Monarchs Provide Late-Inning Surge, Steal Game Against Cleburne

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Kansas City, KS — Just when you thought the Monarchs were out, they put together six runs late in the game to win 7-6 over the Railroaders on Monday night.

Cleburne jumped in front in the first inning after Caleb McNeely reached base via error, Frankie Tostado smoked a two-run homer to take an early lead. The Railroaders added to their lead in the third inning on a passed ball that brought McNeely home for the second time tonight.

KC was finally able to muscle in a run in the fourth inning when Austin Callahan earned a hit and then eventually grabbed a run on a ground out RBI from Sahid Valenzuela.

Newly acquired, Darren McCaughan, made his debut on the bump for the Monarchs tonight. He went six innings while giving up four runs, but the former Minnesota Twin registered seven strikeouts. He started slow, but really settled into his zone and will be an exciting pitcher on the mound in the games to come.

Tostado belted his second homer in the sixth frame followed by two more Railroader runs in the seventh which put this at a 6-1 game. The Monarchs found themselves down five runs and needed a spark.

They got just that as it was a seventh-inning rally from Kansas City which put them back into this game. They kickstarted the frame when Grant Richardson reached base via error. From that point, the Monarchs strung together four-straight hits including back-to-back RBI singles from Nick Martini and JD Davis. After Luken Baker walked, Callahan put his 33rd RBI in center field and cut it to a one-run game.

 

Richardson was back in the lineup and connected on the biggest swing of the night with a solo opposite field homer that tied the game in the eighth. Davis put up his second-straight RBI to send in Boone for the eventual winning run. Davis finished the night going 2-5 with two RBI’s. He has come into the group and made an immediate impact and said, “It’s been great, the group of guys have been welcoming (and) the coaching staff has been welcoming. I have only been in Kansas City once or twice when I was with the Mets and maybe even the Giants at one time when we played the Royals. Just to mingle, network, and kind of travel around the area; I am enjoying it, the vibes are great.”

 

Durbin Feltman closed out the game with his sixth save this year including two punch outs in the final frame. “I try to treat every outing like it’s the same. One-run ballgame, if there is a three-run ballgame, you are not going to want to give up two. You treat it the same way every time. I just sink down to my level of preparation and prepare the same way, you get more consistent results.”

It was a huge win for KC as they overcame a five-run deficit to take down a Railroader group that won 11 of the past 12. The Monarchs are currently 2.5 games ahead of Sioux Falls in first place and will look to win the series tomorrow night with Cleburne. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35.

Monarchs Cash In Nine Runs Off a Dozen Hits

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Fargo, ND — It was a feel good type of win for Kansas City as they took down the Redhawks, 9-2, in the final game of the roadtrip on Sunday afternoon.

The Monarchs get off to a fast start with a pair of runs in the first frame as JD Davis was the first base runner on with a hit by a pitch. Luken Baker walked and then Austin Callahan roped a fly ball off the wall to send in both runners. Callahan now has a team-leading 32 RBI’s while batting at a .293 clip.

 

KC continued their foot on the gas pedal by adding two more tallies in the second inning. Trevor Boone opened up the inning with his ninth homer this season on a line drive over the left field wall. Two batters later, Ryan Leitch cranked a home run to give the Monarchs a four-run advantage. Out of the nine hits Leitch has grabbed this season, two of those have been home runs.

 

This group did not stop there as they got the fourth inning going when Hudson Head reached base via error. Leadoff hitter, Nick Martini registered a base hit to put runners at the corners. Kansas City continues to get consistent production from Davis and Baker as JD grabbed a sac fly and Luken smoked another two-run bomb to right field. The former Diamondback has homered 55% of the time and has been the perfect piece for the Monarchs.

 

Ryan Garcia showed why he is an All-Star as he went seven innings while allowing just four hits, one run, and delivered five strikeouts. Ryan Middendorf and Nate Webb came on in relief, but it was yet another solid performance from the Arcadia, CA native.

The Redhawks cracked the scoreboard in the bottom half of the fourth as Jose Sermo belted his 15th league-leading home-run.

It was the third time in the contest where the Monarchs put up two tallies in an inning and they did it yet again in the sixth. Davis and Martini both got on base and Baker singled to load up the bases for his third hit of the afternoon. Callahan reached first via fielders choice and that brought in Martini to cross home plate. Sahid Valenzuela arrived on the scene with a one-run single to score Davis for the ninth and final run of the day. Fargo found a run in the last inning, but it was too little too late for the Redhawks to string together a rally.

 

Kansas City finished the road trip with a 4-5 record and one series win. They will return home for eight-straight home games in a seven day span starting with a four-game series against the Cleburne Railroaders tomorrow night. A 6:35 pitch is scheduled for tomorrow night at Legends Field.

Fargo Downs Kansas City, takes Series Win

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Fargo, ND — It was an Independence day clash between two talented teams, but the Redhawks took down the Monarchs, 8-4, on Saturday afternoon.

The Redhawks took a 1-0 advantage in the first frame when Jose Sermo lifted a two-out sac fly and brought home Jesus Lujano.

Kansas City grabbed the tying run in the third when Brady Lindsly walked and Nick Martini grabbed a base hit. Shortly after, JD Davis tallied an RBI single to send in Lindsly.

 

The Monarchs had their first lead of the night in the fifth inning as Luken Baker connected on the 1-0 pitch and delivered a two-run bomb to left field.

 

In the bottom half of the frame, Juan Fernandez roped a liner into center field as Aiden Byrne crossed home plate.

Hudson Head opened up the sixth frame with a double which brought in Trevor Boone who lifted a sac fly and brought home Head. The Monarchs had a 4-2 lead, but that was the last run they would score.

 

Fargo tied the game with back-to-back RBI singles from Cole Yearsley and Bryne in the sixth frame. Just one batter later, Lujano directed a grounder into left and allowed Yearsley to score.

The Redhawks would not let up as they put another three runs on the board in the seventh inning on a Yearsley single and a Bryne sac fly.

It was a tough afternoon for the Monarchs as they tallied eight hits, but left eight runners on base. KC will look to finish out their nine-game roadtrip with a victory tomorrow afternoon.

Redhawks Outlast Monarchs Behind Seventh-Inning Rally

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Fargo, ND – It was a Friday night showdown between two familiar foes, but the Monarchs fell to the Redhawks with an 8-6 loss in the first game of the series.

Fargo found themselves with an early lead in the second inning. After two walks and a Brian Fuentes base hit, Colby Wilkerson pushed a sac fly into right field and allowed Jose Sermo to score. Kansas City did well to get out of the jam after only surrendering one run with the bases loaded and no outs.

It only took a half inning for the Monarchs to orchestrate a response as Trevor Boone led off the frame reaching base on a dropped third strike. Brady Lindsly connected on a base hit to put two runners on and Josh Bissonette brought home Boone with a liner up the middle. KC took the lead at the end of the inning as Nick Martini was forced out at first, but Lindsly scored.

 

Both teams kept trading punches and the Redhawks retook the lead in the bottom half of the third. With runners at the corners, Fuentes cranked a ball into left field for a two-run double. Just three pitches later, Jairus Richards put a ground ball to right as Sermo and Fuentes both scored. It was a 4-2 advantage for Fargo.

Austin Hansen made his ninth start on the bump and went four innings while giving up five hits and four runs, but managed to deliver two K’s. The All-Star, Tyler Myrick, went two innings allowing one hit and grabbed two strikeouts.

The Monarchs were searching for a response and they did just that in the fifth inning. Boone kickstarted the frame with a single, but reached second via error from catcher Juan Fernandez. Josh Bissonette registered a knock and Martini smashed a ball to left to bring home Boone. JD Davis was right on cue with a two-run homer and Kansas City was back in front once again.

 

Fargo strung together a four-run seventh frame which would be the deciding factor in the contest. With two walks and a batter hit by a pitch, the bases were juiced. Richards sent a pair of runners home as he drove a fly ball into right field. Wilkerson followed it up with an RBI double which proved to be the winning hit as the Redhawks grabbed the final runs of the night.

Despite the loss, the Monarchs out-hit the Redhawks 12-8, but left nine runners on base. Kansas City (24-17) still stands four and a half games ahead of Fargo (20-22) of first place. KC will throw Jimmy Endersby (1-3, 7.54 ERA) on the mound as Fargo will go to Kolby Kiser (2-2, 8.31 ERA) for an Independence Day clash at 2:50 tomorrow afternoon.

Gambrell Returns to Royals

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Kansas City, KS — It was a short stint for Grant Gambrell in his second season with the Monarchs and now he returns back to the team that drafted him as the Kansas City Royals picked up his contract on Thursday.

Coming off an injury, Gambrell came back to Kansas City and has been exceptional on the mound. The former national champion threw in 17 innings while allowing 17 hits, but only four runs. He shoved in 14 strikeouts for a 3-0 record with a 2.12 ERA. Grant says, “I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity. It will be nice to go back home to the Royals that drafted me in 2019. I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of familiar faces that are still around.”

Gambrell was selected in the third round by the Royals in the 2019 draft. He spent time in rookie ball and High-A with Quad City in 2021 before being traded to the Red Sox organization. Ever since his exit from affiliated ball in 2024, the California native spent two seasons each in Kansas City and Mexico. He threw in 28 innings and recorded 23 strikeouts for the Monarchs last season with a 4.50 ERA. Gambrell pitched for Tabasco and Campeche, but ultimately made his way back to Legends Field. He adds, “I’m looking forward to working hard for the Royals organization and continuing to excel.”

The former Oregon State product posted 13 strikeouts in his first two starts including an eight K performance against Sioux City on June 26th. Gambrell worked in his fastball and slider which made it very difficult for batters to make contact. He also threw timely strikeouts and not many teams could score runs when he was on the bump.

This also means a lot to Manager Joe Calfapietra and he mentions, “We are all very excited for this opportunity that is in front of Grant. He has worked hard over the last two years with the Kansas City Monarchs. He has a tremendous work ethic and his perseverance has really paid off. This is a great testament to what partner baseball is all about. It’s another great success story in his baseball journey.”

The Monarchs continue to be a pipeline for success as three players including two pitchers have returned back to affiliated ball this season. With an already loaded roster and the season not even half way over, there will surely be more Monarchs back in the minors.

Boone and Baker Boost Kansas City into Series Win

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Winnipeg, MB — In the first series with Winnipeg this season, the Monarchs took the rubber match on Wednesday night in a 7-3 victory over the Goldeyes.

Just as they did in the first game yesterday, Kansas City produced three tallies in the first frame to take an early lead and they never looked back. Nick Martini and JD Davis continued to show why they spent time in the big leagues as they both led off with base hits. Saul Garza reached on a fielders choice and that brought up Luken Baker with one out. History repeated itself as Baker crushed a three-run homer in back-to-back days. The former Arizona Diamondback now has seven RBI’s in only nine AB’s.

It was a very similar start from the first innings as Martini and Davis both led off with a single to open up the third. Garza’s first hit of the night was a big one when he lined a ball to left field and Martini scored.

 

Just an inning later, Boone continues to rake in home runs and he did so this time with a two-run bomb. With Hudson Head on first, Boone saw the payoff pitch and cranked his eighth homer this season and ever since his return, he’s produced an RBI in five of the past eight contests.

Grant Gambrell earned his third start of the season while throwing six innings and produced one strikeout. He received a lot of support from the exceptional Monarch defense to grab his third win this season.

Winnipeg added two tallies in the bottom half of the fourth with RBI singles from Adam Hall and Jiandido Tromp. The Goldeyes cut the lead in half in the seventh inning when they opened the frame with a double from Kevin Garcia. Two batters later, Ramon Bramasco drove a ball into right field and scored Garcia. That was the final Goldeye run of the night as Kansas City continued to shut them down.

In the eighth inning, itt was Baker yet again who cooked up another homer. Out of the 11 plate appearences, Baker has three home runs. Just an astounding number from the Houston native.

 

Durbin Feltman showed why he is an all star as he struck out the side in the final frame to seal a Monarch win. Kansas City will wrap up the road trip with a three-game set in Fargo tomorrow night. First pitch is at 6:00 at Newman Outdoor Field.

Six Monarchs Selected to 2026 All-Star Game

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Kansas City, KS — The 2026 American Association All-Star game in Lincoln, NE will have an abundant of Monarch representatives as six players from Kansas City will make the trip to Haymarket Park. The position players include second baseman Sahid Valenzuela, third baseman Austin Callahan, and infielder Saul Garza. Out of the bullpen, the pitchers will be Ryan Garcia, Durbin Feltman, and Tyler Myrick. All these players will be on the West Division’s roster ahead of the game on July 15th.

Manager Joe Calfapietra said, “It’s a tribute to the organization.” He is very proud of all these players getting a chance to represent Kansas City in the All-Star game.

Valenzuela has shined in his first season as a Monarch and currently leads the team in batting average with a career high (.314). The Yuma, AZ native has appeared in 39 games and has is currently tied for eighth in the league in hits (49) while registering team highs in runs (39) and OBP (.390). The switch hitter has totaled 16 multi-hit games with 12 RBI’s and been extremely  disciplined at the plate. Out of his 156 AB’s, he’s only been struck out 26 times. Not only has he been outstanding at the dish, the former A’s product has been exceptional in the field. Valenzuela has shuffled between second base/shortstop and will appear in the All-Star game at second. This will be the first All-Star game Valenzuela has appeared in since high school in California where he was named the Great West League All-Star game MVP.

One of the key starters out on the Monarchs pitching staff is right-hander, Garcia. The former UCLA All-American is tied for first on team with six wins while throwing 40.2 innings and shoving in 37 strikeouts. That is good for 2.21 ERA and and has the second best WHIP in the association with a 0.96. Out of his eight starts, he’s allowed no runs in five of them while putting together a pair of nine-strikeout performances. Garcia was an easy selection for All-Star game.

The Nebraska native and third baseman, Callahan will return to his home state for the All-Star game. Since coming from the Reds organization, Callahan has produced a terrific first half of the season. He is second on the team in batting average (.296), hits (48), and also managed to grab knocks in 28 of 39 games including a 12-game hit streak. The former JUCO product has connected on six homers and as added 29 RBI’s which is tied for first amongst the group. Callahan has made timely plays at third and has been a lockdown infielder in the hot corner.

A closer who leads the team in saves is Feltman. The f0rmer Red Sox product has been a crucial part to the Monarchs bullpen with a team-leading five saves which is good for fifth in the association. He has thrown 15 punch outs in only 11 innings on the bump for a 2.45 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. Kansas City goes to Feltman when they need a game won which earned him a spot on the West Division roster.

Garza will make his first All-Star appearance in a Monarchs uniform come July 15th. He is the team leader with 12 homers which is also tied for third in the league. The former Royals prospect has produced 39 hits and 28 RBI’s to go with a .269 batting average. Saul leads the team with 87 total bases and has crossed home plate 30 times, tied with Valenzuela. He has also amassed eight-multi hit games and has been patient at the dish with 15 walks. Garza will not start in the game, but will surely make an appearance.

Myrick has stepped onto the scene and been a welcome addition to this deep bullpen. The Gainesville, FL native has struck out nine batters with 13.1 innings on the bump. He has only given up two tallies while delivering a 1.35 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP and also two holds. The hard-throwing right-hander has been impressive and will step on the mound in Lincoln in two weeks.