American Association Insider: Game Five Takeaways

 Kevin Luckow

We have the matchup now for the Miles Wolff Cup Final as the Kansas City Monarchs defeated the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks  to advance to meet the Milwaukee Milkmen. 

Kansas City 10 Fargo-Moorhead 9

After a blip in Game Four, the Monarchs got back to doing Monarch things and that was enough to take down a game RedHawks club. A Luken Baker home run (of course) got the Monarchs off to a roaring start with a three run home run. Is there any doubt now that Baker may have been the real player of the year in the American Association? Grant Richardson and Tyler Gentry both homered in the first four innings to stake the Monarchs to a 9-2 lead after four innings. But the RedHawks reminded everyone how proud of a ball club they are, fighting right to the end. Jose Sermo's three run home run in the fifth inning got the RedHawks back to within three runs at 9-6. Down 10-6 in the ninth inning Tucupita Marcano homered to get the RedHawks to within a run. Tripp Clark followed with a single but Jesus Lujano grounded out to end the game. 


Now, you people, as Don Cherry would say, were probably asking yourselves, why was Kevin so focused on the top overall record down the stretch? This is exactly why. Kansas City ended up edging Milwaukee by one game to take the #1 overall seed and home field advantage. It's amazing how losing a game on Labor Day when you were probably on coast mode awaiting the postseason could have such an impact. If you believe in mojo, we all know it's different teams, different opponents, BUT since joining the American Association, the T-Bones/Monarchs have won three Miles Wolff Cups. In those three championship seasons, the Monarchs have not lost a game in the Finals at Legends Field. 

This will be a classic battle between one team with better pitching with the other holding a distinct advantage at the plate. The Milkmen will have an added advantage on the mound as Jhordany Mezquita was not needed to pitch a Game Five so Anthony Barone will have his rotation set up exactly as wanted for the Final starting Monday night. 

And I'll part with this. In August on one of my appearances on the Sioux City Explorers pregame on KSCJ, I was asked point blank for a matchup for the Miles Wolff Cup Final and I said Kansas City vs. Milwaukee. Like the saying goes, "read the Insider, it'll make you smarter". See ya in Milwaukee Monday night. 




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