Royals on the Farm 7/4

AAA - Omaha: Oklahoma 4, O-Royals 0

LF Costa 2-4, 2B -- .453, like I said, Costa is Matt Diaz '06
RF Allen 2-4 -- .338, keeps on hitting
3B Cortez 1-3 -- .273
CF K. Robinson 0-4, K -- .311
2B Gotay 0-4, 2 K -- .249
SS Blanco 0-2, K -- .247

Hernandez 5 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 5 H, 4 BB, 3 K -- L, 4-5, 4.61 ERA
Booker IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, HRA -- 12.00 ERA, yep, Allard knew his pitchers
Loux 2 IP, 3 H, K -- 6.52 ERA, ERA keeps dropping, thankfully

*** Three RedHawks pitchers shut the Royals down on 6 hits and Omaha pitchers led by Runelvys had a run-of-the-mill day to drop the series opener. Oklahoma scored runs in the 1st and 3rd off Runelvys, who struggled with his control enough that he had 103 pitches through 5, but 1 was unearned because of a throwing error by C Jared Price. Chris Booker gave up 2 runs in the 6th, including a leadoff homer, and the RedHawks had a 4-0 lead. Omaha didn't really threaten until the 9th when, with 2 out, Chad Allen singled and Mike Coolbaugh doubled to put runners at second and third but Buddy's boy Rick Bell flied out to end the game. Omaha dropped to 33-52. Oklahoma SP John Danks went 6 IP and allowed only 4 hits with 8 K to move to 2-1 with a 2.00 ERA. IF Jamie Burke was 2-4 with his 15th double, 6th homer and 28th RBI to move to .259, RF Adam Hyzdu was 2-3 with his 44th RBI to move to .274 and LF Anthony Webster was 0-3 to drop to .318.

The series at the RedHawks (40-44, AAA Rangers) continues Wednesday night. Kyle Middleton makes his second start for Omaha vs. Robinson Tejeda of Oklahoma.

AA - Wichita: Wranglers 5, Springfield 3

3B Gordon 2-5, HR (11), 3 RBI (38), K -- .308
RF Butler 1-4, 2 K, picked off -- .326
LF Lubanski 1-3, 2 BB, K, RS, E (6) -- .259
CF Maier 1-3, BB, 2 K, 2 RS, SB (8) -- .269
2B Murphy 0-4, SB (5) -- .227, struggling in '06
C Tupman 1-3, BB -- .285
1B Keim 1-4, 2B, RBI (17) -- .258, outhitting Kaaihue easily

Musser 6 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 4 K, WP -- W, 4-0, 1.95 ERA, balances out Booker for Baird, maybe?
DeHoyos 1 2/3 IP, K -- SV, 3, 0.00 ERA

*** Alex Gordon provided some 1st inning fireworks and the Wranglers took the series finale with Springfield. After two walks to start the game, Gordon hit his 11th homer, a 3-run shot, to give Wichita a 3-0 lead. SP Neal Musser gave up 3 runs in the 2nd to allow the Cards to tie the game but the Wranglers took the lead for good in the 4th on an RBI ground-rule double by Adam Keim. While Musser and RP Thad Markray took care of business, the Wranglers added an insurance run in the 8th on a fielder's choice by Donnie Murphy that scored a run after a Springfield throwing error. Gabe DeHoyos pitched a 1-2-3 9th to pick up his 3rd save in as many chances. Wichita is 8-4 and now 2 games up on first. Cards 1B Juan Richardson was 2-4 to move to .300, 3B Travis Hanson was 2-4 with his 3rd error to move to .279 and RF Terry Evans was 1-4 to drop to .307.

The Wranglers start a 5-game home set with the Arkansas Travelers (5-7, AA Angels) Wednesday. No announced pitchers.

High-A - High Desert: Mavs 8, Lancaster 2

RF McFall 3-4, 2 2B (19), HR (12), 2 RBI (44), K, 2 RS -- .247
1B Stodolka 2-4, BB, RBI (38), K -- .286
2B W. Perez 1-3, 2 HBP, RBI (25), RS, SB (7) -- .291
LF Valentin 1-5, K -- .286
C Donachie 1-3, BB, HR (5), RBI (20), K, 2 RS -- .274

Gragg III 8 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 K, HRA -- W, 4-3, 3.43 ERA

*** John Gragg III has appeared to put some of his AA struggles behind him as he had another good start and the Mavs won their 12th home game in a row. A Mike Stodolka double play ball scored a run in the 1st and High Desert took an early 1-0 lead. Gragg 1-hit the JetHawks through 5 IP and the Mavs added a run that inning on a Wilver Perez RBI single. They scored 2 in the 6th on a 2-run shot by Brian McFall for his 12th of the season before Lancaster got a solo shot in the 7th to finally put up a run. A Stodolka RBI single matched it in the Mavs 7th and, after Lancaster scored again in the 8th, the Mavs put it away with 3 in their half on a solo homer by Adam Donachie for his 5th of '06 and a 2-run throwing error on a ball hit by Geraldo Valentin. High Desert is 8-4 and now in sole possession of first place by 1 1/2 games. JetHawks 3B Mark Reynolds was 1-3 with his 22nd homer and 73rd RBI to move to .335 (he also made his 13th error), CF Chris Rahl was 0-4 to drop to .328 and RF Carlos Gonzalez was 0-3 to drop to .324.

The home series with the JetHawks (6-5, High-A D'Backs) continues Wednesday. Luis Cota takes the mound for the Mavs.

Low-A - Burlington: Cedar Rapids 13, Bees 5

2B Johnson 3-5, RBI (22), K -- .265
CF Duarte 1-5, K, RS, SB (18) -- .261
1B Vega 1-5, HR (10), RBI (39), 2 K, RS -- .250
DH Everett 0-2, BB, K, RS -- .252
LF Santana 1-3, BB, 3B (2), 2 RBI (10) -- .255

Oliveros 6 1/3 IP, 7 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 3 K, HRA -- L, 4-3, 3.20 ERA
Garcia 0 IP, 3 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, WP -- 4.97 ERA, ouch
Henninger 1 1/3 IP, 3 UER, 2 H, 2 K, WP -- 6.50 ERA
Jirschele(?) 1/3 IP -- 0.00 ERA for position player

*** Big 1st and 7th innings helped the Kernels take game 2 with the Bees. Josh Johnson singled home Jose Duarte in the 1st to get the Bees a 1-0 lead but Cedar Rapids struck back with 4 in the 1st, including a steal of home on Rayner Oliveros and a 3-run homer. The Kernels added a run in the 3rd but Burlington closed the gap with 2 in the 4th on a 2-run triple by Ethien Santana and 1 in the 5th on a solo homer by Miguel Vega for his 10th of the year to cut the lead to 5-4. That was the score in the bottom of the 7th when Oliveros exited and Eliszer Garcia took over. A single, walk, wild pitch, triple and intentional walk later, the Kernel lead was 5 and Garcia left. RP David Henninger gave up a sac fly but then got out of the inning but Burlington was down, 10-4. Henninger gave up 3 unearned runs in the 8th thanks in part to errors by SS Valentino Arce and 3B Mario Lisson and RF Jeremy Jirschele was brought in from the outfield to pitch (shades of Little League) and got the last out of the inning. Johnson singled home another run in the 9th but it was much too little, too late as Vega flew out with the bases loaded to end the game. Burlington is 4-9 and 4 games back of first. Kernels SS Hainley Statia was 2-4 with his 22nd RBI, 3 RS and his 10th and 11th steals to move to .293, 3B Dallas Morris was 2-2 with a double, triple and 3 RBI (30) off the bench to move to .218 and 1B Mark Trumbo was 1-4 with his 10th homer and 3 RBI (36) to move to .205.

The Bees and Kernels play again Wednesday night. Pitchers: RH Chris Nicoll (3-5, 2.74) vs. Kernels RH Robert Mosebach (5-4, 3.28).

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 10, Orem 2

DH B. Herrera 4-4, HR (2), 4 RBI (11), 2 RS -- .340
2B Mertins 2-5, BB, RBI (4), 2 RS, SB (2) -- .647
3B Castillo 2-4, BB, HR (1), 2 RBI (13), 2 RS -- .400
SS Nunez 3-5, 3B (2), 2 RBI (6), 2 E (2) -- .250
RF Gonzalez 2-5, K, RS -- .238
LF Morel 1-5, BB, 2 K, 2 RS, SB (2) -- .322
CF Bigler 1-4, BB, K -- .286
* Every member of the lineup had a hit.

Chambliss 4 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, BB, 3 K -- ND, 0.00 ERA, mistakenly said yesterday Mozingo started
Mozingo 4 IP, ER, H, 4 K -- W, 1-1, 10.24 ERA
Casey IP, UER, BB -- 9.64 ERA

*** Tyler Chambliss and Harold Mozingo dominated the Owlz over 8 innings and the Chukar offense lit up Orem for 10 runs in a runaway win. Brenan Herrera singled home a run in the 1st and the Chukars were off. A 2-run homer by Luis Castillo in the 3rd for his 1st of the season gave the Chukars a 3-0 lead and, with 2 out in the 4th, Kurt Mertins singled home a run and 1B Jase Turner did the same to make the lead 5. Eduardo Nunez singled home a run in the 5th and the Chukars scored 4 in the 6th on a Herrera 3-run homer for his 2nd of the season and a Nunez RBI single. Mozingo carried Chambliss' no-hit bid into the 7th before giving up a 1-out RBI double to break it up and also lose the shutout. Bryan Casey gave up an unearned run in the 9th thanks to an error by Nunez but the reliever finished the job and the Chukars finished with a 1-hitter. Idaho Falls is 10-5 and a game up on first. Owlz IF P.J. Phillips was 1-4 with a double and RBI to stay at .250 and DH Tyler Johnson was 0-2 to drop to .371.

The Chukars and Owlz continue their set Wednesday night. P Blake Wood gets his first pro start for Idaho Falls. Let's hope he lives up to that third-round pick.

Rookie - AZL: Royals 11, Padres 8

3B Taylor 4-5!, RBI (2), K, 2 RS, E (1) -- .429, great couple of days out of the 2nd rounder
SS Bianchi 1-3, 2 BB, 2 RS -- .406
1B S. Lucas 3-4, BB, 2B (3), 3 RBI (14), RS, CS -- .381
2B A. Perez 2-4, BB, K, 2 RS, 2 SB (4), CS, E (1) -- .281
C Doscher 2-5, 2B, K, RS -- .281
CF D. Robinson 1-5, 3B (2), 3 RBI (4), 2 K, RS -- .182
RF Van Stratten 1-4, BB, RBI (7) -- .176
LF Francis 1-3, BB, RBI (3), 2 K, RS, picked off -- .200

Fisher 5 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 5 K, WP -- ND, 2.30 ERA
McLintock 1 1/3 IP, 5 UER, 2 H, BB, 4 K, WP -- BS, 2, W, 1-1, 6.48 ERA
A. Martinez 2 IP, 4 H, K -- SV, 1, 7.45 ERA

*** A game of momentum shifts went the Royals way. A throwing error on a steal of second by Alwin Perez in the 1st helped him score to give the Royals a 1-0 lead but the Pads tied it in the bottom of the 1st off Brent Fisher. Perez created more baserunning magic in the 3rd as another throwing error was made on his steal of second and a wild pitch brought him home. Fisher gave up a 2-run double in the bottom of the 3rd to give the lead to the Padres but the Royals came back with a 3-run 5th on a 2-out bases loaded double by Scott Lucas that cleared the bases. The Royals extended the lead to 3 with a run in the 6th on a Nick Francis RBI single but the Padres weren't done. Fielding errors by Jason Taylor and Perez helped 1 run score in the 7th with 2 out but the Padres went on to rally for 4 more runs on a 3-run triple and run scoring wild pitch to take an 8-6 lead. The Royals rallied for 4 of their own in the 8th as Nick Van Stratten singled home a run and Derrick Robinson came up with 2 out and the bases loaded and had perhaps his biggest pro hit to date with a bases-clearing triple to give the Royals a 10-8 lead. RP Angel Martinez got himself in a bases-loaded, 1-out jam in the 8th but got a pop out and strike out to end the inning. A Taylor RBI single gave some added insurance in the 9th and Martinez got through the 9th with no damage to end the game. The Royals are 7-4 and a game back of the Giants and M's. Pads SS Jodam Rivera was 1-3 with 3 RS to move to .400, 1B Jeremy Hunt was 2-5 with his 3rd double and 4 RBI (7) to move to .359 and 3B A.J. Davidiuk was 2-5 with a triple and 3 RBI to move to .259. C Roman Solis had 4 errors and a passed ball.

The Royals were set to play the Brewers Wednesday. No announced starters.