Isabel’s Walk-Off Homer Caps Monarchs Comeback Win
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Aug. 8, 2021) – The Kansas City Monarchs rallied from a 6-0 deficit to force extra innings, rallied in extra innings, and then got a walk-off home run from Ibandel Isabel to claim a 9-8 win over the Cleburne Railroaders in 12 innings on Sunday afternoon at Legends Field.
The Monarchs (50-24) homered five times on the day, giving them 19 long balls over the course of the four-game series.
Cleburne (39-34) led 6-0 into the bottom of the sixth. The Railroaders grabbed a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first, plating a pair on an RBI groundout from Osvaldo Martinez and a Chase Simpson sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead. Cleburne added a four-spot in the sixth, as Alay Lago singled home one run, Martinez followed with a two-run homer, and Hunter Clanin later added an RBI single of his own.
Kansas City began the comeback in the in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI fielder’s choice from Morgan McCullough, and then tied the game with a five-run seventh. Gabriel Guerrero, Casey Gillaspie, and Isabel hit back-to-back-to-back solo homers, then McCullough hit a sacrifice fly and Charcer Burks tied the game with a two-out single.
The Railroaders re-took the lead in the top of the tenth on a two-run home run from Simpson, but Kansas City got a two-run blast of their own in the bottom of the inning from Darnell Sweeney to tie the game at 8-8.
The Cleburne bullpen kept the game tied until the 13th, when Isabel launched his second home run of the game against Railroaders reliever Landon Holifield (0-1) to secure the series sweep for the Monarchs.
Brock Gilliam (3-0) earned the win for the Monarchs with two scoreless innings of relief. Kody Bullard pitched well in a no-decision for Cleburne, allowing just one run over six innings.
The Railroaders are off on Monday before returning to the road for a three-game series against the Sioux Falls Canaries.
For information on partnerships, season tickets, group outings, and party packages, call the Railroaders main office at (817) 945-8705, or visit the Railroaders official website at www.railroaderbaseball.com.