Royals on the Farm 5/25

AAA - Omaha: Fresno 3, O-Royals 1

CF DeJesus 0-4, 2 K -- rehabbing first game
2B Gotay 2-3, BB, K, SB (6) -- .256, in third slot in lineup?
RF Robinson 0-4 -- .349, back in Omaha now
LF Huber 1-3, BB, K, SB (2) -- .250
Teahen DNP
1B Rick Bell 1-4, RBI (8) -- .196

Bernero 6 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 9 K! -- L, 1-2, 3.45 ERA, OK start, anyway

*** Omaha dropped its 5th straight in getting swept by the lowly Grizzlies, who are now 20-27. Fresno SP Matt Kinney limited Omaha to 5 hits in the game and allowed the only Omaha run in the 9th. He retired the first 11 batters of the game before getting into a 2-out bases loaded jam in the 4th but got Huber to ground out to stifle the rally. Bernero did a good job of keeping Fresno in check until the 7th, when he loaded the bases with 1 out and was pulled in favor of RP Frank Brooks. Two singles later, Fresno had its 3-1 lead. Bell singled home a run in the 9th so Omaha got the tying run to the plate, at least, but it was all for naught. Omaha is 18-28. Kinney walked 3 and struck out 6 in moving to 4-3 with a 4.37 ERA. CF Clay Timpner was 3-4 to improve to .319, 2B Jed Hansen was 2-4 to move to .237 and 1B Chad Santos was 0-4 to drop to .245.

The Memphis Redbirds (15-30, AAA Cardinals) visit Omaha for a 5-game, 4-day set starting tonight. Pitchers: Memphis RH Will Cunnane (0-0, 4.76) vs. Omaha LH Eddie Yarnall (1-1, 3.69). The front page of the team site gives tonight's start to Omaha P Dave Elder (0-0, 4.91), so there's conflicting info.

AA - Wichita: San Antonio 1, Wranglers 0

Gordon DNP, brother's wedding being attended
RF Butler 2-4, K -- .292
LF Lubanski 0-3, BB, 3 K -- .261
CF Maier 0-4 -- .268
C Tupman 1-3, BB, 3 SB against -- .330
SS Sanchez 1-4, 2B, SB (4) -- .296
2B Murphy 0-4, K -- .229, struggling
3B Keim 2-3, K, CS -- .230

Cedeno 5 IP, ER, H, 8 BB!!!!, K, 2 WP -- L, 0-5, 5.04 ERA, one of the weirdest pitching lines ever
C. Smith 3 IP, 3 K -- 2.67 ERA

*** That's right, Wichita's Cedeno and C. Smith combined on a 1-hitter and the Wranglers still lost. It's just not their year. A ground-rule RBI double in the 2nd was the Missions' only hit and Wichita sprinkled its hits 1 per inning through most of the game. Three SA pitchers combined on the shutout. According to the Eagle, Butler cranked a ball in the 9th but the wind held it up for a warning track fly out. Wichita is 18-29 and, like Omaha, on a 5-game losing streak. Good times all around in the Royals' organization. Missions SP Brandon Moorhead went 6 IP and allowed 5 hits and 2 BB in improving to 2-3 with a 6.02 ERA. RP Jon Huber got his 9th save and dropped his ERA to 3.92. Missions C Luis Oliveros was 1-3 in moving to .095. 1B Bryan LaHair was 0-2 with 2 BB to drop to .335 and SS Erick Monzon was 0-2 with a RS to drop to .316.

The set continues tonight. No announced pitchers.

High-A - High Desert: Mavs 8, Rancho Cucamonga 7

DH Stodolka 1-4, BB, K, RBI (22), RS -- .321
1B R. Brown 0-4, BB, 2 K, RBI (21) -- .291
RF McFall 2-3, HR (7), 2 RBI (22), BB, 2 RS -- .224
CF Senreiso 1-4, RBI (20) -- .252
C Donachie 0-3, 2 BB, K, RS -- .275
LF James Tomlin 1-4, RBI, RS, K -- season debut
3B Lucas 1-4, BB, RBI (21), RS -- .266

Christensen 4 2/3 IP, 7 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 6 K, WP, 3 HBP -- ND, 5.53 ERA, second bad start in a row
Barnes and Woodrow 4 1/3 IP scoreless relief. Woodrow 1-0, 4.61 ERA.

*** The Mavericks salvaged a disaster Thursday as they entered the 7th down, 7-0, and turned it around for a win. The Quakes scored 4 in the first 2 innings off Christensen to take early command and added 3 more in the 5th for the 7-0 advantage. High Desert struggled until the 7th when the Mavs scored 5 runs on a 2-run McFall homer (his 7th), a run being walked in, a Stodolka RBI single and a Senreiso RBI ground out. They were helped by 4 walks and an RC error in the inning. Tomlin hit an RBI ground out and 2B Michael Gaffney reached on an error that scored McFall in the 8th to tie the game and continue the Quake implosion. Stodolka walked to lead off the 9th, was sacrificed to second by Senreiso, advanced to third on a Donachie fly out and scored on Lucas' clutch soft fly hit to center that fell in to end the game. The Mavs got on base well as they drew 8 walks in the win They also took advantage of 4 Quake errors. High Desert is 23-24. RC SP Francisco Rodriguez went 6 1/3 IP and allowed only 2 ER. His ERA is 3.66. Quakes 2B Nate Sutton was 2-5 to move to .258, DH Cliff Remole was 1-3 to move to .331 and SS Sean Rodriguez was 1-5 to drop to .295. He also made his 13th error. 1B Michael Collins was also 0-2 with 2 HBP and his 33rd RBI to drop to .316.

The division-leading Inland Empire 66ers (28-19, High-A Mariners) ride a 6-game win streak into town for three games starting tonight. Pitchers: Mavs RH Luis Cota vs. 66ers RH Cibney Bello.

Low-A - Burlington: Bees 4, Beloit 2

CF Duarte 2-4, K, 2 RBI (12) -- .260
LF Santana 2-4, RBI, RS, SB (11) -- .286
DH Everett 1-2, 2 BB, K, RS, CS -- .467
SS McConnell 1-5, 2 E (11) -- .180, the minor-league SS are having a hard time fielding this season
1B Vega 0-3, K, RS, 2 HBP -- .260

Kniginyzky 7 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 9 K -- W, 5-2, 2.98 ERA, another solid start
de la Vara 2 IP, 3 K -- SV, 6, 2.23 ERA

*** Duarte got the key hit in the 8th as Burlington won its 3rd straight. The game was scoreless into the 5th when the Bees pushed a run across on two Snapper throwing errors that allowed Santana to score on a grounder by 2B Valentino Arce. Beloit got a 2-out, 2-run single in the bottom of the 5th to take the lead and entered the 8th up, 2-1. The Bees loaded the bases with 2 out and Duarte came through with a 2-run single followed by a Santana RBI single for a 4-2 Bees lead. De la Vara took it from there on the mound. Burlington is 22-22 and 5 games back of first. Beloit SP Eddie Morlan got a no-decision with 5 IP of an UER on 3 H and 3 BB to drop his ERA to 1.45. Beloit 1B Erik Lis was 0-2 to drop to .348, CF Edward Ovalle was 2-3 with his 11th and 12th RBI to move to .247 and Ron's son 1B Toby Gardenhire was 0-2 to drop to .194. Just to show there's plenty of nepotism to go around in the minors. On the Bees side, PH Jeremy Jirschele, son of Omaha manager Mike Jirschele, was 0-1 to drop to .228.

Game 2 of the set is tonight. Pitchers: Bees RH Carlos Rosa (3-3, 2.40) vs. RH Oswaldo Sosa (3-3, 2.86).