins also homered for Kansas City. Hernandez’s was a three-run blast.

The win brings the Monarchs (44-30) into a virtual tie with Milwaukee for the best record in the league.

“Our three through six [hitters] all hit homers tonight,” O’Grady said. “It’s up and down the lineup, we have a great lineup.”

Both teams came out swinging early. Herrmann’s home run gave the Monarchs a 1-0 lead in the first. It was Herrmann’s 18th homer and league-best 70th RBI of the season.

The Monarchs opened the second with back-to-back home runs from O’Grady and Collins. Odubel Herrera added an RBI single to make it 4-0.

The Milkmen responded with four runs in the bottom of the second, capped off by a two-run homer from Reggie Pruitt Jr.

O’Grady put Kansas City back in front with his second home run of the night, a solo shot to make it 5-4 after three.

The Milkmen went on to tie it in the fifth when Bryan Torres scored on a sacrifice fly from Miguel Gomez.

Monarchs starter Jalen Miller pitched five innings, allowing five runs on six hits. He walked three and struck out three.

Kansas City took an 8-5 lead in the seventh on Hernandez’s home run. Milwaukee scratched across two runs in the eighth, and tied the game in the ninth on a wild pitch from Monarchs reliever Bubby Rossman.

The Monarchs wasted no time retaking the lead. O’Grady hit a double down the left-field line to drive in Hernandez, the bonus runner. Collins smashed an RBI double of his own to bring O’Grady around. LJ Hatch drove Collins in with a fielder’s choice ground ball a few batters later.

Milwaukee loaded the bases against Patrick Weigel in the bottom of the 10th. With two out, Justin Wylie made a great glove flip to Chris Herrmann at first base, who stretched to make the play and end the game.

UP NEXT

Round two of the teams’ heavyweight fight is Wednesday night at 6:35 p.m. Brandon Finnegan will start for Kansas City against Milwaukee’s Christian Young. Monarchs fans can find streaming information at MonarchsBaseball.com/LIVE.

Wylie Named League Batter Of The Week

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Justin Wylie’s unstoppable stretch for the Kansas City Monarchs has earned him some league recognition.

Wylie was named the American Association’s Pointstreak Batter of the Week for the week ending August 6, the league announced Monday.

Wylie smashed four home runs and three doubles in his six games this week, all at home against the Winnipeg Goldeyes. He drove in eight runs and scored 10.

The infielder’s consistent production helped the Monarchs take five of six from Winnipeg, extending their lead in the American Association West Division to five games.

“Taking five out of six is hard in any series, but that’s a testament to the guys in the dugout, bringing the focus every day this week,” Wylie said after Sunday’s 4-2 win.

It’s the latest honor for Wylie, who started the American Association All-Star Game at second base for the West Division. The Chandler, Arizona native ranks second on the Monarchs with a .968 OPS. He’s hit 12 home runs on the season, half of which have come in his last 12 games.

The former San Diego State and Arizona bat is in his fourth year as a pro and third at the MLB Partner League level. He hit 20 home runs and earned an All-Star nod with the New Jersey Jackals of the Frontier Leauge in 2022.

Earlier this season, Wylie represented Great Britain in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

The Monarchs lead the American Association West by five games heading into a three-game series with Milwaukee, who lead the East Division. Fans can find streaming information at MonarchsBaseball.com/Live.