Monarchs Defeated by Goldeyes, Set for Rubber Game

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By Cal Friedman

WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Chavez Young and Josh Bissonette delivered a pair of multi-hit games for the Kansas City Monarchs.

The duo each recorded two hits, but the Monarchs couldn’t steal game two at Blue Cross Park. The Winnipeg Goldeyes evened the series with a 5-2 win on Wednesday night.

Chavez Young brought the boomstick north of the border. The Monarch outfielder teed off on Travis Seabrooke in the third inning with a 404-foot solo home run.

The blast was Young’s first as a Monarch to put KC 1-0 up.

The speedy outfielder would add a hustle double later in the game, finishing 2-for-4 at the plate.

Winnipeg responded with a few bombs in the fourth inning. Dayson Croes and Jake McMurray delivered solo home runs on consecutive pitches to give the Goldeyes a 3-1 lead.

Josh Bissonette placed an RBI single in center field to give KC life in the fifth. Winnipeg responded with a pair of RBI doubles from Roby Enriquez and Edwin Arroyo.

Bissonette finished 2-for-3 in the loss, now up to 26 RBI as a Monarch.

Nate Tellier kept Kansas City in the game with a pair of two scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh innings. Debutant Pedro Alfonseca delivered a 1-2-3 eighth inning, but the Monarchs were held scoreless in the ninth.

NEXT UP

The Monarchs and Goldeyes meet for a pivotal rubber match at Blue Cross Park tomorrow. All-star Julian Garcia starts for Kansas City. Winnipeg’s starter is still to be determined for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch.

Monarchs’ Bullpen Battles Past Winnipeg

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WINNIPEG, Manitoba – The Kansas City Monarchs’ bullpen bounced back Tuesday night.
The Kansas City bullpen combined for four scoreless innings to outlast the Winnipeg Goldeyes, beating Winnipeg 4-3 at Blue Cross Park.
Jonathan Sprinkle (1-1) struck out a pair in a shutout eighth inning. A.J. Alexy (2) nailed down the ninth to give the Monarchs their first win in Canada this season.
Kansas City (34-33) leveled an early run off a strange groundout. Herbert Iser dribbled a ball down the first base line, and Trent Giambrone scampered home on contact. The throw from Jake McMurray was up the line, which caused Rob Emery to miss the tag.
Giambrone missed the plate on a feet-first slide but palmed it to make it 1-1.
KC exploded the third time through the lineup card. Back-to-back singles set up Frankie Tostado to drive in his team-leading 45th RBI. Tostado lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to give Kansas City a 2-1 advantage.
Giambrone followed up one batter later. The former Chicago Cub scythed a double down the left field line to score Ross Adolph from first base to boost the Monarch lead to two.
The Monarchs pitching staff thrived through six innings. Connor Curlis and Zack Leban combined for five scoreless innings with four punchouts.
Kansas City manufactured the game-winning run in the ninth inning. New addition Carson Maxwell singled to get on base and advanced to second. Ross Adolph played a groundball to move Maxwell to third, but Winnipeg (38-31) threw the baseball out of play, which allowed Maxwell to score.

UP NEXT
The Monarchs look to clinch a series victory tomorrow. RHP Hunter McMahon gets the ball for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch.

Swaggerty’s Highlight Reel Snag Not Enough in Sunday Loss

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By Cal Friedman

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Travis Swaggerty and Frankie Tostado made phenomenal outfield snags on Sunday afternoon. Swaggerty made one of the best plays in the 2024 American Association season and robbed a three-run home run in the third inning.

The Kansas City Monarchs’ outfield dazzled in their series finale with the Lake Country DockHounds, but came up short in the end. The DockHounds scored seven runs in the 10th inning to win 10-3 at Legends Field.

Lake Country outfielder Ray Zuberer III launched a fly ball to right-field in the third inning. It looked destined for a three-run home run before Swaggerty stretched, tumbled over the wall, and saved Kansas City (33-33).

The Monarchs responded to an early 3-0 deficit with runs in all three middle innings.

Swaggerty started the scoring with an RBI double to right-center field in the fourth inning. The former major leaguer is up to 35 RBI with the Monarchs.

Outfielder Chavez Young and debutant Carson Maxwell each notched RBIs to tie the game. Maxwell impressed in his first KC appearance, 1-for-3 with a double and a run.

The Monarchs had two crucial opportunities to take the lead in the sixth inning. Channy Ortiz lifted a fly ball just foul down the right field line, missing a grand slam by mere feet.

Young golfed a fly ball to right field one batter later, robbed of an RBI hit by DockHounds’ (30-38) outfielder J.T. Benson. Benson leaped to snag the ball headfirst to leave the bases loaded.

Benson made the difference in the 10th inning. The rookie launched his first career home run in extras to unload the bases. Benson’s grand slam marked a seven-run inning to lift Lake Country ahead for good.

UP NEXT

The Monarchs travel to Canada to face the Winnipeg Goldeyes for a three-game series, starting on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. from Blue Cross Park.

 

Kansas City Monarchs Roster

Monarchs Add Infielder Maxwell

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Kansas City Monarchs are bringing a well-travelled American Association member into its ranks.

Kansas City announced the signing of infielder Carson Maxwell Sunday morning. Maxwell will make his Monarchs debut against the Lake Country DockHounds on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m.

The Monarchs will be Maxwell’s third team in the AAPB. The utility bat began this season with Lake Country, recording 17 hits in 23 appearances.

The 27-year-old joined the league ranks last season with the Lincoln Saltdogs. Maxwell was acquired in a mid-season trade with the Pioneer League’s Rocky Mountain Vibes.

The Arizona Diamonbacks prospect made 17 appearances in Lincoln last season.

Maxwell was drafted by Arizona in the 2019 MLB Draft before joining the MLB Partner League circuit.

Maxwell had 16 home runs and 84 RBIs in two seasons at McNeese State.

 

Monarchs’ Win Streak Halted by DockHounds

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Kansas City Monarchs fell short against the Lake Country DockHounds on KU Night at Legends Field. The visitors scored five unanswered runs to cap a 9-4 victory.

Saturday’s defeat broke a five-game winning streak dating back to last Friday.

Matt Hall put in a vintage performance in his return to Legends Field. The left-hander struck out eight batters in four innings, including a scoreless second time through the lineup.

The southpaw bounced back from an early Lake Country run to strike out four straight DockHounds.

Lake Country’s (29-38) bats got to Monarchs’ reliever Kevin Milam in the middle innings, plating three runs to take a 4-0 advantage.

The Monarchs (33-32) put together a heroic rally after the stretch. Kansas City tied the game with four runs on three hits.

Ross Adolph’s bases-clearing triple leveled the game. Adolph finished 2-for-3 with an automatic double in the sixth.

The DockHounds found the immediate response in the eighth. LC delivered five runs on three hits to quell the Monarch momentum.

UP NEXT

The Monarchs close their season series with the DockHounds tomorrow at 1:05 p.m. Jackson Goddard starts for Kansas City, tickets are available at tickets.monarchsbaseball.com.

 

Adolph’s Walk Off Completes Legends Field Thriller

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By Cal Friedman

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Ross Adolph completed a classic at Legends Field.

The Kansas City Monarchs rallied in extra innings to defeat the Lake Country DockHounds, 9-8, at Legends Field. The win marked Kansas City’s fifth walk-off win and its fifth consecutive win.

In typical Ross Adolph fashion, the only thing he could worry about was his cap after being doused in celebration.

“This was a new hat. I’m getting a little cold now,” Adolph joked.

The Monarchs (33-31) outfielder lined a seeing-eye single to score Chavez Young from second base. The play was a perfectly executed hit-and-run, Young celebrated rounding third.

“I’m just trying to stay with myself, not get too big,” Adolph said. “It’s as simple as a line drive back up the middle, get to go home with the W.”

Kansas City tied the game in the 10th off Young’s single to left field.

The Monarchs emerged to a 7-3 lead in the sixth inning. All-Star infielder Frankie Tostado posted 3 RBIs, including a go-ahead triple in the fifth inning.

The Kansas City pitching staff turned a huge corner following the rally. Julian Garcia and Gabriel Ponce would combine to retire 14 consecutive Lake Country (28-38) batters from the third to the ninth inning.

The DockHounds tied the game off a two-out grand slam by catcher Deivy Grullon. Lake Country took the lead with an RBI single by Ryan Hernandez.

KC put on a perfect small-ball rally to win it. Channy Ortiz bunted the tying run to third. Young and Adolph did the rest with back-to-back singles.

Kansas City advanced to 8-4 in extra-inning games this season and has now won 10 of its last 12.

UP NEXT

The Monarchs continue their four-game series with the DockHounds on KU Night tomorrow at 6:35 p.m. Tickets are available at tickets.monarchsbaseball.com.

Monarchs To Become ‘Kansas Swiftie Monarchs,’ Give Away Tickets

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Ready For It? The Kansas City Monarchs are gearing up for a night straight out of a Swiftie’s Wildest Dreams!

The Monarchs will be rebranding as the “Kansas Swiftie Monarchs” for their game on Saturday, August 10 against the Lincoln Saltdogs. The team will adopt a new logo for the night and celebrate Swift’s music throughout the game, a true baseball Love Story!

Additionally, the Monarchs will give away two tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert this November in Indianapolis. One lucky fan selected at random will receive two tickets to the concert, announced during the game. Fans must register to win the tickets in person at the game, so make sure not to leave a Blank Space on your schedule! The giveaway is for concert tickets only.

Fans can buy tickets here or by calling the Monarchs’ box office at 913-328-5618. Tickets start at just 15 dollars and parking is always free, something Monarchs fans know All Too Well.

More information on Kansas Swiftie Monarchs night will be announced in the coming days.

Monarchs Secure Fourth Consecutive Win

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By Cal Friedman

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Kansas City Monarchs got right back to winning ways after the All-Star Break.

The Monarchs collected a fourth straight win with a 5-2 triumph over the Lake Country DockHounds at Legends Field on Thursday night. The victory secured a ninth Kansas City victory in eleven games.

Hayden Jones’ sixth home run of the season put KC ahead for good. The catcher teed off for his fourth Legends Field bomb this season.

Travis Swaggerty singled to left field to make it 2-0 Monarchs (32-31) in the fourth inning.

Swaggerty, a former major leaguer with the Pittsburgh Pirates, is up to 34 RBI this season.

Starting pitcher Hunter McMahon bent, but did not break in his fifth start of the season. The Kansas City, Missouri native gave up a leadoff home run in the fifth, but worked around runners at the corners to keep the Monarchs in front.

McMahon (3-1) delivered five innings with four strikeouts in his fourth start of the season.

The bullpen delivered a composed performance in the late innings. Zack Leban, Jackson McClelland, and A.J. Alexy combined for four innings of one-run ball to keep the DockHounds (28-37) at bay.

Abiatal Avelino came through clutch in the late innings for Kansas City. Avelino finished 2-for-2 in his Legends Field debut with two RBIs in the win.

Avelino and Trent Giambrone each poked RBIs in the eighth inning.

Alexy struck out the side in the ninth to lock up his first save as a Monarch.

UP NEXT

Kansas City hosts Lake Country tomorrow night at 6:35 p.m. All-Star RHP Julian Garcia gets the ball for Kansas City against fellow right-hander Brett Conine. Tickets are available at tickets.monarchsbaseball.com.

 

Kansas City Monarchs Roster

Monarchs Sign Triple-A Power Bat

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By Cal Friedman
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – The Kansas City Monarchs are bringing in a new slugger for their 2024 playoff push.
The Monarchs announced the signing of outfielder Isiah Gilliam on Thursday afternoon. The 28-year-old joins Kansas City from the Tacoma Rainiers, the Seattle Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate.
Kansas City begins a four-game series with the Lake Country DockHounds on Thursday night. Tickets are available at tickets.monarchsbaseball.com.
Gilliam started the 2024 season with a .831 OPS for the Rainiers in 38 appearances. The switch-hitter was eighth on Tacoma in slugging percentage, blasting four home runs.
The Lilburn, Georgia native launched 22 home runs in Double-A Arkansas in 2023. Gilliam led the Travelers in round-trippers, recording 80 RBI in 122 games that season and was named the Mariners’ MiLB Player of the Month last July.
Gilliam played with Monarchs pitchers J.C. Keys and Connor Curlis with the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts during the 2022 season.
Third baseman Chris Lanzilli announced his retirement from professional baseball Monday afternoon. The 26-year-old played 11 games for the Monarchs with a .342 on-base percentage.
“It was a great group of guys, there was a great culture on this team,” Lanzilli said. “Joe gave me a great opportunity to play here. I’m excited to follow the Monarchs for the rest of the year.”
Lanzilli was in his second professional season in 2024, joining the Monarchs from the Chicago White Sox’ system.
The Boston, Massachusetts native plans to move back to the northeast to pursue the next chapter of his career.
“I’m excited to move back there. The summers are always great up there,” Lanzilli said. “I’ll try to be back around a lake, it’ll be a good time.”
The Monarchs organization wishes Lanzilli the best in his future endeavors.

Monarchs Explode In Late Innings, Top RedHawks

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FARGO, N.D. — The Kansas City Monarchs have won eight of their last 10 games heading into the All-Star break.

Joe Calfapietra’s team scored nine unanswered runs over the final four innings to top the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 9-2 Sunday from Newman Outdoor Field.

Kansas City (31-31) collected 10 hits in the win, all of which came after the fifth inning. Frankie Tostado delivered a three-run double in the sixth to put the Monarchs ahead for good.

The Monarchs took three out of four at Fargo-Moorhead (37-29) heading into All-Star week, which starts Monday Night in Kansas City with the Jeremiah Johnson Home Run Challenge and Renewal By Andersen Celebrity Softball Classic.

The 2024 American Association All-Star Game is Tuesday night from Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas, featuring postgame fireworks. Tickets are available at MonarchsBaseball.com/AllStarGame.

Fargo-Moorhead starter Kolby Kiser was in control early, throwing a no-hitter through five innings with two walks allowed.

The Monarchs bats got to him right away in the sixth, putting up four runs, including Tostado’s double. Kansas City added five more in the eighth on five hits, all singles.

Jackson Goddard got the win for the Monarchs, tossing five innings of one-run baseball. He struck out seven, matching his season high, while walking none.

UP NEXT

The next events at Legends Field are the Jeremiah Johnson Home Run Challenge and Renewal By Andersen Celebrity Softball Classic on Monday night. The action starts at 6:30 p.m. with the Home Run Classic, which will be streamed on AABaseball.TV.

Tuesday’s All-Star Game starts at 6:35 p.m. and will be broadcast on 38 The Spot, AABaseball.TV, and the league’s national partners.

After the All-Star festivities on their home field, the Monarchs host the Lake Country DockHounds Thursday at 6:35 p.m. to open a four-game series. Fans can hear the game on Sports Radio 810 WHB and watch on AABaseball.TV.