Royals on the Farm 4/21 and 4/22

AAA - Omaha: Nashville 9, O-Royals 4 (Friday)

Huber 0-4, BB, K -- .347
Blanco 3-4, RBI (11), E (6) -- .352
Aviles 2-4, 2B, RS -- .233
Phillips 2-5, RS, 4 SB against, 1 CS -- .234
Guiel 0-5, K -- .214
Robinson 1-5, 2B, RS, SB (7) -- .304
Gotay 1-5, K, RS -- .250
Ambres 0-3, BB -- .154

Snyder 4 2/3 IP, 8 R (7 ER), 11 H, BB, 4 K, 2 HRA, WP -- L, 0-1, 4.24 ERA

*** Snyder got rocked in two big Nashville innings as the Royals dropped their 3rd straight. Robinson led off the game with a double, stole third and scored on a throwing error by Sounds C Mike Rivera to give Omaha a 1-0 lead but Nashville scored on a Blanco fielding error to even it up after 1. Snyder gave up 2 homers and an RBI single in the 2nd to account for 4 Nashville runs as the Sounds took a 5-1 lead. Omaha got a run back on a Blanco RBI single in the 4th but Nashville rallied for 3 runs with 2 out in the 5th off Snyder and RP Ed Yarnall to take an 8-2 lead. A fielding error by CF Tony Gwynn Jr. allowed the O-Royals to score a run in the 7th but Nashville got the run back that inning on a Rivera solo homer. Omaha added its final run in the 8th on another Blanco RBI single after an Aviles leadoff double but didn't threaten after that. Omaha dropped to 9-7 and 1 game back of the Sounds. Nashville RP Jared Fernandez (knuckleballer) went 5 1/3 innings of relief with only 2 UER given up to keep his ERA at 0.00. Gwynn was 2-4 with a walk to move over .300 to .306. Sounds LF Corey Hart was 2-4 with a walk and RBI to improve to .333 and Rivera was 2-4 to improve to .371. The Sounds survived a 5-error night. Two other Nashville players had 2-hit games.

O-Royals 11, Memphis 5 (Saturday)

Huber 2-5, 2 K, RS, E (2) -- .352
Robinson 4-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 RS -- .338
Allen 4-5, HR (4), 2 RBI (12), K, 2 RS -- .309
Blanco 2-4, 2 RBI (13), 2 RS, E (7) -- .362
Ambres 1-4, BB, K, RS, SB -- .161
Guiel 1-4, HR (6, GS), 4 RBI (17), BB, K -- .217
Gotay 1-5, RBI, RS -- .247

Keppel 8 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 4 H, 0 BB, 5 K -- W, 2-1, 3.55 ERA, nice start

*** Omaha set the tone with a 4-run 2nd and coasted to the 11-5 win. The O-Royals led off the 2nd with 3 singles off Memphis SP John Webb to load the bases and, with 2 out, Blanco hit a 2-run single and Robinson followed with a 2-RBI double to give the Royals a 4-0 lead. Allen extended the lead with a 2-run homer in the 7th and Keppel was cruising until giving up a 2-run double in the 8th after a Blanco fielding error (yet another one this season). Omaha again loaded the bases with 1 out in the 8th and Gotay hit an RBI single followed by a grand slam by Guiel to put the lead at 11-2. RP Dave Elder came on for the 9th and walked the first two batters. Longer story short, he ended up giving up 3 runs thanks in part to a passed ball on C Jared Price, but Omaha came away with the 11-5 win. Omaha is 10-7 and awaits Nashville's result against Oklahoma. Memphis RF John Gall was 1-3 with a walk to drop to .375 and C Michel Hernandez was 1-4 with a double and RBI to drop to .338.

The home set with Memphis continues Sunday afternoon. Starters: Memphis LH Randy Leek (1-1, 3.66) vs. LH J.P. Howell (3-0, 2.65).

AA - Wichita: Arkansas 11, Wranglers 10 (10) (Friday)

Gordon 2-2, 3 BB, 2 2B (8), 3 RS, HBP -- .344
Butler 2-5, BB, 2 RS, E (2), outfield assist -- .284
Lubanski 2-6, RS, picked off -- .196
Tupman 3-5, 2B, 4 RBI, RS -- .357
Maier 1-3, BB, K, 2B, 3 RBI (16), 2 RS, SF, HBP -- .222, averaging an RBI a game
Murphy 1-6, K, RBI -- .265

Herndon 4 1/3 IP, 8 R (7 ER), 12 H, 0 BB, 3 K -- 5.65 ERA
Braun 1 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, K -- L, 0-3, 6.14 ERA

*** The Wrangler pitching staff -- no, actually Junior Herndon and Ryan Braun -- squandered a 6-run 1st as Wichita's 2006 woes continued. Wichita loaded the bases with 1 out in the 1st when Maier and Tupman hit RBI doubles of the 2-run and 3-run varieties, respectively, and Murphy added an RBI single to give Wichita a 6-0 lead. Arkansas came back with a 3-run 1st off Herndon to cut the lead in half but Wichita added a run in the 2nd on a Maier sac fly. Herndon continued to struggle in the 2nd but stayed in the game as he gave up 2 more runs to make the score 7-5 Wranglers. He actually made it thru the 3rd and 4th unscathed but he returned to early form in the 5th as he gave up 2 RBI doubles to allow the Travs to tie the game. RP John Gragg III was brought in and gave up 2 more runs before getting out of the inning. Gordon led off the 7th with a double and the Wranglers loaded the bases with 0 outs. 1B Kila Kaaihue hit an RBI single and DH Juan Senreiso followed with a sac fly to tie the game before Tupman gave the Wranglers back the lead with an RBI ground out to make the score 10-9. Arkansas LF Aaron Peel tripled with 2 out in the 8th as the first batter to face Wranglers RP Ryan Braun before SS Brandon Wood came through with an RBI single to once again tie the game. Wichita got runners to second in both the 9th and 10th but wasted chances and Peel hit a walk-off single off Braun with 1 out in the 10th to end the game. The loss dropped Wichita to 3-12 and 7 1/2 games back of first. Peel was 5-6 in the game and only a homer short of the cycle in improving to .302. Wood and DH Mike Eylward were both 3-5 with 5 combined RBI to improve their BAs to .339 and .375, respectively.

Wranglers 7, Arkansas 1 (Saturday)

Gordon 0-3, BB, 2 K, RS -- .328
Butler 3-4, 2 HR (3), 3 RBI (8), 3 RS -- .310, breakout game???
Lubanski 1-3, RBI, SF -- .203
Maier 1-4, 2B, RS -- .224
Murphy 1-4, HR (2), 2 RBI (8), K -- .263
Sanchez 1-5, RS -- .327

Song 6 1/3 IP, ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 6 K -- W, 1-1, 4.71 ERA
DePriest and Nunez 2 2/3 IP hitless relief, 5 combined K

*** Butler hit his first homer to lead off the 2nd and start the scoring in helping propel the Wranglers to their 4th win. Song gave up a solo homer in the 3rd to tie the game but faced no more trouble. Gordon walked to lead off the 7th and Butler followed with his 3rd homer of the season as Wichita took a 3-1 lead. Murphy hit a 2-run blast in the 8th to extend the lead and a passed ball and Lubanski sac fly provided the final runs to give Wichita the 7-1 win. The Wranglers are now 4-12. Wood was 0-4 to drop to .318 and Eylward was 0-2 to drop to .362. 3B Matthew Brown was 0-4 to drop to .354.

The series continues Sunday afternoon. I think it's Ryan Snare's turn on the mound.

High-A - High Desert: Mavs 6, Lancaster 1 (Friday)

Stodolka 3-3, 2 2B (8), BB, 2 RS, CS -- .417
McFall 2-4, HR (4), 3 RBI (11), 2 K -- .244
Gaffney 1-4, K, E -- .350
Galloway 2-4, BB, 2 K, RS -- .318
Lucas 0-3, BB, RBI, SB -- .222
2B Wilver Perez 1-3, BB, K, HR (1), RBI -- .184

Crist 3 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 4 K, WP -- 0.00 ERA, pitch count, I hope?
Plummer 3 1/3 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, K -- W, 2-1, 7.56 ERA
RP Adam Rowe 2 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, K -- 1.74 ERA

*** Three strong innings and a whole game of strong pitching helped the Mavs to the win. Perez homered to start the scoring in the 3rd and, in the 4th, Stodolka led off with a double and McFall hit a 2-run shot for his 4th of the season to give the Mavs a 3-0 lead. In a 3-run 5th, Stodolka hit an RBI double and McFall and Lucas followed with an RBI single and RBI ground out to make the score 6-0. Plummer gave up a solo shot in the 6th to account for Lancaster's only run. The Mavs moved to 8-7 with the win. JetHawks 2B Mark Reynolds went 3-4 with a homer to move to .367. Lancaster CF Chris Rahl and LF Brandon Burgess had 2-hit games and are hitting in the .320s.

Mavs 4, Lancaster 2 (Saturday)

Stodolka 3-4, 3 2B (11) -- Cal League crazy, but I'm liking it.... .450 BA!
Valentin 1-3, BB, K, 2 RBI (7) -- .324
Brown 2-4, HR, 2 RBI (7), 2 K -- .264
Lucas 1-4, RS, SB -- .224

Buckner 6 1/3 IP, UER, 5 H, 4 BB, 8 K -- W, 3-0, 2.78 ERA

*** High Desert put the struggling JetHawks down for a second straight game as Stodolka had another good game. Buckner gave up an RBI double in the 1st after a fielding error by 2B Wilver Perez but then settled down. 1B Rusty Brown cracked a 2-run shot in the 1st after Lucas reached on an error and the Mavs didn't trail again. C Tomas Duenas singled and Stodolka doubled to start the Mavs' 6th and Valentin hit a 2-run single to give the Mavs a 4-1 lead. RP Brandon Weeden gave up a run in the 8th but gave up nothing else and RP Gabe DeHoyos got the save with a 1-2-3 9th for his 2nd save. High Desert is now 9-7. JetHawks SP Matt Chico took the loss despite 5 IP of 2 UER as his ERA dropped to 1.61. Reynolds was 0-4 to drop to .324 and C Wilkin Castillo was 2-4 with a double to improve to .315.

The teams play again Sunday afternoon. I think Luis Cota is up for his turn on the mound for HD.

Low-A - Burlington: Peoria 2, Bees 0 (Friday)

Santana 2-3 -- .321
Lisson 0-4, 3 K, E (2) -- .244
McConnell 0-4, 2 K -- .091

Nicoll 4 2/3 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 8 K!! -- L, 0-1, 1.93 ERA, nice K total, hard loss to take

*** The Bees got 4-hit in getting shut out in their second straight game. Nicoll gave up an RBI triple in the 3rd and RP Gilbert de la Vara gave up an RBI single in the 7th to account for Peoria's scoring. The Bees managed only 4 hits but the Chiefs only got 6. Burlington dropped to 7-8 with the loss. Peoria got 5 IP of 2-hit pitching from SP Mitch Atkins for the win. RPs Tim Layden and Edward Campusano gave up only 2 hits over 4 IP. The Chiefs pitchers did walk 6 batters, tho. Burlington threatened in the 3rd, 4th and 7th but couldn't come up with a key hit. Peoria C Mark Reed was 1-2 with a walk and is batting .360. He was the only batter over .300 in Peoria's lineup.

Peoria 2, Bees 1 (10) (Saturday)

Howell 2-4, 2 K -- .194
Lisson 0-4, 3 K -- .224
McConnell 0-4, RBI (2) -- .083
Arce 1-4, 2B, K, RS -- .256
Thibault 1-3, BB, 2 K, pickoff as C -- .261

Kniginyzky 8 IP, ER, 7 H, 0 BB, 7 K -- ND, 2.52 ERA
RP Yovany Damico 1 1/3 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 2 K -- L, 0-2, 5.40 ERA

*** The Bees' offensive struggles continued for a third straight game as Kniginyzky's good start was wasted. He gave up a sac fly RBI in the 2nd but Burlington tied it in the 4th on a McConnell RBI ground out after Arce led the inning off with a double. Kniginyzky held the Chiefs in check through the 8th but the Bees could do no damage on the scoreboard. Damico took over in the 9th and gave up a leadoff single in the 10th that was worsened by a throwing error by CF Jose Duarte that allowed the runner to reach second. Damico got 1 out but then gave up a walkoff RBI double to Chiefs 2B Robinson Chirinos to end the game. The Bees dropped to 7-9 and 4 games back of first. Chiefs SP Donald Veal gave up only 1 hit and 1 ER over 6 IP with 9 K to drop his ERA to 3.43. RPs Matt Avery and Jeff Teasley gave up only 3 hits with 6 K over 4 IP. Peoria 3B Kyle Reynolds was 4-4 with a double and is batting 1.000. 1B Ryan Norwood was 2-4 to improve to .311.

The series continues Sunday afternoon. Pitchers: Bees LH Ryan DiPietro (1-0, 1.47) vs. Peoria RH Todd Blackford (1-0, 1.69).