Royals on the Farm 7/10

AAA - Omaha: all-star break

*** Omaha gets back into action Thursday. Indians farmhand Andy Marte took the AAA home run derby title Monday. OF Chad Allen is Omaha's only rep in the game tonight in Toledo as C Paul Phillips is up with KC. The game is on ESPN2, I think, tonight.

AA - Wichita: Wranglers 5, Midland 3

3B Gordon 0-3, BB, HBP, 2 K, 2 RS -- .298
RF Butler 3-5, 2B (24), RS -- .322
C Tupman 2-2, BB -- .307
2B Murphy 2-4, 2B (17), 2 RBI (28), RS -- .230
CF Maier 1-3, SF, 2B (16), 2 RBI (59), K -- .278
LF Lubanski 1-5, K -- .267
SS Sanchez 0-5, K -- .276

Herndon 6 IP, 3 ER, 8 H, 4 BB, 4 K, HRA, WP -- W, 6-4, 4.42 ERA, not pretty but got job done
DeHoyos 1 2/3 IP, H, BB, 2 K -- SV, 4, 0.00 ERA

*** Midland made its mark early but Wichita regrouped and got a win with Alex Gordon and Billy Butler both back in the fold. Two 2-out doubles gave Midland its first run in the 1st off Junior Herndon and 2 more XBH, including a 2-run homer, made the score 3-0 RockHounds in the 2nd. With Gordon and Butler on base in the 4th, Mitch Maier smoked a double to right that scored Gordon but Butler was cut down at the plate while Maier advanced to third. Donnie Murphy flew out to end the inning and the Wranglers waited until the 6th to take the lead with a 4-run rally. Maier hit a bases-loaded sac fly to start the scoring before Murphy doubled home 2 runs and a fielding error helped the 4th run score for a 5-3 Wichita lead. Gabe DeHoyos worked the final 1 2/3 innings for his 4th save and kept his ERA at 0.00. Wichita is 11-7 and 2 games up on first. Midland CF Matt Allegra was 2-3 with his 15th double, 8th homer and 2 RBI (36) to move to .277, 1B Brant Colamarino was 1-4 with his 25th double and 50th RBI to move to .292 and C Kurt Suzuki was 0-4 to drop to .300.

The teams match up again Tuesday night. Billy Buckner makes another start for Wichita. In other news, Maier was named the Texas League Player of the Week for July 3 - 9. In five home games against the Arkansas Travelers, Maier batted .421 with 2 HR and 8 RBI to win the PoW award for the second time this season.

High-A - High Desert: off day

*** High Desert is 11-6 and 2 games up on first. A 3-game set at the Stockton Ports (8-9, High-A Athletics) starts Tuesday night.

Low-A - Burlington: Bees 9, Southwest Michigan 1

1B Vega 3-5, HR (11), 4 RBI (43), K, 2 RS -- .242
CF Duarte 2-3, 2B (11), RS -- .265, left with leg injury after 4th inning double
3B Lisson 2-3, 2 BB, 2B (22), RBI (43), 4 RS! -- .237
DH Everett 2-3, BB, HR (3), 3 RBI (13) -- .254
2B Arce 2-4, K -- .220
SS McConnell 0-4, 3 K-- .174, is his prospect status over yet?

Nicoll 6 IP, ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 9 K, HRA -- W, 4-5, 2.59 ERA, having great season despite record
Henninger and Hayes 3 scoreless IP

*** The anemic Bees offense broke out for 12 hits and 9 runs in getting the sweep of the D-Rays. Chris Nicoll gave up his only ER on a 1st inning homer and it was all Burlington from then on. The Bees scored thrice in the 1st on a Miguel Vega 3-run blast to left center for his 11th of the season. Brady Everett matched that with a 3-run shot in the 3rd for his 3rd of the season and the score was 6-1 Bees. A Mario Lisson RBI double and Vega RBI single in the 4th made it 8-1 and the Bees finished their scoring with 1 in the 6th on a wild pitch. Southwest Michigan didn't seriously threaten at any point. The Bees are 8-11. D-Rays LF James Hall was 2-3 with his 19th double to move to .283 and 3B Cesar Suarez was 0-3 to drop to .309.

The Bees are off Tuesday before hitting the road.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Billings 4, Chukars 3 (10)

LF Morel 4-5, 2 RS, 2 SB (6), E (1) -- .347
DH Mertins 1-5, K -- .469
3B/1B Castillo 1-3, BB, 2B (5), K, RS -- .365
CF Dickerson 1-3, BB, HBP, 2B (4), SB (3) -- .286
2B/3B Maddox 1-4, BB, RBI (11), 2 K -- .234
RF Bigler 1-5, 2B, K, E (1) -- .310

Mozingo 4 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 4 H, 3 BB, 2 K -- ND, 8.56 ERA
Chambliss 4 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K -- 0.00 ERA
Casey IP, UER, 2 H, K -- L, 0-3, 6.75 ERA

*** The Chukars fell to Billings in 10 innings in the series opener. A Mustangs throwing error helped Idaho Falls take a 1-0 lead in the 1st but Billings came back with 2 in the bottom of the inning to take the lead. 1B Jase Turner hit a sac fly in the 3rd to tie the game for the Chukars but Billings got a steal of home by RF Chris Heisey in the 4th to retake the lead. Marc Maddox singled home the tying run in the 6th and the Chukars couldn't score in a bases-loaded 2-out situation in the 8th as the game went into extras. The Chukars got 2 in scoring position with 2 out in the 10th but again couldn't get the lead run across and an Alvi Morel fielding error in the bottom of the 10th helped the Mustangs get the win as a walkoff single off RP Bryan Casey ended it. Idaho Falls is 13-7 and a game up on first. Reds '06 draftee and big-hyped OF prospect Drew Stubbs was 1-3 with his 7th RBI and 2 SB (9) to move to .235, 1B Logan Parker was 1-5 with his 11th RBI to drop to .349 and Heisey was 3-3 to move to .424.

The series continues Tuesday. Blake Wood starts for IF.

Rookie - AZL: Angels 4, Royals 0

2B A. Perez 2-4 -- .293
DH Peralta 1-4, K -- .333
1B S. Lucas 1-3, K -- .357
CF D. Robinson 0-4, K -- .170
3B Taylor 0-3 -- .405
RF Van Stratten 0-3 -- .204
C Doscher 0-2, BB, 2 K -- .317

Arias 5 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, K, E (1) -- L, 1-1, 1.29 ERA
Chavez IP, 2 ER, 4 H -- 18.00 ERA, organizational debut

*** Three Angel pitchers held the Royals to 4 hits. The Angels rallied for 2 runs in both the 2nd and 7th and the Royals' best chance to score came in the 7th on two 2-out singles but Jason Taylor flew out to end the small threat. The Royals are 10-5 and a game back of first. The game took a whole 1:59 to play. Angels SP Tim Schoeninger allowed 1 hit with 8 K over 6 IP to move to 2-0 with a 1.40 ERA and SS Wilberto Ortiz was 3-4 with an RBI to move to .417.

The Royals have Tuesday off. I don't like the Jeff Bianchi absences in the last two games. Hopefully something isn't flaring up. I've got my fingers crossed they're just sending him to Idaho Falls.