Lincoln, NE — It was the final regular season road game for the Monarchs and they took care of business with a 7-4 win over the Saltdogs on Sunday afternoon.

Just as they did yesterday, KC got out to a fast start in the opening frame with a pair of runs. Austin Callahan grabbed a base hit and Luken Baker blitzed a two-run blast to left field. It was his second game in a row with a homer and is currently third in the association with 23 jacks.

Kansas City continued to put their foot on the gas pedal as Brady Lindsly collected an extra base hit and Tyler Gentry sent him home when he roped a ball into left to bring in Lindsly. Two pitches later, Callahan was at it again as he drove a sharply hit grounder up the middle and Gentry crossed home plate for the fourth run.

The southpaw, Sawyer Allen, had a great day on the bump as he went six innings with four K’s and didn’t allow a single run. Ryan Anderson returned to the Monarchs two days ago and he threw 2 punch outs in the seventh frame. Wyatt Wendell and Tyler Myrick closed out the game in the final two innings.

KC put this game to bed in the fifth frame as they plated three runs to go up 7-0. Grant Richardson singled on the first pitch of the inning followed by a Saul Garza double to put two in scoring position. Sahid Valenzuela walked to load the bases which brought in Hudson Head who earned an RBI knock to score Richardson. The train kept moving when JD Davis and Lindsly each drove in a run on RBI singles to give the Monarchs a sizable seven-run lead.

Lincoln had a tough time sending runners home as they were shutout for six frames, but broke through in the seventh. The bases were loaded with two down and Jacob Morrow lined a ball into center to drive in a pair of runs. In the eighth, there were two runners in scoring position as Connor Bagnieski tagged a liner to bring in two more runners. Lincoln had cut the lead back down to three, but were held scoreless in the final inning.

With this win, Kansas City is now 7-3 in their past 10 and has a 3.5 game lead over Winnipeg for first place. This was the longest road trip of the season and they put up two series sweeps. They now return home for a seven-game home stand to cap the regular season. The Monarchs open a three-game series with the Sioux City Explorers with a 6:35 pitch on Tuesday night.

Lincoln, NE — It was a feel-good win for the Monarchs to get back in the win column as they shut down the Saltdogs, 6-3, to kickstart the weekend on Friday night.

KC opened up the scoring in the top of the third as Tyler Gentry belted a solo homer to jump in front.

In the fifth, Hudson Head walked and then on the second pitch of the at bat, Jose Torres connects on a two-run blast to left field. The Monarchs quickly had a 3-0 advantage in the frame.

Just an inning later, Kansas City kept the bats hot as Luken Baker singled and Grant Richardson drove a liner into right field to put runners at the corners. Saul Garza did his job when he pushed a sac fly to allow Baker to cross home plate for the fourth run. Later in the frame, Head laced a ball into right field and brought home Richardson. Just like that, the Monarchs put up consecutive two-run frames.

The Monarchs added their final tally of the night as Tyler Gentry got on base and swiped a bag to second. Baker walked while Garza ripped an RBI double to bring in Gentry.

Geison Urbaez was the story on the defensive side. The Dominican native went 8 2/3 frames and allowed just two hits the entire night. He was one out away from a complete game in the ninth, but showed fatigue as Emmanuel Chapman came in for relief for the final out.

KC held Lincoln scoreless for eight-straight frames, but the Saltdogs finally got on the board in the last inning. Jairo Pomares and Jake Hjelle both collected a base-knock while Cary Arbolida was hit by a pitch. With two down and the bases loaded, Calvyn Halvorson hit an RBI single to bring in Pomares. The Saltdogs tried to spark a late rally as Tanner O’Tremba plated a two-run RBI single to cut the lead to three. It was too little too late as Kansas City already established a sizable lead and sealed the game.

It was an exceptional defense performance behind timely Monarch hitting as Kansas City took the opening game of the set. They will look to clinch the series with a 6:05 first pitch tomorrow night.

Winnipeg, MB — It was a two-run first inning from Kansas City, but Winnipeg drove in five unanswered and went on to win 11-6 while taking a 2-1 series lead on Wednesday night.

It was the exact start that the Monarchs were looking for in the opening frame. Tyler Gentry led off with a double and then Austin Callahan cranked his 12th jack this season to take an early lead.

The Goldeyes got the bats going early as they grabbed three runs in the bottom of the second. Raphael Pelletier and Max Murphy both collected base hits and then Roby Enriquez drove a two-run double into center field, the game was quickly tied. They did not stop there as Peyton Holt poked a liner into left field and Enriquez charged home for the third run.

In the third, Ray-Patrick Didder singled and Noah Marcelo laced a ball into center while grabbing his fifth triple this season to bring home Didder.

Winnipeg scored in every inning except the first as they registered another tally in the fourth. Murphy got all the way to third and Holt lifted a sac fly to make it a 5-2 game.

Kansas City earned a run back in the top of the fifth when Brady Lindsly tallied his only hit of the night on a liner down the left field line. There were runners at the corners and Luken Baker drove home Lindsly when he tagged a ball into left.

There were three total pitchers that stepped on the bump for Kansas City tonight. Michael Mariot allowed six runs, but punched out three batters while Nate Webb and Jacob Gomez finished out the night. Gomez gave up one run and threw a pair of strikeouts.

The Monarchs had a tough time holding the Goldeye offense as they kept crossing home plate with a run in the bottom of the fifth and the sixth. It was a 7-3 lead as they had their largest lead of the night.

KC had a chance to get right back in the ball game in the top of the seventh as the bases were juiced with only one out. Unfortunately, Sahid Valenzuela grounded into a double play to end the frame. They left 12 runners on base tonight and certainly had opportunities score more than six runs, but that’s baseball.

The team from Canada continued to build on the four-run advantage when they put up three runs in the home half of the frame. There were three-straight walks and Murphy grounded out into an RBI as Marcelo crossed home plate. Later in the inning, Hall roped a ball into center to bring home two runs. It was a 10-3 game.

In the eighth, Davis walked and eventually scored off an error from the Goldeye shortstop. The former big leaguer added to his night in the ninth when he smacked a two-run RBI double that brought home Hudson Head and Saul Garza. That capped the scoring as Kansas City couldn’t spark a late rally.

With this loss, Winnipeg now has the series lead and KC will look to even the set tomorrow night. It’s a crucial game as the Monarchs stand 3.5 games ahead in first place and will look to build on that. It’s a 6:30 start at Blue Cross Park to wrap up the series.

Winnipeg, MB — This game took over 20 hours to complete as it was suspended in the ninth inning due to inclement weather, but the Goldeyes walked off the Monarchs with a 6-5 win in the tenth frame on Tuesday night

The Goldeyes wasted no time grabbing the lead as they drove in a tally in the opening stanza. Ramon Bramasco doubled and then Ray-Patrick Didder walked to put two runners on. They both advanced a bag after a wild pitch was thrown and then Noah Marcelo lifted a sac fly to bring home Bramasco.

In the second frame, Winnipeg would add on to an early advantage as Raphel Pelletier got the inning started with a base hit. Four pitches later, Max Murphy lined a double to left field and two runners were in scoring position. Former Monarch, Peyton Holt, shot a sac fly to center field and Pelletier got home to double the lead. Roby Enriquez followed it up with the third Goldeye sac fly to make it 3-0.

Jimmy Endersby made his 14th start on the bump and shoved five K’s in six innings of work while allowing three runs. Michael Reed and Jeff Hakanson both threw a pair of punch outs out of the bullpen.

The Monarchs were scoreless for six-straight innings, but finally broke through in the top of the seventh. Hudson Head collected a base knock while Jose Torres walked and Brady Lindsly reached on a fielders choice. KC was in a prime position to attack as the bases were juiced with nobody out. Then Austin Callahan sent a sharply hit grounder to the second baseman who committed an error and Head crossed home plate for the first Monarch run. That reloaded the bases and Luken Baker walked to bring home Torres. Kansas City would finish out the inning with a Grant Richardson base hit into right field that scored a pair of runners and the Monarchs had their first lead of the night.

Winnipeg would tie up the game in the bottom half of the seventh as Holt homered and it was 4-4 just like that.

A huge storm cell came through Winnipeg and this game was suspended. They resumed the next day and with two outs, Grant Richardson blitzed a solo shot to right field as Kansas City retook the lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, Peyton Holt singled on a one-out base hit down the third base line. Shortly after, Adam Hall lined a triple into center and Holt raced home from first to tie up the game at five apiece.

This game went into extras and Kansas City came up empty in the top of the tenth as Saul Garza got to third, but was unable to be driven home.

That opened the door for the Goldeyes to win the game in the bottom half of the frame. Bramasco started at second and then  Didder walked. Bramasco advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored the winning run on a Keshawn Lynch line drive into left field.

Sioux City, IA — The Monarchs were ready to play come Saturday night as they drove in over a dozen runs and won 13-1 against the Sioux Falls Canaries to grab their fifth-straight win.

KC wasted no time cracking the scoreboard as they drove in a tally in the first. Tyler Gentry collected the first knock of the night as he produced his second triple as a Monarch. Shortly after, Austin Callahan lifted a sac-fly to bring in Gentry.

In the third, Callahan singled and then Grant Richardson slapped a ball into right field to bring in the second run.

The Monarchs kept the train moving in the fourth inning when Hudson Head added his league-leading 10th triple and then newly acquired, Jose Torres, smashed a double into left field to jump into a 3-0 advantage.

Sioux City answered with a run in the bottom of the frame on an Anthony Hall RBI single, but that would be the lone tally the Canaries would score tonight. It was all Monarchs the rest of the way.

Geison Urbaez had one of his best outings on the bump for Kansas City. He went six innings, allowing only one run and threw seven punch outs. It was a terrific day from the Dominican native as the Monarchs bullpen finished the day with 12 total K’s, including three from Michael Reed and two from Jacob Gomez.

This was a 3-1 game and it seemed like the Monarchs would come up empty in the sixth inning as Sioux Falls already grabbed two outs. Sahid Valenzuela was at third and then Torres laced a two-run blast to get the party started. Three pitches later, Gentry registered his first homer as a Monarch and then Luken Baker nuked a three-run shot. The inning kept on going while Richardson singled and then swiped a bag. That allowed Saul Garza who lined an RBI down the third-base line to finish out a massive six-run inning.

In just one inning, it became 9-1 and Kansas City had a lot more left in store. In the seventh frame, Head drew a walk and then Torres reached on a fielders choice. This brought in Gentry who cranked his second homer of the game when he smoked a three-run bomb to left field. Baker drove in the final run of the night on a RBI double to center.

The Monarchs are returning back to their brand of baseball. They now have won seven of the past eight games and are in their midseason form as they enter their final week of August. Kansas City will look to complete their second-straight series sweep when they have a 4:05 first pitch at The Birdcage tomorrow afternoon.