Monarchs Rally to Open American Association Championship Series, Frontier League Playoffs Continue
American Association Daily provides insights, features, and recaps of the action from around the American Association of Professional Baseball League, as well as player and coaching profiles and transactions. In today’s edition, Robert Pannier recaps the one game in the American Association on Friday as the Kansas City Monarchs Rally to down the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks to open the American Association Championship Series. This plus the Frontier League playoffs continue.
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Monarchs Take 1-0 Series Lead
The Kansas City Monarchs scored three runs in the fifth and two in the sixth on their way to an 8-4 victory over the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. That gives the Monarchs a 1-0 lead in the American Association Championship Series.
The Monarchs got off to a quick start, taking a three-run lead just three batters into the contest. Morgan McCullough walked to start the game, and Ryan Grotjohn followed with his first homerun of the postseason. That brought Darnell Sweeney to the plate, who blasted a solo shot and suddenly Kansas City had a 3-0 lead.
In the bottom half of the inning, the RedHawks responded, getting two of those runs back. Correlle Prime reached on an infield single and moved to second on a single by Jordan George. Leobaldo Pina followed with a fielder’s choice, driving home Prime before Dylan Kelly grounded a hit that scored Pina and Fargo-Moorhead was right back in this contest.
Kansas City clung to that one run lead heading into the bottom of the third when the RedHawks rallied to take the lead. This truly proved to be a game of inches, as George led off with a single and advanced the third when Pina went the opposite way, doubling off the right-field line to put two runners in scoring position. That brought Kelly to the plate, who dropped an opposite field hit just inside the left foul line, scoring both runners to put Fargo on top.
For the first time this postseason, Kansas City found themselves trailing, but it did not last long. In the top of the fifth, the Monarchs added three more runs to take the lead for good. Casey Gillaspie tied the score with an RBI single, and Colin Willis gave his team to lead with an RBI double. Gillaspie later scored on a wild pitch to put Kansas City on top, 6-4.
The Monarchs were not done, however, adding two more runs in the top of the seventh inning. Grotjohn scored on a wild pitch and Gillaspie drove in his second run of the game with an RBI single. That made it 8-4.
Matt Hall started for Kansas City and was solid, allowing four runs on seven hits in six innings. The left-hander walked two and struck out seven in earning his second victory of the postseason. Jeremy Rhoades came out of the bullpen in the seventh and was dominating, tossing two scoreless innings, striking out four. Jameson McGrane came on to finish out the contest by tossing a scoreless frame.
The loss spoiled a big night for Kelly, who was 2-3 with three runs driven in. George was the only other player to have two hits and Pina scored two runs.
The top of the Kansas City lineup was dominating, as the 1-5 hitters went a combined 8-19 with a run scored and five runs driven in. Gabriel Guerrero went 3-4 with a run scored in both Grotjohn and Gillaspie drove in a pair of runs.
Kansas City Monarchs Recap by Kaitlyn Sander
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Recap by Chad Ekren
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Three Stars of the Night
No. 3 – Dylan Kelly (Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks) 2-3, 3 RBI, Double, BB
No. 2 – Gabriel Guerrero (Kansas City Monarchs) 3-4, R BB, Double
No. 1 – Ryan Grotjohn (Kansas City Monarchs) 2-4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI
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American Association Daily Notes
Game 2 of the American Association Championship Series continues on Saturday evening. Justin Shafer (7-3, 4.62) will go for Kansas City. The RedHawks will counter with Bret Helton (7-9, 4.79). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35…The Frontier League playoffs continued on Friday as well. The Schaumburg Boomers dominated the Florence Yalls, 12-2. That gives Schaumburg a 2-1 lead in their series. The Boomers scored four in the second, two in the third, three in the fifth, a run in the sixth, and two in the seventh to dominate this contest. Ryan Middendorf went the distance, allowing two runs on four hits in nine innings. In the other series, Equipe Quebec took a 2-1 series lead thanks to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Wild Things. Washington took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning, but Québec tied the score with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. In the sixth, Jeffry Parra drove home the go-ahead run with an RBI single.
This Week in the Association and Minor League Sports Report Sponsored by PURE
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By Robert Pannier