Gavin's Gem, Offensive Explosion Power Monarchs to Rout
May 31, 2024 - American Association (AA)
Kansas City Monarchs News Release
GARY Ind. - Grant Gavin threw six scoreless innings, Trent Giambrone and Travis Swaggerty homered, and the Kansas City Monarchs powered their way to a 10-4 victory over the Gary SouthShore RailCats from the Steel Yard Friday night.
Gavin allowed just three hits and one walk in his third start of the season. He struck out six, bringing his season strikeout-to-walk ratio to 36/2.
"It's a mentality," Gavin said. "Being a starter, I've really emphasized I've got to be efficient and work ahead, and really attack hitters early in the count, and I think that's set me up to have success."
The Monarchs offense jumped in front from the beginning, plating six first-inning runs. Giambrone hit his second home run in three games to make it 2-0. Josh Bissonette and Hayden Jones both knocked two-run doubles later in the frame.
Giambrone is now 6-for-13 as a Monarch with two home runs and two doubles.
"We knew the bats were waiting to wake up, and they came out ready to go," Gavin said. "We felt like as a group today we were ready to play, and that was good to see."
The win moves the Monarchs (12-8) into a tie for first place in the West Division. They have Saturday off before a rubber match with the RailCats Sunday afternoon at 2:05 p.m. on ESPN Kansas City 1510 AM and 94.5 FM.
"I think we're a really well-rounded team," Gavin said. "I think we can really beat teams in a lot of ways depending on how the game shapes up, and that's exciting."
Former Monarchs Carlos Sanabria took the loss for the RailCats (6-15). He allowed seven runs (four earned) on eight hits over 3.1 innings of work, walking four and striking out three.
Cameron Cannon drove in the Monarchs' eighth run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth, scoring Ross Adolph. Adolph reached base four times out of the leadoff spot for Kansas City.
The Monarchs added two more runs in the seventh on a pair of bases-loaded walks.
Gary SouthShore tagged Kansas City reliever Jonathan Sprinkle for four runs in the seventh, but J.C. Keys got the last out of the inning. He'd throw the eighth before Jackson McClelland worked a 1-2-3 ninth to end the game.
UP NEXT
The Monarchs and RailCats have Saturday off before a rubber game on Sunday at 2:05 p.m. Connor Curlis will start for Kansas City against Gary SouthShore's Peyton Long. Fans can hear the game on ESPN Kansas City 1510 AM and 94.5 FM, and online at 810WHB.com/Monarchs.
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