Royals on the Farm 5/24

AAA - Omaha: Fresno 5, O-Royals 4

3B Teahen 2-4, 2B, RBI (10), RS -- .400
RF Allen 2-3, 2B (12), K, RBI (33) -- .333, left with injured leg
2B Gotay 2-4, K -- .249
LF Huber 1-3, 2B, BB, RBI (11), RS -- .247
CF Ambres 1-4, 2B, RBI (11) -- .208

Musser 4 2/3 IP, ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 4 K, HRA -- ND, 5.05 ERA, decent start but only 4 2/3 IP???
Loux 2 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, BB, K, WP -- L, 0-1, 4.22 ERA

*** The Fresno Grizzlies matched Omaha's 4-run 6th with a 4-run 8th and set themselves up for a sweep of the Royals Thursday. It was a pitcher's duel between new Omaha pitcher Neal Musser and Fresno's Michael Tejera through 4 1/2 innings until Musser gave up a 1-out solo homer in the 5th to give Fresno a 1-0 lead. Omaha bounced back off Grizz RP Pedro Liriano in the 6th as Chad Allen doubled home a run but left with an injured leg after the hit. No report on the injury on the site yet. Teahen and Huber connected for back-to-back RBI doubles after Allen's hit to give Omaha a 3-1 lead and Ambres doubled home another run later in the inning for a 4-1 lead. RP Shane Loux took over for Musser in the 5th and pitched into the 8th, when he gave up 2 hits, a walk and then 3 more hits to allow 4 runs and blow the lead. Omaha had a 1-2-3 9th. Omaha is 18-27 and 7 1/2 games back of first. Tejera got a no-decision with 5 IP of 4-hit shutout pitching to drop his ERA to 2.59. Fresno CF Clay Timpner was 3-4 to move to .292, 1B Chad Santos was 1-4 with the game-winning RBI (34) to drop to .252, 2B Jed Hansen was 0-4 to drop to .230 and 3B Julio Cordido was 2-3 to move to .333.

The teams finish the series tonight. Pitchers: Omaha RH Bobby Keppel (3-4, 5.00) vs. RH Matt Kinney (3-3, 4.98). OF Kerry Robinson should join the team soon after (big surprise) clearing waivers. SP Adam Bernero was scratched from his Tuesday start due to illness but should be in place for his next start. The Royals also signed SP Brian Boehringer (37-year old with 4.36 ERA and 1.49 lifetime WHIP, just KC's style) from the scrap heap, so he'll probably be in KC or Omaha soon. Woo hoo!

AA - Wichita: Corpus Christi 4, Wranglers 0

Gordon DNP -- day off or lingering effects from Tuesday HBP? Or both?
RF Butler 1-3, BB -- .287
LF Lubanski 1-4, K -- .265
SS Sanchez 2-4, 2 K -- .297
CF Maier 0-4, 2 K -- .274
2B Murphy 0-4, 2 K -- .238
3B Keim 2-4, SB (1) -- .216

Song 5 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 4 K, HRA, WP -- L, 3-4, 3.83 ERA, where's the run support?
Braun 1 1/3 IP, K -- 2.02 ERA

*** OK, so maybe it's another unwise decision for the Royals to televise two Wranglers games with the Hooks next Wednesday and Thursday, because the Hooks owned Wichita in this series -- 22-7 over 3 games. I'm all for the Wranglers being on TV but it may be ugly. Of course, 99 percent of the games shown on RSTN are ugly, so it fits right in. Ba-dum-bum-ching. I'm here all week -- tip your waitress. Wichita actually outhit Corpus Christi, 7-5 on Wednesday, but had nada to show for it. Hooks SP Juan Gutierrez 4-hit the Wranglers through 7 IP while a 2-run shot in the 2nd and RBI double in the 4th set CC up with a 3-0 lead. Another homer in the 7th provided the rest of the Hooks' scoring. To give an example of the kind of night Wichita had, the Wranglers loaded the bases with 0 out in the 8th and sandwiched a Maier K between pop outs by Murphy and Butler to get nothing out of it. Wichita got runners to first and third with 1 out in the 9th but again got nothing. Wichita is 18-28 and 10 games back of first. When do the standings reset for the second half? Oh yeah, June 18 -- not too far away. Gutierrez walked 1 and K'd 9 to increase his TL-leading total to 58 Ks on the season. He's 4-2 with a 4.17 ERA. RF Hunter Pence was 1-3 with his 12th double to move to .310, CF Josh Anderson was 1-4 to move to .317 and 1B Derek Nicholson was 1-3 with his 2nd homer to move to .247.

A 4-game set at the San Antonio Missions (17-26, AA Mariners) starts tonight -- may be just what Wichita needs since SA is one of two teams in the TL more futile thus far than the Wranglers. Pitchers: Wranglers SP Brian Bass (1-0, 2.25) vs. SA's Brandon Moorhead (1-3, 7.08). Gordon will miss tonight's game and Friday's game because he's attending a wedding -- this according to the Wichita Eagle. The Eagle reports he was held out Wednesday as a precaution. RP Leo Nunez got the call to KC despite not having awesome stats in Wichita -- this is yet another move I don't get.

High-A - High Desert: Rancho Cucamonga 8, Mavs 1

DH Stodolka 0-4, 2 K -- .323
1B R. Brown 1-4, 2B (10), 2 K -- .299
SS Falu 1-3, BB, E (7) -- .255
RF McFall 1-3, K -- .213
C Duenas 1-3, HR (3), RBI -- .203
3B Lucas 0-3, 2 K -- .266

Crist 7 1/3 IP, 7 ER, 10 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 3 HRA, WP -- L, 1-1, 5.35 ERA, one ugly line

*** Quakes SP Nick Green went the entire 9 and gave up only 4 hits and a walk as Rancho Cucamonga rolled to an 8-1 win. Homers in the 1st and 2nd gave the Quakes a 3-0 lead and RC scratched out a run in the 5th before HD got its only run that inning on Duenas' solo shot for his 3rd of '06. The Quakes got another homer off Crist in the 6th and padded an already healthy lead with runs in the 8th and 9th. High Desert is 22-24 and 5 games out of first. Green K'd 9 in moving to 5-2 with a 3.81 ERA and struck out the side in the 9th. He's 3-0 against HD in 2006. Quakes 1B Clifton Remole was 2-5 to improve to .331, LF Patrick Reilly was 2-5 to move to .328 and SS Sean Rodriguez was 1-3 with his 7th homer and 27th and 28th RBI to improve to .298.

The series finishes up tonight. Pitchers: Mavs RH Luis Cota vs. Quakes RH "The Other" Francisco Rodriguez.

Low-A - Burlington: off day

*** A 4-game set at Beloit starts tonight. Good pitching matchup: Bees RH Matt Kniginyzky (4-2, 3.04) vs. Twins prospect RH Eddie Morlan (2-2, 1.67).