MONARCHS BATS PARADE IN SIOUX FALLS
By: Emerson Peavey
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – It certainly didn’t rain on the Kansas City Monarchs’ parade in Sioux Falls, as they take the win on the road,12-4 over the Sioux Falls Canaries.
The Monarchs (25-17) struck first in the top of the second, thanks to a home run by Colin Willis, that also scored Gabby Guerrero who had walked to first.
The Canaries (18-24) responded with their best inning of the night, scoring three runs by Mike Hart, Angelo Altavilla, and Wyatt Ulrich, cutting into the Monarchs’ lead 4-3. Sioux Falls couldn’t get any more offense going after the third, with pitcher Cody Mincey (3-0) successfully shutting them out, pitching seven innings, recording eight hits, three runs, two errors, two walks and two strikeouts.
In the top of the fourth inning, Kevin Santa hit a double. Santa swiped third base right before Alexis Olmeda cracked his first-ever home run for the Monarchs, punching two runs onto the board.
Jan Hernandez followed n the top of the fifth with a solo home run off his first pitch.
Sioux Falls’ pitcher Trevor Simms relieved Ty Culbreth and kept Kansas City quiet for the sixth inning, but it didn’t last long. In the top of the seventh, Will Kengor walked to get on base then scored after a double by Kevin Santa.
It was a doubles party in top of the eighth with Darnell Sweeney hitting a double with Ryan Grotjohn following, hitting his own double and advancing to third off of an error by the shortstop, but scoring Sweeney. Hernandez also doubled, scoring Grotjohn.
Guerrero shut down the birds in the eighth with a towering home run that also scored Hernandez, making the score12-3.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Canaries tried to cut into the Monarchs lead, as Ulrich scored, but the Canaries offense stopped there, only cutting into the KC lead, 12-4.
Kansas City will continue its series against Sioux Falls tomorrow, with a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m. The game can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning at 4:35 p.m. and the video stream airing on aabaseball.tv.
Tickets to all Monarchs games can be purchased by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting monarchsbaseball.com. For additional information or interview requests, members of the media may contact the Monarchs Media Relations Department at (817) 739-3693. Stay tuned to monarchsbaseball.com. and the Monarchs Facebook and Twitter pages for updates throughout the season.
WP: Cody Mincey (3-0)
LP: Ty Culbreth (6-2)
