KC Monarchs Update: Grueling road games capped by Frankie Tostado victory home run

Frankie Tostado. // Photo by Emma Crouch / Kansas City Monarchs

KC Monarchs Update is our weekly look at what’s happening with hometown baseball heroes, both at Legends Field and on the road. Check out their season schedule here.

Frankie Tostado delivered one of the most dramatic moments of the Kansas City Monarchs’ season Wednesday night.

After his team squandered a two-run ninth-inning lead, the former Giants and Nationals prospect hit the first pitch of the 10th inning for a go-ahead homer.

The blast stood up as the game-winning hit in a 6-5 Monarchs victory, snapping a 1-4 skid for the reigning American Association champions.

“It’s been a rough road trip, and we were like, ‘We’re over this. We’re better than this,'” Tostado said after the game. “So all the guys just really bore down and were like ‘OK, we’re not losing this game.'”

Tostado has been one of the team’s most consistent performers, carrying a .321 batting average and .911 OPS into Sunday’s action. He’s also impressed with his defense at first base. Thursday’s home run was his third of the season.

ROAD WARRIORS

Kansas City has one final road game on Thursday before returning home to Legends Field. It’s been a grueling stretch. The nine-game, 11-day road trip involves over 1,600 miles of travel, from Wisconsin to Indiana to Sioux Falls and back home.

The Monarchs are 3-5 on the trip entering Thursday’s game, but Wednesday’s win gave them some much-needed momentum.

“I think the boys are in a good spot,” Tostado said. “Once everybody starts hitting at the same time, we’ll go back to putting up a lot of runs, lots of hits, and this game is going to become a lot more fun for us.”

LOCAL PRODUCT SHOWING OUT

Parkville native Grant Gavin is set to start Friday’s game (6:35 p.m. first pitch from Legends Field in KCK). The right-hander is coming off his best outing of the year, tossing six shutout innings against Gary SouthShore on May 31.

It’s Gavin’s first year in the starting rotation after serving as one of the key relief pitchers on the Monarchs’ 2023 championship club.

“It’s awesome,” Gavin said. “I had a little anxiety about the switch; it’s something I haven’t really done in like seven or eight years. But it’s also exciting because it’s an opportunity to showcase myself in a different way.”

GIVEAWAY AND TIGER PRIDE

The Monarchs have two major promotions this weekend. Friday night is a special sunglasses giveaway, with fans receiving free Monarchs Pit Viper sunglasses while supplies last. Saturday is Mizzou Night, with Truman the Tiger and the Golden Girls on hand.

Fans can get tickets at MonarchsBaseball.com or by calling 913-328-5618.