Adam Heidenfelder worked five innings and only permitted one unearned run to score, but the Kansas City Monarchs pitching staff staved off the Gary Southshore RailCats and supplied them with a 7-0 loss to start this four-game series.
The visitors tallied their lone run in the second inning through timely two-out hitting. Casey Gillespie singled Jan Hernandez home after he recorded a base hit and advanced to second base on an error.
Heidenfelder is still yet to give up an earned run in three appearances, and his final line included just three hits allowed, one walk, and four strikeouts.
The Kansas City offense produced five runs in the sixth and one final insurance run in the seventh to finish off the scoring.
Despite not entering the run column, the Gary SouthShore offense did provide some positive signs. Michael Woodworth reached safely three times on two walks and a hit-by-pitch while Jackson Smith recorded the team’s lone hit, a one-out double in the second, and was plunked by two pitches.
The RailCats and Monarchs take to the field tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. for their annual School Day Game. Ryan Zimmerman and Tony Pasquesi have the play-by-play call on aabaseball.tv and the Gary SouthShore RailCats Broadcast Network through the Mixlr app.