Royals on the Farm 6/6

AAA: SP J.P. Howell got tagged for 5 R but a 5-run 3rd bailed him out as he got a win in his first AAA start. Omaha defeated Nashville, 9-5. The Sounds took a 3-0 lead in the 2nd but Omaha rallied on an RBI triple by SS Alejandro Prieto, an RBI double by CF Adrian Brown, a 2-run single by DH Ken Harvey and a double-play RBI by LF Chad Santos. Omaha scored again in the 5th on an RBI single by 3B Justin Gemoll and added 2 in the 6th on a 2-run single by 2B Denny Hocking. The final run came in the 8th on a Hocking sac fly. Howell went 5 1/3 IP and allowed 5 R (3 ER) on 7 hits and 4 BB with 2 Ks to set his ERA at 5.06. RP Justin Huisman went 2 2/3 innings and gave up only 1 hit and 2 BB with 4 Ks to drop his ERA to 3.43. RP Santiago Ramirez pitched a perfect 9th with 1 K to drop his ERA to 5.60. Hocking was 4-4 with 3 RBI and 2 RS to improve to .316. Harvey was 1-5 with an RBI to drop to .362. Gemoll was 1-4 with a BB and RBI to drop to .320. C Paul Phillips was 2-4 with a double and 3 RS to improve to .246 and Prieto was 2-4 with the triple and RBI to improve to .285. Brown stole his 17th base of the season in the win.

Omaha was 26-33 and 4 games back of Nashville entering today. The O-Royals took Nashville on in the final game of the series today. Chris George was set to go. A report on that game (Omaha swept) will be posted tomorrow.

AA: Wichita had the day off Monday and is 28-29 and 7 games back of Tulsa. A 4-game set at Springfield started tonight. RH Kyle Middleton (6-4, 2.70) was to pitch against Springfield RH Chris Lambert (0-1, 7.20). In other news, five Wranglers were named to the TL All-Stars -- 1B Justin Huber, OF Cory Aldridge were named to the starting squad for the Eastern Division while pitchers Kyle Middleton and Shawn Sonnier and IF Mike Aviles were also named to the team. The All-Star Game will be played Tuesday, June 21 at Dr. Pepper/7-Up Ballpark in Frisco, Texas.

High-A: High Desert also had Monday off and is 28-28 and 3 games back of Lancaster and Lake Elsinore. A 3-game home set with Rancho Cucamonga starts tonight. Will there be a Jered Weaver sighting? Tonight's matchup was Quakes RHP Michel Simard (2-4, 7.53) and RHP Billy Buckner, making his first High Desert start.

Low-A: Burlington rallied for 2 runs in the 9th to beat Dayton, 3-2, Monday. SS Mario Lisson hit his 5th homer in the 1st to give the Bees a 1-0 lead but Dayton took the lead with 2 in the 6th and the score remained 2-1 into the 9th. RF Brian McFall singled to lead off the 9th and later scored on a 1-out ground out by DH Derek Norman to tie the game. LF Jared Ellis followed with an RBI double to score PR Kenard Springer and the Bees grabbed the lead. RP Adam Rowe entered the game with 2 on and 0 out in the bottom of the 9th and got the save. SP Kyle Crist is looking good, as he went 5 IP and allowed 3 hits and 2 BB with 2 Ks and 0 ER to drop his ERA to 1.61. RP Greg Atencio was credited with his 2nd blown save but got the win to move to 2-2. He went 3 innings and allowed 2 ER on 4 hits and 4 BB with 4 Ks to hike his ERA to 4.26. Rowe got his 3rd save with a perfect 9th that included 1 K. His ERA is 6.12. Lisson was 3-3 with a double, HR and RBI to raise his BA to .251. CF Edward Lucas was 0-5 to drop to .309 and 1B Rusty Brown was 0-4 to drop to .291. Ellis was 2-4 with the double and RBI to improve to .286.

Burlington entered today 27-30. Dayton won the series finale today. I'll report on that one tomorrow.