KC Monarchs Update: Monarchs fight back in Legends finale

Jhailyn Ortiz. // Courtesy 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.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – One big inning flipped the script to keep the Kansas City Monarchs’ playoff hopes alive.

The Monarchs overturned a 3-1 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks lead with eight consecutive hits in the fifth inning. Kansas City scored six unanswered runs to claim a 7-5 win over Fargo-Moorhead on Thursday night.

Isaiah Gilliam, Moisés Gómez and Jhailyn Ortiz ripped three straight RBI doubles to give the Monarchs a 5-3 lead.

Nine straight Monarchs (44-52) reached in the fifth inning. Justin O’Conner capped the frame with an RBI single to make it 6-3.

Left-hander Matt Hall dominated to open the game. The southpaw struck out seven Fargo-Moorhead (52-44) batters in three innings.

The former major leaguer struck out the side in the third inning all with offspeed pitches.

“The curveball was going well,” Hall said. “[Catcher Herbert Iser] was doing a great job keeping the rhythm going. Defense was great behind me.”

Hall finished with a season-high 10 strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Thursday night marked Hall’s sixth 10- strikeout performance as a Monarch.

“It’s always great to come home,” Hall said. “The fans were amazing.”

RedHawks outfielder Alec Olund lifted a two-run home run in the seventh inning. The 394-foot blast to left cut the Monarchs’ lead to 7-5.

Backend relievers Nate Tellier and Gabriel Ponce down any chance of a late rally. Tellier recorded 1.2 scoreless innings, Ponce retired the ninth in order to get his second save as a Monarch.

UP NEXT

The Monarchs close their regular season in South Dakota against the Sioux Falls Canaries. The four game series begins at Sioux Falls Stadium Friday night at 7:05 p.m.