MONARCHS CLIP BIRDS IN NAIL BITER
The Kansas City Monarchs (58-34) were one strike away from securing an win before the Sioux Falls Canaries (32-60) tied the game in the bottom of the ninth. Kansas City would not waste the extra innings as the Monarchs would plate two runs in the top of the 10th to send their winning streak to four games in a 3-1 thriller.
Brock Gilliam was outstanding for the Monarchs in getting a no decision. The Basehor, Kansas native tossed 5.2 shutout innings while allowing only two hits; he would leave in the sixth with a 1-0 lead. The Canaries got a great effort as well from their starter Neal Lang. The lefty went 5.1 innings, giving up one earned run with six strikeouts.
The game was goose eggs until the sixth although the Monarchs did threaten in the second and the fourth innings with a runner at third but could not push across a run. That all changed in the top of the sixth. Jacob Robson would work a walk off Lang then a fielder’s choice from Jan Hernandez would force out Robson at second for out number one. Casey Gillaspie would single to put runners at first and second and chase Lang to the showers. Gio Brusa would single to load the bases for the Monarchs. Pete Kozma hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Hernandez for a 1-0 lead.
The Canaries would get two on with two outs in the home half of the sixth, but Alex Valdez was able to get the final out of the inning to keep the game 1-0. Valdez would strikeout the side in the seventh, and lefty Jordan Martinson would allow two hits but work around them in the eighth, including getting Jabari Henry to fly out to left with two outs.
Jameson McGrane came in for Kansas City after a scoreless top of the ninth for “kay-see”. He would strikeout the first batter, Trey Michalczewski, but walk Connor Blair. He then struck out Kona Squiggle for the second out of the inning. John Nester would work a full count walk to put runners at first and second. Angelo Altavilla would single to left to tie the game at one in the bottom of the ninth. McGrane would strike out Nick Gotta to send the game to extra innings.
In the top of the 10th the Monarchs would start with Mallex Smith at second base, facing Mitchell Walters who worked a 1-2-3 ninth for the Canaries. Ryan Grotjohn would hit an infield single to put runners at the corners. Walters then stumbled in his delivery and did not deliver a pitch and was called for a balk to score Smith and move Grotjohn to second, giving the Monarchs a 2-1 lead. Kevin Santa would walk and then Jacob Robson would strikeout for out number one. Jan Hernandez was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Walters uncorked a wild pitch to score Grotjohn for a 3-1 lead. Walters then got back-to-back punch outs on Gillaspie and Brusa to take the game to the bottom of the 10th.
The Canaries started Gotta at second as the zombie runner. McGrane would hit Ozzie Martinez with a pitch to put runners at first and second. Wyatt Ulrich hit a ground ball to short, but with Martinez running on the pitch, Monarchs shortstop Pete Kozma threw home to get Gotta by a mile for out number one. The Monarchs would summon Brian Glowicki into the game and he would get a big strikeout of Henry and then a ground ball to second off the bat of Michalczewski that Santa threw to Kozma to force out Ulrich to close the door on the birds.
The Monarchs and Canaries will wrap up their three-game series tomorrow afternoon(8/28) at 1:05 p.m. The game can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning at 12:35 p.m. and the video stream airing on aa baseball.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: McGrane (3-3)
LP: Walters (0-2)
S: Glowicki (1)
By: DAN VAUGHAN, JR.
