Monarchs Swept In Season-Opening Doubleheader
SIOUX CITY, Iowa — The Kansas City Monarchs are determined to make 2023 a season to remember, even if it started with a night to forget.
The Sioux City Explorers swept the Monarchs in a season-opening doubleheader, taking the first game 10-1 and the second game 7-0 at Lewis and Clark Park in Sioux City.
The Monarchs are 0-2 on the young season and will look to rebound in the series finale on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. Brandon Finnegan will start the game for Kansas City.
Jan Hernandez provided a bright spot for the Monarchs in the second game of the twin bill, making a spectacular catch falling over the fence in foul territory.
It's Jan Hernandez. What else do you expect?
Do we already have a catch of the year candidate and we're only one day in?@janalexis13 @AA_Baseball pic.twitter.com/bRHBykd6d5
— Kansas City Monarchs (@kscitymonarchs) May 14, 2023
Sioux City jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three innings in game one, chasing Monarchs starter Jeff Singer from the game in the third inning. They took a 10-0 lead after six.
Explorers left fielder Vince Fernandez drove in five runs in the contest, including a two-run single in the third and a two-run double in the fifth.
Justin Wylie scored the Monarchs’ only run of the night on a wild pitch in the sixth inning of game one. Sioux City starter Solomon Bates tossed five scoreless innings to earn the win.
In the nightcap, Sioux City again broke the game open. Fernandez hit a two-run homer off Monarch’s starter Jalen Miller to make it 2-0 X’s.
The Explorers plated four runs in the fifth, three of which came on a home run by leadoff hitter Chase Harris. Starter Mitchell Verburg got the win, allowing one hit over five scoreless frames.
Keon Broxton, Gio Brusa and LJ Hatch collected the Monarchs’ three hits of the doubleheader, all of them singles.
