Milwaukee, WI — Kansas City scored seven runs in the final two frames and cruised to a 12-6 win over the Milwaukee Milkmen behind a 15-hit night.

This game worked quickly as only 28 minutes had gone by and it was the bottom of the third. The Monarchs started to settle in and found the breakthrough in the fourth inning when Saul Garza hit a solo smash to jump into the lead. The league leader in triples, Hudson Head, recorded his ninth triple and then was brought home on an RBI double from JD Davis. Shortly after, Tyler Gentry registered his first RBI as a Monarch when he sent a ground ball into right that scored Davis. Kansas City would not slow down as Austin Callahan ended the frame with a two-run blast. KC put up a five spot and would not surrender the lead the rest of the way.

The Milkmen found an immediate response in the bottom half of the fourth as Andy Blake crushed a two-run homer to cut the lead back down to three.

It was an exceptional pitching performance from former World Series champion, Michael Mariot. He went 6.1 innings while shoving in a season-high nine K’s, despite giving up three runs. Jack Walker, Jeff Hakanson, and Wyatt Wendell also stepped on the bump as they combined for two strikeouts with three runs allowed.

Milwaukee would not go down so easily as they cut the lead down to just one in the bottom of the seventh inning. There were three-straight base hits by Wendell Marrero, Alec Olund, and Chase Weddell to load up the bases with only one away. Charlie Marion drove in a pair of runs as he reached base via fielders choice with a ground ball up the middle. The Monarchs were fortunate to close out the inning with a one-run lead, but had work to do.

This group quickly answered by putting up their second five-spot of the night. In the top of the eighth, Head walked and then JD Davis drove in another run with a knock up the middle. Brady Lindsly immediately followed it up with a single and then Gentry ripped a ball into center field that scored Davis and Lindsly. Callahan finished the inning with the last run as he got home on a wild pitch from Milkmen pitcher, Justin Kelly. Just like that, the Monarchs had their largest lead at 10-4.

Davis was on a tear tonight as he added the last two Monarch runs in the ninth. Garza walked and then Head singled while Davis delivered a fly ball into center to score both runners. Davis, Gentry, and Callahan all collected three RBI’s each and were a huge part of the Kansas City offense tonight.

The Milkmen added two consolation runs in the bottom half of the ninth, but it was too little too late.

This was a much needed series win over the East Division leaders. Kansas City has now reestablished a 1.5 game lead over Winnipeg and will look to build on that tomorrow afternoon. It will be a 1 o’clock first pitch at Franklin Field to round out the six-game roadtrip.

Oconomowoc, WI — It was an uncharacteristic night offensively as the Monarchs were shutout for just the second time this season with a 6-0 loss to the Dockhounds on Thursday night.

Former Pirates prospect, Emmanuel Chapman, made his debut for the Monarchs and held off the Dockhounds before they found the breakthrough in the third inning. Ripken Reyes was hit by a pitch and Dom Johnson singled to put two in scoring position. This gave the way for Joshua Mears to rip a hard grounder into right field to score both runs.

Chapman had a good day on the bump and despite giving up two runs, he shoved in four punch outs on his debut. Nate Webb took his place in the fourth inning and also totaled four K’s. Left hander, Jack Walker, was the second Monarch to make his debut and he threw a strikeout in the seventh inning. Kansas City has added depth to their bullpen and it will surely be helpful down the stretch.

In the fifth inning, Johnson cranked a solo homer and then in the sixth stanza, Reyes was hit by a pitch when the bases were loaded and Lake Country had a 4-0 lead.

The Dockhounds would a tally in seventh and eighth inning to make it four-straight frames with a run. In the seventh, Mario Feliciano smacked an RBI single to score Ray Zuberer and then Mears drilled a liner into left field in the eighth to tally his second RBI of the night.

Kansas City really struggled to find the offense as Edwin Diaz and Sahid Valenzuela were the only Monarchs to register a knock tonight. They also had five runners left on base and couldn’t provide the timely hitting. This was an uncommon game from this team and with a Winnipeg win, the Monarchs fall out of first place for the first time since June 4th. Perhaps that can kickstart this group back to winning ways as they stay in the state of Wisconsin and jump into a series with the East Division leaders, Milwaukee Milkmen. This is a crucial series before they return home with a 6:35 start tomorrow night at Franklin Field.

Oconomowoc, WI — It was a game where there were 24 combined hits, but a frustrating night for the Monarchs offensively as they left 15 runners on base and fell to Lake Country 8-5.

Kansas City got off to a strong start where on the fourth pitch of the game, Edwin Diaz smoked his third homer of the season to give the Monarch an early lead. Diaz has solidified himself as one of the key leadoff hitters.

Lake Country had an even better start as they put up four-run first frame to take an early lead. In two pitches, there were a pair of runners on base and then two batters later, Joshua Mears tied up the game on a ground ball which sent home Ripken Reyes. That brought in Mario Feliciano who roped a line drive into center that scored Dom Johnson and Mears. Anthony Garcia finished out the inning with a solo blast.

There were three scoreless frames, but the Monarchs rallied back in the fifth. Luken Baker and Grant Richardson stayed smart at the plate and drew two walks with no outs. This allowed Saul Garza to hammer a fly ball into right field which scored both runners as Garza recorded his team-leading 20th double this season. Garza would get to third and then eventually home after Dockhounds pitcher, Jacob Campbell threw a wild pitch.

Unfortunately, the lead did not last long as Lake Country orchestrated an immediate response. In the bottom half of the inning, Ray Zuberer reached base via fielders choice and then Mears singled. Feliciano ripped a hard grounder through the right side which score both runners. Lake Country would hold on to the lead for the rest of the night.

Geison Urbaez started on the bump for Kansas City and allowed 11 hits with seven runs. He once again put up a five K performance, but did not have his best start. Jeff Hakanson had a good outing on the bump in the seventh inning as he punched out two batters with no hits given up.

The Monarchs had a golden opportunity to strike in the sixth inning as Diaz, Baker, and Richardson all walked with only one out. They unfortunately could not drive home any runs in the frame and came up empty once again.

Kansas City got one back in the top of the eighth as there were two runners on and Hudson Head sliced a ball into left center field on a ground rule double that scored Austin Callahan. Baker got to third and with two runners in scoring position, they couldn’t find a way to tie up the game. 15 runners was the most the Monarchs left on base the entire season as the timely hitting was not there tonight.

The Dockhounds would score one more tally in the bottom half of the inning and that would seal it. With a Winnipeg win, Kansas City sits only a half game ahead in first place. The Monarchs will look to try and even up the series tomorrow night with a 6:35 first pitch.

Kansas City, KS — The Monarchs started fast and never let up as it was a much needed victory to get back in the win column with a 13-8 win. Luken Baker played a huge factor as he finished the night going 2-3 with six RBI’s.

The Monarchs started red hot in the first frame as Edwin Diaz and Austin Callahan opened up the day with a base hit which was followed by a Luken Baker three-run bomb.

In the second frame, Grant Richardson doubled and then Onix Vega sent him home on a line drive into left center. It was a quick 4-0 start, but the inning did not stop there. After Diaz doubled, Callahan and Baker both had productive outs with RBI’s attached. Through two frames, it was a 6-0 lead.

Austin Krob had his best start on the mound in a Monarchs uniform. He went six innings with no runs given up and three punch outs. The Iowa native talked about his process, “It felt good, I knew if I could get ahead early at that point I could just play with the hitters and throw them off speed and off rhythm. I felt like I was good, it was more so trying to get ahead early and try and go from there. Once that happened I was successful.”

Grant Richardson could not be stopped as in the 5th inning, he roped his sixth homer in the past eight games to go with 16 in total. “Honestly the biggest thing is being able to keep the same routine every single day (and) trusting the process. Getting here going through my warmups and doing everything that I need to get myself ready for the game, I think just trusting myself at the end of the day while I am at the plate. Just making sure I am on time, I think that’s been the biggest key.”

In the 6th frame, Diaz and Callahan once again led off with hits. This brought in Baker who rocketed a ball off the top of the wall in left center field to bring in both runners for an RBI triple. Saul Garza scored Baker on a grounder up the middle followed by an RBI double from Sahid Valenzuela to record his first knock of the night.

The Monarchs were up by a dozen, but Fargo would not go away. In the seventh frame they scored a pair of runs highlighted by a groundout RBI from Aiden Byrne after Brian Fuentes doubled. Shortly after, Jesus Lujano sent an RBI double to score Fuentes.

In the eighth inning, Kansas City really struggled to find some command on the mound as Fargo opened the inning with two-straight walks and an RBI single from Tripp Clark. There were two more walks while Juan Fernandez reached via fielders choice and Byrne got to first via error. The Redhawks grabbed a couple more hits and just like that, this was a six-run inning and the lead was cut down to four.

Hudson Head reestablished a five-run lead as he drove his ninth homer into left field to record his second-straight game with a home run.

Fargo scored a run in the ninth, but it was too little too late as Tyler Myrick closed out the game.

With a Winnipeg loss, the Monarchs stand 1.5 games ahead of the Goldeyes in first place and 3.5 ahead of the Redhawks. This series is all to play for when these teams square off in the rubber match with a 1:05 first pitch tomorrow afternoon.

Kansas City, KS — There were two runs in the first inning by Lincoln and that was the story tonight as the Monarchs could not find a tally to drop a 2-0 loss.

It started in the opening frame as Nick Shumpert opened up the day with a base hit followed by Jake Hjelle reaching base via error. Two pitches later, Jairo Pomares doubled into right field that brought in Shumpert to take an early lead. They doubled the advantage when Connor Bagnieski sent a grounder into right field and scored Hjelle, but it was a dart from Grant Richardson when he threw Pomares out at home.

The bullpen was terrific tonight as Jimmy Endersby made his 11th start on the bump and raked in seven K’s. After the first inning, he really settled in and located the zone. The bullpen threw 10 punch outs and Jay Groome contributed to the total. The New Jersey native said, “(I’m) honestly just having fun. I’m at a point in my career where I have nothing left to lose. I figured I would go out there and forget about everything that has happened in the past and take it pitch-by-pitch. It’s been working.”

Richardson was everywhere in the outfield and showed why he is the Monarchs go-to left fielder with a couple of exceptional throws.

This was a night where it was uncharacteristic baseball from the Monarchs being shutout for the first time this season. They had five total hits with seven runners left on base and had moments where they could make something happened, but fell short. Saul Garza, Edwin Diaz, Luken Baker, Onix Vega, and JD Davis all recorded a knock, but not one runner made it to third. It was just one of those night where the Monarchs will have to shake it off and get ready for tomorrow.

Kansas City welcomes in the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks for a weekend series. The Redhawks are 3.5 GB of first place and this will certainly be a must watch series between the two. First pitch is at 6:35 tomorrow night at Legends Field.