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Monarchs Claim Wolff Cup Championship

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By Nolan Brooks

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A walk off base hit from Kansas City Monarchs first baseman Brian O’Grady secured the 2023 Miles Wolff Cup Finals with a 7-6 win over the Chicago Dogs at Legends Field Wednesday night.

“We have the best players, we wanted to win the championship which was a grind,” Monarchs Manager Joe Calfapietra said. “God bless us, God bless you, and we’re gonna party!”

The Monarchs jumped out to a 6-1 lead after three. Chicago rallied to tie the game in the eighth.

Entering the bottom of the ninth, the Monarchs and Dogs were tied 6-6. Monarchs catcher and Player of the Year Chris Herrmann got on base with a leadoff single and found his way to second on a Jan Hernandez ground out.

After Micker Adolfo was intentionally walked, O’Grady stepped to the plate. With two strikes, O’Grady smashed a single to center field to score Herrmann and win the game.

“This team has done such a great job and I just happened to be the guy who was up at that time,” O’Grady said. “What a way to end it, this place (Kansas City) just let me have fun again and I am so thankful.”

This is the Monarchs’ second Miles Wolff Cup in three seasons and third title overall in five seasons for the franchise.

O’Grady went 2-for-5 with two RBIs to lead the way for the Monarchs at the plate.

Kansas City starter Miller Hogan threw six innings allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits. He struck out eight batters.

The Monarchs started the scoring in the bottom of the second. Monarchs left fielder Jacob Robson smoked an RBI double to make it 1-0. Monarchs shortstop LJ Hatch dropped down an RBI single making it 2-0 Monarchs. Hatch would later score on an error from Chicago right fielder Dylan Rosa. It was 3-0 Monarchs after two innings.

The Dogs got on the board in the third. Payton Eeles hit a cue shot for an infield single and brought in a run. The Monarchs led 3-1.

O’Grady crushed an RBI single to push the lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the third. Monarchs third baseman Taylor Snyder hit an RBI single of his own to make it 5-1 KC. O’Grady later scored on a ground out from Robson and the Monarchs led 6-1 after three.

Chicago cut into the lead in the sixth. An RBI triple from Dogs center fielder Nick Heath made it 6-2 Monarchs. Chicago catcher Ryan Lidge brought in Heath on a single and it was 6-3 after six.

Chicago was not done scoring in the seventh. After loading the bases, Heath brought in two more runs to make it 6-5 KC.

The Dogs tied it in the eighth. Chicago left fielder Matt Bottcher drove in a run with a groundout to tie it 6-6 after eight.

O’Grady’s walk-off in the ninth brought in the winning run for the series win.

Monarchs reliever Matt Hartman got the win, throwing a scoreless ninth inning. Chicago reliever Joe Cavallaro got the loss.

Jaxson Webb contributed to this report.

 

 

Hernandez Homer Leads Monarchs To Game 3 Win

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By Nolan Brooks

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A three-run blast from Kansas City Monarchs’ left fielder Jan Hernandez propelled them to a 9-6 win over the Chicago Dogs at Legends Field Tuesday night.

The Monarchs take a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-five Wolff Cup Finals. Game 4 is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Legends Field tomorrow night. A Monarchs win would give them their third championship in five seasons.

Hernandez’s blast kicked off back-to-back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning, giving the Monarchs a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Kansas City starter Ashton Goudeau battled after allowing three runs in the second inning. He threw 6.2 innings allowing six hits and two walks. He struck out six batters and held Chicago scoreless for his final 4.2 innings of work.

The Dogs got on the board in the top of the second. Chicago first baseman Luke Mangieri hit a solo shot to put the Dogs up 1-0. Chicago designated hitter Matt Botcher crushed a two-run blast to make it 3-0 Chicago.

The Monarchs responded in the bottom of the second. Monarchs third baseman Taylor Snyder smoked a solo homer and it was 3-1 after two innings.

Kansas City cut into the Chicago lead in the third. Snyder hit an RBI single to pull the Monarchs within a run. Chicago led 3-2 through three.

The Monarchs tied it up in the fifth. After loading the bases, Snyder’s sacrifice fly brought in Hernandez to make it 3-3 after five.

Hernandez, Micker Adolfo, and Brian O’Grady went yard in the five-run sixth, putting KC up 8-3.

Monarchs center fielder Jacob Robson increased the Kansas City lead with a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh. Kansas City led 9-3 through seven innings.

Chicago would not go down quietly. Alex Valdez entered in the ninth to try and shut down the Dogs. Chicago left fielder Johnni Turbo dropped down an RBI single to make it 9-4. Valdez walked Cody Bohanek to load the bases and exited the game.

Patrick Weigel came on for the save. He allowed a bases-loaded walk to Nick Heath and a sacrifice fly to Ryan Lidge but struck out Dogs shortstop Josh Altmann to end the game.

Goudeau got the win and Chicago reliever Jonathan Cheshire got the loss.

UP NEXT

The Monarchs continue the Miles Wolff Cup Finals against the Dogs. Game 4 is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Legends Field in Kansas City. Miller Hogan will be on the mound for KC versus Chicago’s Steven Lacey.

Monarchs Bats Come Alive In Game 2 Win

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By Nolan Brooks

ROSEMONT, Ill. — A five-run fourth inning paved the way for a Kansas City Monarchs 8-4 victory over the Chicago Dogs at Impact Field Sunday afternoon.

The Monarchs’ win ties the best-of-five Miles Wolff Cup Finals 1-1. Game 3 will be played in Kansas City at Legends Field on Tuesday night at 7 p.m.

Monarchs starter Zac Grotz threw six innings allowing two runs on seven hits. He struck out four batters and walked one. The former Seattle Mariner’s six innings helped save a depleted Monarchs bullpen after a 16-inning loss in Saturday’s Game 1.

“I felt good early and I knew I had to try to go deep into the game,” Grotz said. “The plan was to go as deep as I could and pass it off to Finnegan. This was a must-win game and now we have momentum in our favor.”

Monarchs reliever Brandon Finnegan entered in the bottom of the seventh. With the bases loaded, Finnegan retired the next three batters to prevent an inherited run from scoring. Finnegan threw two innings allowing one eighth-inning run on three hits. He struck out two batters.

Jan Hernandez smoked a three-run homer in the fourth inning that started the Monarchs’ scoring.

“We had to tie this series here and we had a different plan today and good things happened,” Hernandez said.

After three scoreless innings, the Monarchs got on the board first in the fourth. Hernandez’s homer put KC up 3-0. Taylor Snyder laced an RBI double to make it 4-0. A LJ Hatch single gave the Monarchs a 5-0 lead after four innings.

The Dogs would get on the board in the fifth. Catcher Ryan Lidge crushed an RBI double and it was 5-1 Monarchs.

Chicago cut into the Kansas City lead in the seventh. First baseman Luke Mangieri hit a solo blast to make it 5-2 after seven.

The Monarchs responded in the eighth. Solo homers from Justin Wylie and Micker Adolfo put the Monarchs up 7-2.

Chicago put a run up in the bottom of the eighth. A Mangieri double cut the Monarchs’ lead to 7-3 through eight innings.

Chris Herrmann dropped down an RBI single and it was 8-3 Monarchs heading into the ninth.

Patrick Weigel entered in the ninth and closed out the game. The Dogs’ final run came on a solo homer from Jesus Lujano for the final score of 8-4. Weigel retired the next three batters to end the game.

Grotz got the win and Chicago starting pitcher Austin Faith got the loss.

UP NEXT

The Monarchs continue the Miles Wolff Cup Finals against the Dogs. Game 3 is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Legends Field in Kansas City. Former major leaguer Ashton Goudeau will be on the mound for KC.

Monarchs Walked Off In 16-Inning Game 1

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By Nolan Brooks

ROSEMONT, Ill. — A 16-inning battle ended in a walk-off loss for the Kansas City Monarchs in Game 1 of the Wolff Cup Finals.

Cody Bohanek hit an RBI single in the bottom of the 16th to win the game 3-2 at Impact Field.

Jacob Robson and Chris Herrmann homered for the Monarchs for their only two runs of the game. There were 15 total pitchers that appeared in the ballgame across the 16 innings of play.

Game 2 of the best-of-five series is Sunday at 3 p.m.

The Monarchs got on the board in the top of the third. Robson’s solo shot made it 1-0 Monarchs after three.

The Dogs tied it up in the bottom of the fourth. They manufactured a run thanks to a Josh Altmann bunt single and Matt Bottcher fielder’s choice to make it 1-1 after four.

Chicago scraped across their second run of the game in the fifth. A sacrifice fly from Johnni Turbo put the Dogs up 2-1 after five.

The bullpens took over from there until Herrmann’s solo blast in the top of the ninth. It was 2-2 heading into extra innings.

After seven more innings of free baseball, the Dogs ended it in the bottom of the 16th. Former Monarch Dylan Rosa singled with two outs. He found his way to second after a Botcher single. Bohanek became the Dogs’ hero with his walk off single to win the game 3-2 after 16 innings.

Chicago reliever Bryan Warzek got the win and Monarchs reliever Bubby Rossman got the loss.

UP NEXT

The Monarchs continue the Miles Wolff Cup Finals against the Dogs. Game 2 is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Impact Field in Chicago. Zac Grotz will be on the mound for KC.

Monarchs Complete Comeback, Advance To Finals

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By Nolan Brooks

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The Kansas City Monarchs are West Division Champions and are moving on to the Miles Wolff Cup Finals.

A Kansas City Monarchs comeback led by walks, wild pitches, balk calls, and a Jan Hernandez RBI double led to a 9-6 win over the Sioux City Explorers at Legends Field Thursday night.

“It’s great. The guys, they played so hard,” Monarchs manager Joe Calfapietra said. “There was no give up in the dugout. This is a great ball club that we played; we knew we were going to have to play down to the end.”

“I’m so proud of these guys.”

The Monarchs erased a 5-0 deficit on their way to the win, matching their largest comeback of the season. Calfapietra’s team worked 11 walks and only five hits. Nine of those walks happened from the fifth inning on.

Kansas City will face the Chicago Dogs in the best-of-five Miles Wolff Cup Finals. Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday in Chicago with Game 2 Sunday (times TBA). The Monarchs will host Game 3 on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. They’ll also host Games 4 and 5 if necessary on Wednesday and Thursday at 7 p.m.

The Explorers started the scoring in the first inning. Right fielder Scott Ota laced an RBI single to make it 1-0 Explorers after one.

Sioux City increased their lead in the third. An error from Monarchs outfielder Jacob Robson made it 2-0. An RBI sacrifice fly from Ota pushed it to 3-0 Explorers in the third.

Daniel Lingua hit an infield single in the top of the fourth and it was 4-0 Sioux City. Wilfredo Gimenez crushed a solo shot in the top of the fifth to make it 5-0 Explorers.

The Monarchs got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. After loading the bases, Jacob Robson scored on a wild pitch to get the Monarchs on the board. Monarchs shortstop LJ Hatch scored on a balk call on Explorers reliever Carlos Diaz to make it 5-2. Hernandez’s double made it 5-3 Sioux City after five innings.

Explorers first baseman John Nogowski blasted a solo shot to push the Sioux City lead to 6-3 in the top of the seventh.

The Monarchs battled back in the bottom of the seventh. After loading the bases again, bases-loaded walks from Hernandez and Micker Adolfo made it 6-5 Explorers. Taylor Snyder smoked an infield single to tie the game 6-6. Hernandez later scored on a wild pitch and it was 7-6 Monarchs after seven.

Hernandez drew another RBI walk in the bottom of the eighth to make it 8-6. Monarchs second baseman Justin Wylie later scored on a wild pitch. It was 9-6 Monarchs heading into the ninth inning.

Five different pitchers came in for Kansas City. Miller Hogan started the game, giving way to Brandon Finnegan in the third inning. Finnegan got through the fifth before handing the baton to Matt Hartman, who handled the sixth and seventh.

After Bubby Rossman tossed a scoreless eighth, Patrick Weigel entered in the ninth to close out the game. Weigel retired all three batters he faced to end the game.

Monarchs reliever Matt Hartman got the win and Explorers reliever Sean Rackoski got the loss.

UP NEXT

The Monarchs take on the Chicago Dogs in the Miles Wolff Cup Finals. Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday in Chicago at Impact Field.

Goudeau, Monarchs Force Game 3

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By Nolan Brooks

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Kansas City Monarchs starting pitcher Ashton Goudeau threw eight shutout innings in a 5-0 win over the Sioux City Explorers at Legends Field Wednesday night.

The Monarchs’ win ties the American Association West Division Championship Series 1-1. Game 3 is a winner-take-all to advance to the Miles Wolff Cup Finals. This is the second season in a row where the West Division Championship series comes down to a deciding game.

Goudeau threw eight innings with five strikeouts and allowed only five hits. He didn’t walk a batter.

Monarchs left fielder Jan Hernandez homered twice to lead the way at the plate for KC.

The Monarchs started the scoring in the bottom of the second. Hernandez’s first solo shot made it 1-0 Monarchs after two.

Hernandez got the Monarchs their second run of the game in the fourth. His second solo shot made it 2-0 Monarchs through four innings.

The Monarchs took control in the bottom of the sixth. After loading the bases, an error on Explorers second baseman Daniel Lingua plated two runs. A wild pitch later brought in another run and it was 5-0 KC through six.

Patrick Weigel entered in the ninth inning and finished the game. Goudeau got the win (2-0) and Explorer’s starting pitcher Mitchell Verburg got the loss (1-1).

UP NEXT: The Monarchs take on the Explorers in Game 3 of the American Association West Division Championship series. Game 3 is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday. Miller Hogan will be on the mound for the Monarchs. Sioux City has yet to announce their starter.

Monarchs Drop Series Opener In Sioux City

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The Kansas City Monarchs are on the brink of elimination after falling to Sioux City 8-1 in the opening game of the American Association’s West Division Championship series.

The loss at Lewis and Clark Park means the Monarchs need to win Games 2 and 3 on Wednesday and Thursday night from Legends Field to keep their season alive and advance to the Wolff Cup Finals.

Game 2 of the series is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Legends Field. If needed, Game 3 is set for Thursday at 7 p.m.

Sioux City collected 17 hits in the win, all but two of them singles.

Kansas City starter Zac Grotz was solid, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits over six innings of work. He walked two and struck out one. Brian O’Grady was 2-for-4 with an RBI double for the Monarchs.

O’Grady’s double gave Kansas City a brief lead in the first inning. That was all they would get against Explorers starter Austin Drury. The left-hander threw 5.1 innings, allowing one run on two hits. He walked three and struck out eight.

The Explorers tied the game in the bottom of the first when Wilfredo Gimenez hit a ground ball to third and John Nogowski scored on an error from Taylor Snyder.

The X’s took the lead in the fifth on a Scott Ota RBI single. They scored in each of their last four innings at bat, including the fifth.

That included an RBI groundout from CHase Harris to score Wilfredo Gimenez in the sixth. Scott Ota came in on a wild pitch in the seventh to make it 4-1.

Sioux City poured on four runs in the eighth on six singles, including RBI knocks from Daniel Lingua, Ota and Gimenez.

UP NEXT

Ashton Goudeau will start Wednesday’s game for the Monarchs with their season on the line. He’ll go up against Sioux City’s Mitchell Verburg. Fans can watch the game on AABaseball.TV.

Hogan, Monarchs Sweep Canaries To Advance

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By Nolan Brooks

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Another solid start from Kansas City Monarchs’ starting pitcher Miller Hogan helps them cruise to a 4-0 win over the Sioux Falls Canaries at Legends Field Friday night.

The win gives the Monarchs a 2-0 series sweep over the Canaries and moves them into the West Division Championship Series. The Monarchs will take on the Sioux City Explorers beginning Monday, September 11.

Hogan threw six scoreless innings striking out eight batters. He allowed only six hits and walked none.

Monarchs third baseman Taylor Snyder finished 2-for-3 including a solo homer in the bottom of the third inning.

The Canaries threatened to open the scoring in the third inning. Sioux Falls had a runner on third but failed to score on three straight outs from Hogan.

Snyder’s solo blast in the bottom of the frame put the Monarchs up 1-0 after three.

Jacob Robson smashed an opposite field homer that gave KC a 3-0 lead after five innings.

Micker Adolfo crushed a solo shot in the bottom of the seventh for a key insurance run. It was 4-0 Monarchs after seven innings.

The Monarchs’ bullpen was two hits away from three combined perfect innings. Alex Valdez struck out two. Bubby Rossman also struck out two batters. Patrick Weigel entered in the ninth inning and closed out the game.

Hogan got the win (1-0) and Canaries starting pitcher Akeem Bostick got the loss (0-1).

UP NEXT: The Monarchs take on the Explorers in the West Division Championship Series. Game One will be on Monday, September 11.

Herrmann Wins Player Of The Year Award

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Chris Herrmann has taken home the league’s top honor, and ended a 19-year wait for the Kansas City Monarchs in the process.

The MLB veteran catcher has won the American Association’s 2023 Player of the Year award, the league announced Tuesday.

Herrmann is the team’s first Player of the Year honoree since 2004, when the club was called the T-Bones and played in the Northern League.

The eight-year MLB veteran tied for the AAPB lead with 88 RBIs on the season. He ranked third in the Association with a .355 average and second with a 1.056 OPS. He also placed second with a .439 on-base percentage, third with a .617 slugging percentage and tied for fifth with 23 home runs.

Herrmann accomplished all that as the Monarchs’ starting catcher, at one point catching 17 straight games.

Herrmann hit a three-run homer to help the Monarchs to a win in their playoff opener Wednesday night in Sioux Falls. The Monarchs face the Canaries Friday at 7 p.m. from Legends Field in Game 2 of their best-of-three first-round series.

A native of Tomball, Texas, Herrmann has eight years of big-league experience with the Twins, Diamondbacks, Mariners and Athletics.

The lefty hitter earned the nickname “The Herrmannator” while playing with Arizona in 2015 and 2016. He blasted an MLB career-high 10 homers with the D-Backs in 2016.

Herrmann owns 25 homers, 103 RBIs and 182 hits over 370 MLB games.

The Monarchs finished the regular season with a league-best 59-40 record. They’re going for their third title in five seasons.

Monarchs Dominate In Game 1 Win

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — The Kansas City Monarchs’ playoff opener couldn’t have gone much better.

Chris Herrmann hit a three-run home run before the game’s first out, Ashton Goudeau threw five shutout innings and the Monarchs blew out the Sioux Falls Canaries 9-1 to take a 1-0 lead in the teams’ best-of-three first-round series.

“It’s fantastic,” Herrmann said. “We hit the ball hard, we drove in runs, we got the big outs when we needed it. What more can you ask for?”

Game 2 is Friday night at Legends Field, where the Monarchs will go for a sweep. First pitch is at 7 p.m.

Herrmann went 3-for-4 with a walk in the comprehensive victory. Taylor Snyder also collected three hits including a solo homer. Four Monarchs relievers combined to allow one run on two hits to see the game through.

Herrmann’s home run brought across Justin Wylie, who led the game off with a single, and Jan Hernandez, who walked. The Monarchs led the rest of the way.

“I’m just trying to hit the ball hard,” Herrmann said. “The wind was blowing out to right; I didn’t have to do anything crazy. I just put a nice swing on the ball, and it went out for me.”

Micker Adolfo drove Hermandez in with a sacrifice fly in the third to make it 4-0. Snyder’s home run made it 5-0 in the sixth.

Goudeau allowed three hits and two walks, striking out four over his five scoreless frames.

Sioux Falls got on the board in the sixth on an RBI single from Hunter Clanin off Jordan Martinson.

Kansas City added three two-out runs in the eighth. Jacob Robson drove in two with a triple. Gavin Collins, who returned to the lineup after a hamstring injury suffered in mid-August, singled to score Robson and make it 8-1.

A two-out RBI double from Brian O’Grady in the ninth brough the game to its final score.

Grant Gavin, Bubby Rossman and Patrick Weigel each threw a scoreless inning to finish the game out.

“I like the type of atmosphere where every inning, every at-bat, every pitch counts,” Herrmann said.

UP NEXT

Miller Hogan will start Game 2 for Kansas City Friday night at 7 p.m. Former Monarch Akeem Bostick will start for Sioux Falls.