Escarra’s 3-Run Home Run in the Ninth Wins Game 1 for the Monarchs
September 13, 2022 – American Association (AA) – Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks News Release
FARGO, N.D. â – In Game 1 of the 2022 American Association West Division Championship Series, the two teams with the best records in the league met in the first game of a series precisely ten days ago at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas. That series began on September 2nd and would determine the winner of the West Division regular season title. Kevin McGovern got his second start of the playoffs on Monday night and was looking to get his second win-in-a-row after picking up his league-leading tenth win of the season in a 6-2 victory against the Monarchs.
But coming into tonight’s game, the RedHawks had lost three of the last four games with Kansas City, and getting a win in Game 1 at home would set up a potential series-winning Game 2 at Legends Field on Wednesday night in the best-of-three series.
And for the seventh and eighth innings tonight, it looked like it could be a repeat of the September 2nd game as the RedHawks were able to tie the game at one in the sixth inning, took a 2-1 lead in the seventh, and held led that lead going into the top of the ninth.
All signs pointed to Game 1 win for the hometown ‘Hawks until the Monarchs substituted J.C. Escarra for starting catcher Alexis Olmeda and came to the plate with two outs and runners at first and second. After looking at a called strike and then a ball, Escarra took a Joe Jones fastball and parked it over the wall in right-center, giving the Monarchs a come-from-behind win to beat the RedHawks, 5-2, on Monday night at Newman Outdoor Field.
McGovern looked poised and pitched well in seven innings of work, striking out six Monarchs batters while allowing six hits and one run (earned); as his counterpart for KC, starting pitcher Matt Hall struck out nine RedHawks hitters and gave up one run on six hits in 5.1 innings.
The game was scoreless after the first three innings, as the Monarchs would strike first as the bases were loaded with one out for Gio Brussa, who hit a slow lob to F-M third baseman Leo Pina and threw to second for the putout, and Pete Maris looked to turn the double play. However, Brussa beat the throw to first, allowing Jan Hernandez to score from third for a 1-0 lead.
The RedHawks were pesky all game, getting runners on base in all but the second inning but unable to get any of them home. However, they would tie the game in the bottom of the sixth, as the Monarchs were having trouble on defense. Pina would be the first batter of the side and got on base with an error by Darnell Sweeney on the throw to first. Following a strikeout of John Silviano, Hall walked Manny Boscan with one out and after three pitches to RedHawks left fielder Alex Olund, Hall threw a wild pitch that put two runners in scoring position. On the next pitch, Olund sends a single to left that scored Pina from third. Center fielder Evan Alexander would hit another single that advanced Boscan to third and Olund to second. Following the at-bat, Monarchs manager Joe Calfapietra would pull Hall and bring in Brandon Koch. The latter finished the inning facing the next two batters.
McGovern pitched the top of the seventh, and following a walk to Pete Kozma, Kevin got help from his teammates as Gio Brussa would hit into another double play, and this time the RedHawks turned it for their fourth double play of the postseason. Olmeda was the next batter, and McGovern got him to fly out to center for the third out.
In the bottom of the seventh, KC brought in their third pitcher of the game as Jordan Martinson came in for Koch. With one out, Martinson walked Drew Ward and gave up a single to Pina. John Silviano was the next batter and connected on an RBI single that would score Ward and advance Pina to third, giving the RedHawks their first game lead at 2-1.
RedHawks manager Chris Coste would bring rookie Reid Birlingmair in for McGovern in the top of the eighth. The Illinois native struck Mallex Smith, and on the next at-bat, the ever-dangerous Darnell Sweeney would hit the gap in right-center field for a single. But Sweeney thought he would test the arm of John Silviano and rounded first to second. However, Silviano saw him turn and threw right to second, where shortstop Sam Dexter was there to tag Sweeney out. Ryan Grotjohn was the next batter and hit a fly ball to retire the side.
The Monarchs would go to the bullpen again in the bottom of the eighth, bringing in Brian Glowicki to face the bottom of the RedHawks order. After getting Olund to fly out to right field, Glowicki would walk Evan Alexander on five pitches. Then, after Sam Dexter lined a ball to left field, Christian Correa would come to the plate, already having a hit in the third inning. But Correa wouldn’t get the chance for his second hit of the game as on the next pitch, Alexander, who leads the postseason in stolen bases, was thrown out trying to steal second and thus ending the eighth inning.
With three outs left and a win in Game 1, the RedHawks usually turn to all-star reliever Alex DuBord to pick up the save and get the win. DuBord was a late scratch due to an illness and had pitched in the previous two postseason games. (2.0 IP, 0.00 ERA)
Birling got the first out with a 4-3 putout of KC cleanup batter Jacob Robson, who was 1-4 on the night. Following a walk to Hernandez, Birlingmair would throw a wild pitch to Casey Gillaspie, which advanced Hernandez to second, giving the Monarchs a runner in scoring position and possibly tying the game. However, Birlingmair would end up walking Gillaspie, giving KC runners at first and second with one out. Gillaspie would be the last batter Birlingmair would face as the RedHawks bring in the hard-throwing right-hander Joe Jones. Jones, who had pitched in the previous two games in wins against Winnipeg, came into the game with four strikeouts in 2.2 innings pitched and allowed only one hit and no runs in his two postseason appearances.
Jones faced Pete Kozma, who got his first game hit with a ground ball up the middle, scored Hernandez from third, and tied the game at two. Alexis Olmeda, who was 0-3 on the night, was supposed to be the next batter to face Jones, but the Monarchs would pull Olmeda for their other catcher, J.C. Escarra, to bat against Jones with two outs. Escarra had played in 70 regular season and two playoff games for KC and was batting .750 in the playoffs, going 2-for-3 (2 H, 1 BB) against Lincoln in the first round.
On the 1-1 pitch, Escarra hit a three-run blast that broke the tie and gave the Monarchs a 5-2 lead. Jones would strike out Smith to end the top half of the ninth. However, the RedHawks could not get anything started in the bottom of the inning as Drew Ward hit a two-out single, and Leo Pina’s fly ball to center field would end the game.
Brian Glowicki (1-0) would get his first win of the playoffs and third in 2022 for the Monarchs as Reid Birlingmair (0-1) was given the loss, allowing two earned runs on one hit in 1.1 innings pitched.
For the RedHawks, it’s a long bus ride to Kansas City tomorrow as they try to tie the series with Game 2 on Wednesday night at Legends Field. Lefty Tyler Grauer (1-0, 3.00 ERA) will try and even the series up against Jalen Miller (0-0, 6.75 ERA) for the Monarchs. The game can be viewed online at aabaseball.tv and heard on 740 The FAN (KNFL) 740 AM and 104.3 FM in the metro area and online at 740thefan.com.
2022 AAPB West Division Championship Series – #2 F-M RedHawks (0-1) at #1 Kansas City Monarchs (1-0)
Game 2 Wednesday, September 14 Legends Field – 6:30 p.m.
Game 3* Thursday, September 15 Legends Field – 6:30 p.m. (*if necessary)
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