Royals on the Farm 6/10 and 6/11

AAA: Friday, Memphis' bullpen held Omaha in check and the Redbirds dropped the O-Royals with a 5-3 loss that snapped a 5-game Omaha win streak. Omaha was down, 2-0, in the 3rd when SS Luis Ugueto scored on a fielding error on a ball hit by C Scott Walter. The Redbirds stretched the lead to 5-1 in the 6th before Omaha got 2 runs on a 2-run HR by 1B Calvin Pickering (his 4th). The O-Royals could only get two more base runners and couldn't push another run across to lose, 5-3. SP Jimmy Gobble dropped to 2-7 as he went 5 1/3 IP and allowed 5 R (4 ER) on 7 hits and 4 BB with 3 Ks as his ERA moved to 6.75. RP Dennis Tankersley went 2 2/3 IP and allowed 0 ER on 3 hits with 3 Ks to drop his ERA to 5.36. RP Jaime Cerda pitched a perfect inning with 1 K to drop his ERA to 14.85. Walter was 1-4 with a double and RBI to drop his BA to .299. 2B Justin Gemoll was 1-4 to drop to .320. Aaron Guiel sat out with a sore wrist. Ken Harvey also sat out because of a sore back.

Saturday, the callup of Ryan Jensen to KC took away Omaha's scheduled starter and it showed as 4 O-Royals pitchers were creamed in a 20-4 loss. A 6-run 3rd and 5-run 9th did most of the damage. Omaha scored 1 in the 4th on an RBI ground out by SS Denny Hocking and 3 in the 5th on an RBI double by Gemoll and a 2-run homer by 3B Chris Truby (his 6th). One-time minor league closer Santiago Ramirez was Omaha's SP and pitched like Greinke Friday, only worse -- 2 1/3 IP, 9 R (8 ER) on 11 hits and a BB to up his ERA to 7.18 and drop his record to 3-4. RP Wes Wilkerson went 2 2/3 IP and allowed 3 R (2 ER) on 4 hits with 1 K to bump his ERA to 4.99. Danny Tamayo pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief and gave up 3 ER on 3 hits and a BB with 1 K to up his ERA to 5.68. Cerda came in and had another horrible outing, giving up 5 ER on 5 hits and a BB over 2 1/3 IP to bump his ERA back to 16.00. CF Adrian Brown was 2-4 with a triple to boost his BA to .262, Gemoll was 2-4 with a double and RBI to improve to .324 and Truby was 2-4 with a HR and 2 RBI to improve to .256. The O-Royals committed 5 errors in the loss. Harvey missed another game because of his back.

Omaha is 28-35 and 4 1/2 games back of first. Today's game, which is in progress, matched up Memphis RH Kevin Jarvis (4-2, 2.73) vs. LH Chris George (4-3, 5.74).

AA: Friday, Wichita rallied to tie the game multiple times only to see Springfield's Juan Diaz crack a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 9th to win, 10-9. Springfield took a 3-0 lead into the 3rd before Wichita plated 2 on an RBI double by CF Mitch Maier and an error on a ball hit by 1B Justin Huber that allowed Maier to score. Springfield came back with 3 in the 3rd to take a 6-2 lead but the Wranglers scored 1 in the 4th on an RBI double by C Mathew Tupman. Wichita scored 1 in each of the 6th, 7th and 8th innings to tie the game at 6 on an RBI single by 3B Brennan King, an RBI single by Huber and a solo homer by King (his 3rd). Springfield once again surged ahead with 3 in the 8th before SS Mike Aviles drove Huber home in the 9th on an RBI single and a Tupman grounder to the pitcher turned into a 2-run hit as Aviles and DH Josh Pressley scored and Tupman was thrown out at the plate on the play. King followed with a double that would have scored Tupman but instead just put a runner in scoring position and the Cardinals got out of the inning. Diaz led off the bottom of the 9th with the home run. SP Brian Bass was roughed up for 8 ER on 12 hits and 3 BB with 3 Ks over 7 IP to hike his ERA to 6.21. RP Jonah Bayliss got the loss to drop to 1-2 as he allowed 2 ER on 3 hits and a BB in 1 IP to increase his ERA to 2.90. Maier was 2-5 with a double, triple, RBI and 2 RS to improve his BA to .265, Huber was 2-5 with an RBI to improve to .326, Pressley was 4-5 with 2 doubles and 3 RS to improve to .305, Aviles was 2-4 with a BB and RBI to improve to .282, Tupman was 2-5 with a double and RBI to improve to .288 and King was 3-5 with a double, HR and 2 RBI to move to .249.

Saturday, 8 runs in the early innings helped Tulsa to a 9-6 win over Wichita in the series opener in Wichita. Tulsa led, 6-0, entering the bottom of the 3rd when the Wranglers scored 2 on a 2-run HR by Huber (his 9th). The Drillers led, 8-2, in the 6th when Wichita tallied 2 more on a double-play ball by LF Cory Aldridge and an RBI single by Aviles. Tulsa scored again in the 9th but Wichita scored twice in the bottom of the 9th on bases-loaded walks by Aldridge and King before Aviles and Tupman popped out to end the game. SP Mike Stodolka dropped to 1-6 on the season as he went 3 IP and allowed 6 UER on 7 hits and 2 BB to drop his ERA to 5.66. RP Thad Markray went 2 IP and allowed 2 R (1 ER) on 3 hits with 3 Ks to move his ERA to 5.56. RP Colt Griffin went 2 2/3 IP and allowed 0 hits and 2 BB with 3 K to drop his ERA to 2.91. RP Shawn Sonnier allowed 1 ER on 2 hits and a BB with 2 Ks in 1 1/3 IP to move his ERA to 2.40. 2B Brett Groves was 2-4 with a BB and 2 RS to up his BA to .250, Huber was 2-4 with a HR, 2 RBI and 3 RS to improve to .329, Pressley was 1-3 with 2 BB to improve to .306 and King was 2-4 with an RBI to improve to .254. Wichita left 10 on base and Aviles committed his 14th and 15th errors of the season.

Wichita is 30-32 and 8 games back of Tulsa. The Tulsa-Wichita game today was rained out and will be made up as part of a Monday doubleheader.

High-A: Friday, High Desert overcame a quick start by Rancho Cucamonga to blister the Quakes, 11-3. The Quakes took a 2-0 lead into the 2nd before the Mavs scored 1 on a solo HR by 1B Kila Kaaihue (his 10th) and added 2 in the 3rd on a 2-run HR by RF Alan Moye (his 6th). The Mavs scored 4 in the 4th on a 3-run double by Moye and an RBI single by SS Angel Sanchez. High Desert scored 1 in the 7th on an RBI single by 3B Michael Gaffney and 3 in the 9th on a 3-run HR by DH Brandon Powell (his 7th). SP John Gragg III moved to 4-2 as he went 7 IP and allowed 2 R (1 ER) on 8 hits with 7 Ks to drop his ERA to 3.76. RP Nate Moore pitched the last 2 innings and allowed 1 ER on 2 hits with 1 K to move his ERA to 5.18. Moye was 3-6 with 2 doubles, a HR, 5 RBI and 2 RS to improve to .281, Sanchez was 2-6 with an RBI to move to .276, 2B Adam Keim was 2-6 to improve to .306, Kaaihue was 1-5 with the HR and RBI to drop to .348, Powell was 3-5 with a double, HR, 3 RBI and 2 RS to improve to .324, C Jared Price was 1-5 with a double to drop to .333 and Gaffney was 3-4 with a double, BB, RBI and 2 RS to improve to .327. High Desert left 10 on base.

Saturday, High Desert was held scoreless until the 9th and lost, 6-1. The only run came on a solo HR by CF Chris Lubanski (his 12th). SP Dusty Hughes went 4 1/3 IP and allowed 5 ER on 9 hits and 3 BB with 3 Ks to drop his record to 4-6 and raise his ERA to 5.92. RP Cesar Herrera went 2 2/3 IP and allowed 1 ER on 3 hits with 2 Ks to drop his ERA to 6.97. RP Eric Ackerman pitched 1 inning and walked 2 to drop his ERA to 5.13. Moye was 2-5 to improve to .284, Keim was 0-3 with a BB to drop to .300, Kaaihue was 0-3 with a BB to drop to .344, Powell was 2-4 to improve to .329, Price was 1-4 with a double to drop to .308 and Gaffney was 0-4 to drop to .305.

High Desert is 31-30 and 3 games back of Lake Elsinore. Today's matchup is RHP Billy Buckner (1-0, 6.00) vs Quakes RHP Michel Simard (2-5, 8.11).

Low-A: The Burlington Bees swept a doubleheader from Fort Wayne with two great games. In game 1, Burlington scored 3 in the bottom of the 5th to take a 5-3 win. Fort Wayne took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the 4th before the Bees tied the game on a 2-run roundtripper by 1B Rusty Brown (his 4th). The Wizards scored again in the 5th to take a 3-2 lead but Burlington notched 3 in the 5th on an RBI single by SS Edward Lucas, an RBI double by 3B Mario Lisson and an RBI single by DH Damaso Espino. Fort Wayne got the tying runs on base in the bottom of the 7th but Burlington escaped with the win. SP Patrick Green went 2 innings and allowed 2 R (1 ER) on 3 hits with 2 Ks to move his ERA to 4.03. RP Gabe DeHoyos got the win to move to 3-0 on his return from AAA as he went 4 IP and allowed 1 UER on 2 hits and a BB with 4 Ks to drop his ERA to 1.34. RP Adam Rowe got his 4th save with 1 IP in which he allowed 1 hit and 2 BB with 1 K to drop his ERA to 5.88. Lucas was 1-2 with a BB to improve to .312. Brown was 1-3 with the HR and 2 RBI to improve to .295. Lucas committed his 16th error.

In game 2, Burlington pitchers Greg Atencio and Chad Blackwell no-hit the Wizards through 9 but the Bees didn't score either. The no-hitter was broken up in the 10th but Burlington got the win with a run in the bottom of the inning for a 1-0 win. Four walks spoiled the perfect game. Blackwell allowed a 1-out single in the 10th to break up the no-no but Fort Wayne couldn't score. The Bees got runners to third in two innings but couldn't score. They came out in the 10th and 2B Irving Falu led off the inning with a single. He advanced to third on a Wizards error and was driven home by Espino on an RBI single. Atencio, in his first start of the season, went 7 IP and walked 3 with 6 Ks to drop his ERA to 3.34. Blackwell got the win to move to 6-1 as he went 3 IP and allowed 1 hit and 1 BB with 3 Ks to drop his ERA to 2.15. A rain delay in game 1 caused the second game to end at 12:54 a.m. Saturday. Lucas was 1-4 with a double and BB to drop his BA to .311, Espino was 2-4 with a BB and RBI to move to .267 and Brown was 1-3 with a BB to hang steady at .295. LF Derek Norman was 2-3 to improve to .244. The Bees left 11 on base.

Saturday, the Bees won their 4th straight as they cruised past Fort Wayne, 8-3. Burlington scored 1 in the 1st on an RBI double by Lisson and 2 in the 2nd on an RBI single by Falu and an RBI single by CF Geraldo Valentin. The Bees added 2 in the 5th on an RBI triple by Lisson and a sac fly by PH Kenard Springer and 3 in the 6th on a 2-run double by Valentin and an RBI double by Lucas. SP Patrick Hicklen improved to 4-1 as he went 7 2/3 IP and allowed only 3 hits and 4 BB with 5 Ks to drop his ERA to 2.70. RP Yovany Damico went 1 1/3 IP and allowed 3 ER on 5 hits with 1 K to bump his ERA to 4.65. Valentin was 3-5 with a double and 3 RBI to improve to .278, Lucas was 2-4 with a double, RBI and 2 RS to improve to .315 and Lisson was 2-4 with a double, triple and 2 RBI to improve to .250. Lucas stole his 15th base and Lisson committed his 16th error.

Burlington is 31-31 and 4 games back of Clinton and Wisconsin. Today's pitching matchup is Fort Wayne RH Mike Ekstrom (8–1, 2.31) vs. RH Kyle Crist (4–0, 1.61). In other Bees news, as noted, RHP Gabe DeHoyos returned to the Bees from Triple–A Omaha (surprised that didn't work), RHP Rusty Begnaud has been re–assigned to short–season Idaho Falls, and 1B Miguel Vega has been placed on the disabled list.

Also the Royals announced Friday 15 players drafted have signed, led by 4th round pick CF Joseph Dickerson of Esperanza (Calif.) High School. The others are
Round 7: LHP Brent Fisher, Tolleson Union (Az.) High.
Round 8: C Nicholas Doscher, Moore Catholic (N.Y.) High.
Round 9: C Kiel Thibault, Gonzaga (Wash.).
Round 10: C Jeffrey Howell, Florida Southern College.
Round 11: RHP Michael Penn, University of Michigan.
Round 18: RHP Paul Raglione, Grant (Ore.) High.
Round 21: RHP David Henninger, Messiah (Pa.) College.
Round 25: RHP Kevin Bulger, College of Charleston (S.C.).
Round 27: 1B Jase Turner, Pomona-Pitzer (Calif.) College.
Round 28: RF Felix Peguero, Oklahoma Baptist.
Round 29: RHP Brandon Brantley, University of Science & Arts at Oklahoma.
Round 30: 2B Jeremy Jirschele, Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
Round 31: SS Pedro Lopez, Universidad del Turabo (Puerto Rico).
Round 34: C Oscar Marrero, Juan Antonio Corretjer Superio (Puerto Rico).