KC Monarchs bow out of American Association playoffs with home loss to Fargo-Moorhead

The Kansas City Monarchs, the defending champions of the American Association, lost a decisive Game 3 of the West Division Championship Series to the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Thursday night at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kan.

The Monarchs’ 4-1 defeat in the best-of-three series ended their run through this year’s playoffs.

The RedHawks scored two runs in the third inning and one each in the fifth and sixth while holding the Monarchs scoreless until the bottom of the eighth. Kansas City plated its lone run when Jan Hernandez scored from third on a wild pitch.

KC’s Jaylen Miller took the loss; Peyton Wiggington got the win and Alex DuBord the save for the RedHawks.

Wiggington, a first-year pro, certainly pitched well enough to beat the league’s leading offense, scattering six KC hits over six shutout innings.

Kansas City twice loaded the bases in the mid-later innings but could not drive a runner across home plate.

The Monarchs won the series opener with a comeback in the eighth inning of Monday’s game in Fargo, N.D. J.C. Escarra smacked a three-run homer as the Monarchs won 5-2.

KC’s Jacob Robson grounded out to second for the first out. The Monarchs then got back-to-back walks from Jan Hernandez and Casey Gillaspie to put runners at first and second. A wild pitch moved Hernandez to second during Gillaspie’s at-bat.

Joe Jones came into the game for the RedHawks to face Pete Kozma. The Monarchs shortstop singled back up the middle to score Hernandez and tie the game at two. Gio Brusa struck out looking, bringing Escarra to the plate with two on and two outs.

On a one-and-one count, Escarra launched his three-run shot deep into the North Dakota night.

Then, the RedHawks forced the third and deciding game on Wednesday, beating KC 8-5 in a back-and-forth affair at Legends Field.