Royals on the Farm 6/28

AAA: Omaha outhit the Iowa Cubs, 8-7, in the teams' doubleheader Tuesday but managed just 2 runs in 2-1 and 4-1 losses to end the CWS road trip 10-6. In game 1, Omaha pitchers allowed only 3 hits but Iowa made them count for 2 runs to the Royals' 1 in the 2-1 win. Iowa took a 2-0 lead into the 5th after an RBI double in the 3rd and a solo homer in the 4th before Omaha got on the board with a solo homer by SS Luis Ugueto (his 5th). Omaha needed both games to go 9 but the doubleheader was two 7-inning contests so they were short two chances each game to tie the score. The homer by Ugueto was the only extra-base hit for Omaha in game 1. SP Denny Bautista got the loss to drop to 0-1 in his second rehab start. He went 2 2/3 IP and allowed 1 ER on 2 hits and a BB with 5 Ks to make his ERA 4.91. RP Shane Nance pitched a perfect 1/3 IP with a K to dip his ERA to 3.86 and P Chris George came out of the pen to go 3 IP and allow 1 ER on 1 hit with 3 Ks and make his ERA 4.76. 2B Denny Hocking was 2-3 to improve to .264 and LF Cory Aldridge was 1-2 to improve to .435. He also stole his 3rd base.

In game 2, Omaha was held to 2 hits and K'd 10 times against Iowa starter Rich Hill and the Cubs scored 4 in the 6th after entering the inning being no-hit by Omaha SP Shawn Camp. Omaha's run came in the 2nd on a solo homer by C Scott Walter (his 5th) and Camp was cruising, having given up only a walk through 5 2/3 IP. Iowa SS Nate Frese singled to break up the no-no and LF Trenidad Hubbard homered to break up the shutout and send the Royals to a loss as Iowa tacked on 2 more in the inning to take a 4-1 lead and eventually the win by that count. Camp went the 5 2/3 IP and allowed 4 ER on 4 hits and 2 BB with 2 Ks to move to 2-5 with a 4.70 ERA. Tough loss. RP Santiago Ramirez went 1/3 IP and dropped his ERA to 6.42. 3B Chris Truby had Omaha's other hit -- a single. Aldridge was 0-2 to drop to .391. It was his first game for Omaha without a hit.

Omaha is 38-42 and 5 games back of Nashville. The O-Royals have today off before starting a 4-game set with Albuquerque (43-37) back at home Thursday.

AA: Wichita pitchers gave up 4 runs in the 7th and 8th to drop a game to Midland, 6-5. The Wranglers struck first in the 1st on an RBI double-play ball by 3B Brennan King but Midland tied the game in the bottom of the inning. Wichita added 3 in the 3rd on a balk that scored CF Mitch Maier and a 2-run single by 1B Josh Pressley to take a 4-1 lead and added another in the 6th on a Midland fielding error. Midland used homers in the 6th and 7th to rally to tie the game at 5 before moving ahead in the 8th on an RBI single. Wichita went down in order in the 9th to end it. SP Mike Stodolka went 6 2/3 IP and allowed 5 ER on 6 hits (3 HRs) with 2 Ks to move his ERA to 5.73. RP Barry Armitage picked up the loss as he went 1 1/3 IP and allowed 1 ER on 2 hits and a BB to move to 2-2 with a 3.76 ERA. Maier was 2-5 with a double to improve to .274 at Wichita; SS Mike Aviles was 1-3 with 2 BB to improve to .302; and LF John Draper was 1-2 with 2 BB and a double to move to .297. Aviles also stole his 7th base of the season.

Wichita is 3-3 and still a game up on 1st on the division. RHP Brian Bass (6-4, 6.18) will go for the Wranglers in tonight's game.

High-A: At the Carolina-California League All-Star Game, the Carolina League pasted the Cal League boys by an 8-0 count. High Desert's Billy Butler followed up a second-place finish to Frederick's Nick Markakis in the pre-game Home Run Derby with an 0-1 night at the plate with 1 BB. 1B Kila Kaaihue was 1-3 with 1 of the team's 4 hits on the night. P John Gragg III pitched in the 7th and went 2/3 of an inning and allowed 1 ER on 3 hits (including a homer) with a BB in the loss. Markakis was the game's MVP with 2 HRs and 3 RBI in a 3-5 performance. High Desert (3-3) gets back into action Thursday at Lancaster in a make-up game.

Low-A: Burlington took a 2-1 lead into the 6th but starter Patrick Green was touched up for 4 ER on a 5-3 loss to Clinton. Clinton took a 1-0 lead in the 2nd before Burlington pushed across 2 runs in the 3rd on an RBI single by 2B Pete Maestrales and a sac fly by C Damaso Espino. The game remained that way into the 6th when the LumberKings took the lead for good. The Bees' final run came in the 9th on an RBI single by RF Brian McFall. Green went 5 1/3 IP and allowed 5 R (4 ER) on 7 hits and 2 BB with 3 Ks to move to 3-6 with a 4.86 ERA. RP Gabe DeHoyos went 2 2/3 IP and allowed 3 hits with 3 Ks to drop his ERA to 1.81 despite allowing 2 of the runs in the 6th inning Clinton rally on a hit and balk. Maestrales was 1-3 with a BB and RBI to improve to .298. Only 3 other Bees had a hit. 3B Mario Lisson stole his 18th base and LF Kenard Springer had an outfield assist at third.

Burlington is 2-4 and 3 games back of first. Tonight's series finale with Clinton pits RH Patrick Hicklen (4–3, 3.44) vs. LumberKings RH John Bannister (4–7, 4.84).

Rookie: Idaho Falls came back from a shutout loss to Orem Monday with a 4-1 win over the Owlz Tuesday. The Chukars scored once in the 1st on a solo homer by SS Christopher McConnell (his 1st of the season) and 2 in the 2nd on a solo homer by 1B Blake Adkison (his 4th) and an RBI double by C (9th rounder) Kiel Thibault before scoring their final run in the 7th on a sac fly by McConnell. SP (11th rounder) Michael Penn made his second pro start and went 4 IP, allowing 4 hits and a BB with 4 Ks but 0 ER to drop his ERA to 2.16. RP David Henninger got the win to move to 1-0. He went 3 IP and K'd 1 to keep his ERA at 0.00. RP Kraig Schambough pitched an inning and allowed 1 ER on 1 hit (a homer) with 3 Ks to move his ERA to 3.86. RP Zane Carlson went an inning and K'd 2 to get his 1st save and set a 0.00 ERA. Thibault was 2-4 with 2 doubles and an RBI to improve to .231; LF Antonio Sabatini was 1-3 with a BB to drop to .429; and McConnell was 1-4 with a homer and 2 RBI to drop to .310.

Idaho Falls is 4-4 and 2 games back of Ogden. The series with Orem ends tonight before Ogden comes to town for a pair of games.

The ASL Royals' score from Tuesday must not have been posted to the league yet or something. It's not on MiLB.com's site yet, anyway. The Royals were set to take on the Cubs today.