Royals on the Farm 9/7

High-A: High Desert blew a 5-2 7th-inning lead to lose the opener with Lancaster, 8-5, and put them in a must-win situation in game 2 of the best-of-3 series tonight at home. The Mavs scored in the first on a solo shot by CF Chris Lubanski but Lancaster pushed across a run in the bottom of the inning to tie the game. Lancaster took a 2-1 lead in the 3rd but High Desert knotted it in the 5th on a solo homer by DH Brandon Powell. The Mavs took the lead with 3 in the 7th on a 3-run homer by Lubanski but SP Patrick Green got torched in the bottom of the frame. With 2 out and 0 runs scored by Lancaster in the 7th, Green gave up an RBI single and then hit a batter to load the bases. Lancaster DH Alex Frazier then cranked a grand slam to give the JetHawks a 7-5 lead. Who knows why Green was left in when he was struggling. RP Chad Blackwell gave up a solo homer in the 8th to give Lancaster some padding and the Mavs didn't get a run on in either the 8th or 9th inning. Green took the loss with 7 ER on 10 hits and a walk with 4 Ks over 7 IP to drop to 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA; and Blackwell allowed 1 ER on a hit with a K in his 1 IP to make his playoff ERA 9.00 too. SS Angel Sanchez was 2-3 with a double; Lubanski stepped up and was 4-4 with 2 HR, 4 RBI and 2 RS; and Powell was 1-4 with a HR and RBI. 1B Kila Kaaihue was among the 4 0-fers on the Mavs last night.

High Desert finished the second half at 39-31. Overall the Mavs finished 75-65. Games 2 and 3 will be at High Desert's place in Adelanto. Pitchers for tonight's game 2: Lancaster's Matt Chico (7-2, 3.76) vs. John Gragg III (13-5, 4.36). High Desert also has earned home-field advantage in the second round if they advance that far.

Rookie: Idaho Falls won its 3rd straight with a 6-run 7th en route to an 11-4 win over Orem Wednesday. Orem started the scoring in the 2nd with a run but Idaho Falls scored 2 that inning on a bases-loaded HBP by 2B Joshua Johnson and an RBI ground out by CF Ethien Santana. Orem tied it in the 3rd but Idaho Falls inched back ahead in the 5th on a bases-loaded walk by 3B Joshua Colafemina. Orem took the lead with 2 in the 6th but Idaho Falls took it right back with 2 in the bottom of the inning on a 2-run single by RF Felix Peguero that was aided by an Orem throwing error. The Chukars put it away in the 7th with 6 runs on a Colafemina RBI double, Johnson RBI single, Santana RBI single, a steal of home by Santana and a 2-run triple by SS Chris McConnell. The Chukars stole 5 bases in the inning. SP Mario Santiago went 3 IP and allowed 2 ER on 3 hits and 3 walks with 3 Ks to move his ERA to 7.27; RP David Henninger got the win with 3 IP of 2 ER on 4 hits with 6 Ks to improve to 5-1 with a 3.60 ERA; RP Eliszer Garcia got his 1st hold with 2 hitless IP to drop his ERA to 3.45; and RP Matt Kniginyzky went a hitless inning with 2 Ks to drop his ERA to 4.66. Santana was 1-4 with a walk, 2 RBI and 2 RS to drop to .300; C Kiel Thibault was 0-4 with a walk to drop to .306; Peguero was 2-4 with a walk, RBI and 2 RS to improve to .268; McConnell was 2-5 with a triple and 2 RBI to improve to .335; LF Byron Barber was 2-5 to improve to .315; DH Brenan Herrera was 2-5 with 2 RS to improve to .254; and Colafemina was 2-3 with 2 walks, a double and 2 RS to improve to .242. Santana stole his 19th and 20th bases and Johnson stole his 9th and 10th. Colafemina made his 15th error.

Idaho Falls is 16-21 and out of the playoff hunt with 1 last game left on the schedule, against Orem tonight.