Royals on the Farm 4/7

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 5, Nashville 3

Gotay 0-3, RBI, K
Guiel 0-2, 2 BB, 2 K, RS
C. Allen 1-4, 2 RBI, RS
Ambres 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K
Huber 0-1, 2 BB
Blanco 1-3, RS

Keppel 5 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 4 hits, 3 BB, 3 K
Yarnall 1 2/3 IP, 1 hit, BB, 2 K
Joe Nelson 1 IP, 3 Ks -- !!!, 1-0
Jo. Peralta 1 IP, K -- SV

*** Sounds starter Ben Hendrickson no-hit Omaha through 5 IP and Nashville ran up a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the 8th. CF Kerry Robinson broke up the no-hitter in the 6th but the Royals didn't get another runner until the 8th, when a fielding error by Nashville shortstop Enrique Cruz helped a Royals rally. Gotay hit a sac fly, DH Chad Allen came through with a 2-run double and Chip Ambres matched that feat to give the Royals a 5-3 lead. RP Joel Peralta put Nashville down quietly in the 9th to end it. The O-Royals are 1-0. Sounds CF Tony Gwynn Jr. was 1-3 with an RBI.

LHP J.P. Howell makes his first '06 start today in the first of two games against Sounds LHP Zach Jackson. In the nightcap, RHP Kyle Snyder will take on LHP Dana Eveland.

AA - Wichita: Tulsa 9, Wranglers 7

Gordon 2-4, RS, 3 SB!!! -- .364 BA, speed demon
Murphy 3-5, 2B -- .364
B. Butler 1-5, HR (1), RBI, 2 K, outfield assist, ejected in 9th -- .385
Maier 1-5, HR (2), 3 RBI
DH Randy Ruiz 1-4, HR (1), RBI, RS, K
Lubanski 0-2, BB, K, RS, HBP
An. Sanchez 2-4, RBI, 2 RS
C Damaso Espino 2 E

SP Ryan Snare 2 2/3 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 6 hits, 2 BB, 4 Ks -- ugly 10.12 ERA
RP Barry Armitage 1 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 3 hits, 2 BB, 1 K -- even uglier 16.20 ERA
RP John Gragg III 3 IP, 1 H, 1 walk -- nice outing
RP Ryan Braun 1 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 1 HR, BB, K -- 0-2 through 2 games, not good

*** Once again a Wrangler comeback went for naught as Wichita came back from a 7-2 deficit to tie it in the 9th only to see Tulsa CF Jordan Czarniecki strike again. After Snare gave up a first inning run, 3B Alex Gordon singled in his first AB, stole second and third and scored on a Sanchez force out to tie it. After Snare gave up another run in the 2nd, Billy Butler tied it on a solo homer -- his first of the season, but the Drillers scored 2 in the third thanks in part to two errors (one throwing, one Jack Clark-style dropped foul pop-up) by C Damaso Espino. Tulsa tacked on 2 in the 4th and another in the 5th off Armitage to take the 7-2 lead. Gordon singled and stole second in the 6th but didn't score. Wichita got back in the game in the 7th thanks in part to an error by Tulsa 2B Matthew Macri. Lubanski scored on a double-play ball by Murphy and RF Mitch Maier followed with a 2-run shot -- his 2nd in 2 games -- to make it 7-5. DH (and new pickup) Randy Ruiz homered to lead off the 8th and cut the lead to 1. SS Angel Sanchez singled to lead off the 9th and later scored on a Maier force out to tie the game. Butler was called out on strikes to end the inning and must have argued because he got tossed. With 2 out in the bottom of the 9th, Braun walked Macri and then gave up a walk-off dinger to Czarniecki (his 3rd in two games against Wichita) to end it. The Wranglers are 0-2 and could just as easily be 2-0. Two games, two tough losses. Tulsa 3B Ian Stewart was 2-4 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI. Czarniecki was 2-5 with the HR and 3 RBI.

The series continues today in Tulsa as Kyle Middleton takes the mound for the Wranglers against Drillers SP Juan Morillo.

High-A - High Desert: rainout. This game will be played as part of an April 15 doubleheader. I'll go ahead and assume Luis Cota will make his Mavs' debut tonight against the Inland Empire 66ers. No announced starters (as usual) on the team site.

Low-A - Burlington: Bees 6, Clinton 1

3B Mario Lisson 2-4, 2 2B, RBI, 2 RS, K, SB
C Kiel Thibault 1-3, 2 RBI, K
1B Miguel Vega 0-4, 4 Ks -- ouch

SP Matt Kniginyzky 6 IP, 1 ER, 3 hits, 0 BB, 5 Ks -- 1-0, 1.50 ERA
RP Eliszer Garcia 3 IP, 1 H, 4 Ks! -- SV

*** The Bees had a very successful opener as pitchers Kniginyzky and Garcia shut the LumberKings down and Burlington took advantage of two Clinton errors to get the win. The Bees scored 2 in both the 1st and 2nd on a Lisson double and Thibault sac fly in the 1st and 2 runs on a sac fly by LF Antonio Sabatini thanks to a missed catch error by Clinton 3B John Whittleman. CF Jose Duarte threw in an RBI single in the 4th and Thibault hit an RBI single in the 8th to round out the scoring for Burlington. The Bees are 1-0.

Today's doubleheader to make up the opening day rainout features Bees LH Ryan DiPietro against LH Zach Phillips in game 1 and Bees LH Gilbert De La Vara versus RH JB Diaz in game 2.