Explorers Crank Four Homers, Monarchs Drop Series

Kansas City, KS — It was a game where Kansas City got out to an early lead, but Sioux City put up eight unanswered and went on to win 11-2 which claimed the series on Wednesday night.

The Monarchs wasted no time taking the lead as Luken Baker smoked his 24th blast of the season to jump in front.

Sioux City answered with a quick response in the second as D’Shawn Knowles walked and Alberto Osuna belted a two-run homer to jump into a 2-1 lead. They followed it up in the third as Knowles roped a ball the opposite way which left the yard.

The fifth inning became the decider as Sioux City put the Monarchs in a tough spot. Zac Vooletich led off with a double and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Braulio Vasquez walked, Knowles and Osuna both grabbed a base hit to load the bases. This brought in Wilfredo Gimenez who cracked a grand slam into left field and this became an 8-1 advantage which KC was not able to come back from.

Thaddeus Ward made his Legends Field debut and went four innings while allowing four hits, but shoved in three K’s. Kansas City went through four pitchers in total with Ryan Anderson, Nate Webb, and Jeff Hakanson coming out of the bullpen. Ward mentioned, “I’m feeling good on the mound, i’m fresh into it and its a lot different from where I am coming from down in Mexico.”

After being down seven runs, Grant Richardson sliced a solo smash in the sixth inning to cut the lead down to six.

Sioux City was not done yet as Osuna got home on a sac fly from Austin Davis in the seventh while Knowles hit his second jack of the night in the eighth frame to close out the night.

It was a tough night on both sides of the ball, but the Monarchs will have to find a way to get back in the win column as Winnipeg stands just two games back of first place. Sioux City and Kansas City will go toe-to-toe for one final time in the regular season with a 6:35 first pitch on Thursday night.