Tyler Gentry the Hero, Monarchs Walk It Off

Kansas City, KS — It was a defensive battle on Tuesday night as Lincoln took an early lead, but the Monarchs scored three unanswered including the winning run in the ninth to win 3-2.

The Saltdogs wasted no time in the opening frame as Nick Shumpert started off with a one out knock and Cary Arbolida brought him home on a liner into left field. The very next batter, Connor Bagneiski drove a grounder into center and Arbolida scored to double the lead. Just like that it was 2-0 advantage and the Monarchs had work to do.

It took three innings, but the Monarchs found the answer in the fourth frame. Luken Baker, Grant Richardson, and Sahid Valenzuela each recorded a knock to load up the bases with one out. JD Davis saw the first pitch and then lined a ball up the middle to score a pair of runners. Davis says, “I told myself not to do too much and hit a line drive up the middle. He’s a good crafty lefty, he pitched all three pitches, and could locate them well. For me it was to try to stay balance and stay in my legs and shoot one up the middle.”

Jimmy Endersby made his 13th start on the bump and was dealing he strikes all over the place. He finished the night with six punch outs in seven innings of work including 12 up and 12 down in four frames. It was another rock solid performance from the Anaheim native.

This was a defensive duel, but the bottom of the ninth came around and the Monarchs were doing playing games. Hudson Head grabbed his only hit of the night on a grounder into center field. He was advanced to second on a sac bunt from Onix Vega. Tyler Gentry made his debut at Legends Field and after going 0-4, he came up with the biggest swing of the night on a liner up the middle and Head raced home.

It was a storybook ending to what was a defensive night and that was the third walk off the Monarchs have put together at home. This was a much needed win and Kansas City will look to win the series tomorrow night with a 6:35 first pitch.