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 two games in the American Association on Monday, including the Kansas City Monarchs shutting out the Gary SouthShore RailCats in the Sioux Falls Canaries winning a slugfest over the Winnipeg Goldeyes. This and much more.

Canaries Down Goldeyes in Slugfest

Jabari Henry homered twice and drove in four runs to help lead the Sioux Falls Canaries to a slugfest victory over the Winnipeg Goldeyes on Monday, 12-10. The Canaries used a six-run sixth inning to jump out to a decisive 11-4 lead, but Winnipeg battled back with four in the seventh and two in the ninth before Sioux Falls was able to close the door.

Sioux Falls held a 2-0 lead until the top of the third when Hidekel Gonzalez blasted his first homerun of the night, giving Winnipeg a 3-2 lead. Henry responded with his first homerun of the night in the bottom half of the frame. The Goldeyes jumped back in front when Reggie Pruitt hit his second homerun of the season in the top half of the fifth, but Sioux Falls retook the lead when Ozzie Martinez hit his first homerun in his second game in a Sioux Falls uniform, making it a 5-4 game. Sioux Falls extended the lead to 8-4 before Henry hit his second homer of the game. However, there was no quit in these Goldeyes, as Gonzalez hit a three-run blast in the top of the seventh and Eric Rivera added a two run double in the ninth. The Canaries finally closed out the game when Riley Ferrell recorded the final two outs for his first save of the season.

Henry finished 3-4 with three runs scored, two homeruns, and four RBI. Martinez was 3-4 with two runs and three RBI, and Kona Quiggle had two hits, scored two runs, and drove in a pair. Pruitt finished 2-2 with four runs scored, two RBIs, and a walk for Winnipeg. Gonzalez also had two hits and drove in six runs as part of his two-homer performance.

Winnipeg Goldeyes Recap by Steve Schuster

Boxscore

Belzer, Bullpen Combine to Blank RailCats

Nick Belzer tossed five one-hit innings, combining with three relievers to shut out the Gary SouthShore RailCats, giving the Kansas City Monarchs a 7-0 victory. Belzer allowed a one-out double in the bottom of the second, the only hit the RailCats recorded on the evening. The right-hander walked two and struck out eight in earning his first victory of the season.

The Monarchs gave their hurler the lead in the top of the second when Casey Gillaspie singled home Jan Hernandez. Kansas City blew this game open in the top of the sixth, scoring five runs. David Thompson and Pete Kozma each drove in a pair of runs in the inning. Kozma later added a bases loaded walk to give him three RBI on the evening.

Adam Heidenfelder pitch very well for Gary, allowing one unearned run in 5.0 innings. The bullpen struggled, however, giving up six runs in four innings of work. Jackson Smith had the lone hit for the RailCats.

Kansas City Monarchs Recap by Gabriel Lopez

Gary SouthShore RailCats Recap by Tony Pasquesi

Boxscore

Three Stars of the Night

No. 3 – Jabari Henry (Sioux Falls Canaries) 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 4 K

No. 2 – Nick Belzer (Kansas City Monarchs) 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 0 ER, 5 K

No. 1 – Hidekel Gonzalez (Winnipeg Goldeyes) 3-4, 3 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI

American Association Daily Notes

Milwaukee Milkmen 1B Keon Barnum was named by This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report as the American Association Player of the Week for Week 1 on Monday. Barnum hit .433 with five homeruns and 12 RBI. The American Association selected Sioux City Explorers outfielder Chase Harris as their Player of the Week…  Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks right-hander Alex DuBord was named by This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report as the American Association Pitcher of the Week for Week 1 on Monday. DuBord had four saves and posted a 0.00 ERA in five appearances. The American Association selected Kansas City Monarchs right-hander Matt Hall as their Pitcher of the Week…

Transactions

Fargo-Moorhead: Released OF Kevonte Mitchell

Lake Country: Removed RHP Carson Goldsmith from the Injured List and placed him on the Inactive List retroactive to May 5; Placed OF Efrain Contreras on the Injured List retroactive to May 14

Lincoln: Signed C Adam Donachie; Placed OF Randy Norris on the Injured List retroactive to May 21

Milwaukee: Traded OF Trey Martin to Sioux City for a player to be named later

Sioux City: Placed INF D.J. Poteet on the Inactive List retroactive to May 18

By Robert Pannier