By Nolan Brooks, Kansas City Monarchs

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Kansas City starting pitcher Miller Hogan’s best outing of the season and hot bats brought the Monarchs a 12-4 win over the Lake Country DockHounds at Legends Field Friday night.

Hogan threw seven innings allowing only one run and one walk on seven hits. He struck out six batters in his longest outing of the season.

Monarchs infielder LJ Hatch led the way at the plate. He went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBIs including a solo homer in the seventh.

Monarchs catcher Andy Yerzy hit his first homer as a Monarch. Yerzy finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs.

The Monarchs started the scoring in the bottom of the third. Justin Wylie smoked an RBI single to make it 1-0 KC. Jan Hernandez hit his own RBI single that made it 2-0 Monarchs after three.

The DockHounds got on the board in the fourth. Curtis Terry laced an RBI single off the left field wall to cut into the Monarchs’ lead. It was 2-1 KC heading into the bottom of the fourth.

The Monarchs pulled away in the bottom of the fourth. Hatched dropped down a two-run double to make it 4-1. Odubel Herrera crushed a two-run homer to make it 6-1 Monarchs.

Chris Herrmann blasted an RBI double to put KC up 7-1. Brian O’Grady blasted his own two-run homer, his 12th of the season. It was 9-1 Monarchs after four innings. The seven-run fourth matched the most runs Kansas City has scored in an inning this season.

The Monarchs added to their lead in the bottom of the seventh with back-to-back homers. Yerzy’s two-run blast and Hatch’s solo shot made it 12-1 after seven.

A three-run homer from Lake Country right fielder Marek Chlup made it 12-4 Monarchs for the final runs of the game.

Trey Cobb entered in the ninth inning and closed out the game. Hogan got the win (2-3) and DockHounds starting pitcher David Richardson got the loss (2-4).

The Monarchs (57-39) need just one win or one Milwaukee loss to claim the best overall record in the American Association.

UP NEXT: The Monarchs continue a four-game home series versus the DockHounds. Game two is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday. Zac Grotz will be on the mound for the Monarchs versus Lake Country’s Juan Hillman.