Seventh-Inning Heroics Secure Series Win For KC

By Nolan Brooks

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Another seventh inning collection of runs for the Kansas City Monarchs boosted them to the 8-7 win over the Winnipeg Goldeyes Friday night.

Gavin Collins batted 2-for-5 with two RBIs to lead the way for the Monarchs.

Relievers Alex Valdez and Bubby Rossman threw two no-hit innings to close out the game.

The win clinches a series win for the Monarchs. They’ve won five in a row and the first four games of the six-game series with Winnipeg.

Brian O’Grady smashed a solo homer in the bottom of the second that made it 1-0 KC.

The Monarchs plated two more runs in the bottom of the third. Aaron Whitefield singled and stole second base. Whitefield later scored on a throwing error from Max Murphy that made it 2-0 KC.

Justin Wylie followed the Whitefield score with another solo home run just one batter later. It was 3-0 Monarchs after three innings.

Winnipeg came alive in the fourth inning, plating five runs. RBI singles from Tommy McCarthy, Brynn Martinez, and Dayson Croes made it 5-3 Winnipeg through four.

The Monarchs bounced back in the fifth inning. After loading the bases, Gavin Collins smashed an RBI single to tie the game 5-5.

Another Martinez hit led to an RBI single from Croes that put the Goldeyes back ahead 6-5 in the top of the sixth inning.

The Goldeyes added one more run after a Miles Simington single set up an RBI single from Chris Burgess. It was 7-5 Goldeyes in the top of the seventh.

The Monarchs wasted no time responding in the bottom of the seventh. Collins put Jan Hernandez on third with a single. Micker Adolfo hit what could have been an RBI triple, but it bounced over the wall for a one-run automatic double. That made it 7-6 Winnipeg.
After loading the bases again, Whitefield hit an RBI single to tie the game 7-7. LJ Hatch then hit an RBI sac fly to bring in Adolfo and give KC the 8-7 lead in the seventh.

Valdez threw a perfect eighth inning to keep the Monarchs ahead 8-7. Newcomer Bubby Rossman entered in the ninth and threw a no-hit inning to get his first save as a Monarch.

Monarchs reliever Matt Hartman got the win (2-1) and Goldeyes reliever Josh Vincent got the loss (0-1).

UP NEXT: The Monarchs continue a six-game series versus the Winnipeg Goldeyes. Game five is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday night. Zach Matson will start for Kansas City against Winnipeg’s Landen Bourassa.