Royals on the Farm 7/5

AAA - Omaha: Oklahoma 5, O-Royals 4

3B Aviles 3-4, RS -- .253
RF Allen 2-4, BB -- .341
LF-CF Costa 1-4, BB, HR (4), RBI (10), K, 2 RS -- .441
DH Gotay 2-3, BB, RBI (37), RS -- .253
2B Clapinski 1-1, BB, 2B, 2 RBI, E (4) -- .180, left in 4th with injured leg
CF K. Robinson 0-3 -- .306
SS Blanco 0-4, K -- .242

Middleton 6 2/3 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 8 H, BB, K -- L, 0-2, 3.29 ERA
MacDougal IP, H, BB -- 6.35 ERA, still rehabbing

*** The RedHawks bullpen pitched 4 2/3 innings of shutout baseball and Omaha couldn't get the tying run across the plate. Shane Costa hit his 4th homer in his first AB of the game off Okie SP Robinson Tejeda in the 1st to give Omaha a 1-0 lead but Kyle Middleton gave up 2 runs before he got an out in the bottom of the 1st and Oklahoma was up, 2-1. The Royals loaded the bases with 1 out in the 2nd but fly outs by Blanco and Kerry Robinson killed that rally. Middleton gave up a 2-out, 2-run triple in the 3rd to extend the RedHawks' lead to 4-1 but Omaha matched it in the 4th on a 2-run double by Chris Clapinski, who was pulled after the hit with an injured leg. Pinch runner Fernando Cortez got to third with 1 out but the Royals couldn't get him home. Middleton gave up an unearned run in the 4th thanks in part to an error by 1B Mike Coolbaugh and Oklahoma moved back ahead by 2. Ruben Gotay came through with a 2-out RBI single in the 5th to cut the lead back to 1 and Omaha got runners to first and third with 2 outs in the 7th before Gotay popped out to end both the inning and the last time the Royals would threaten to score. Omaha is 33-53. RedHawks DH Laynce Nix was 2-3 with his 45th RBI to move to .261, SS Drew Meyer was 2-4 with a triple, RBI and 2 RS to move to .258 and RF Adam Hyzdu was 1-3 with a triple and 2 RBI (46) to move to .275.

The teams finish the series Thursday night. Pitchers: RH Brian Boehringer (1-4, 3.15) vs. RedHawks LH Derek Lee (3-5, 4.19). Justin Huber is still listed as day-to-day with his sore thumb. Must be pretty sore as he's missed five games. Omaha started the post Aaron Guiel era with a loss as he was picked up by the Yankees on waivers Wednesday. I'm sure now that he's in pinstripes he'll get his stuff together. He sure didn't do a whole lot in Omaha or KC this season.

AA - Wichita: Arkansas 1, Wranglers 0

3B Gordon 0-4, 3 K -- .303
RF Butler 0-4 -- .322
CF Maier 2-4, K -- .272
LF Lubanski 1-4, 2B (22) -- .259
SS Sanchez 0-4 -- .277, needs to get on base more from leadoff spot
2B Murphy 0-3, BB, K -- .223
C Thibault 0-2, K, E (1) -- .200, error led to only run

Herndon 8 IP, UER, 6 H, 2 K -- L, 5-4, 4.41 ERA, tough loss to take
Braun IP, K -- 1.83 ERA, back from DL

*** A Kiel Thibault throwing error was the only big break either team got as Junior Herndon and Jose Arredondo, who was making his AA debut, dueled. Herndon got out of a small jam in the 1st but neither team put up a big threat until the Travs 6th, when with 2 out Dwaine Bacon stole third and scored on Thibault's throwing error. Chris Lubanski doubled and got to third with 1 out in the 6th but the Wranglers couldn't get him home and Wichita got 2 on with 2 out in the 9th before Kila Kaaihue struck out to end the game. Wichita is 8-5 and still 2 games up on first. Arredondo's debut was nice, to say the least, as he got a complete-game shutout with 5 hits, 2 walks and 8 Ks. SS Brandon Wood was 0-4 with his 19th and 20th errors to drop to .296, C Bobby Wilson was 1-3 to move to .303 and 2B Eric Rodland was 1-2 to move to .293.

The teams knock heads again Thursday night. No announced pitchers. Also, according to the Wichita Eagle, RP Derrick DePriest was released to make room for Braun. DePriest was 0-4 with a 7.01 ERA in 34 2/3 innings.

High-A - High Desert: Mavs 15, Lancaster 5

1B Stodolka 3-5, HR (9), 5 RBI! (43), 2 RS -- .292
CF Tomlin 3-5, 2B (8), HR (1), 2 RBI (12), 3 RS -- .281, triple short of cycle
3B E. Lucas 3-5, 2 RBI (35), RS -- .264
C Donachie 2-4, BB, 2 RS -- .279
2B Gaffney 2-4, BB, HBP, 2B, RBI (18), 2 RS -- .287
SS Falu 2-5, HBP, RBI (29), RS -- .272
LF Valentin 1-5, 2 RS -- .285

Cota 5 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, BB, 10 K!, HRA -- W, 4-7, 6.94 ERA, not a great start but with that run support....

*** A 7-run 1st set the stage for the Mavs as they ran away with the 10-run win. The rally started slowly as three straight 1-out singles were capped by the final one - an RBI hit by Mike Stodolka - and another run scored on a JetHawks fielding error. A Brian McFall sac fly brought the third run home before the Mavs scored 4 with 2 outs on a James Tomlin RBI double, 2-run single by Ed Lucas and RBI single by Irving Falu in his second AB of the inning to make the score 7-0. SP Luis Cota gave up a run in the 2nd but the Mavs scored 2 that frame on Stodolka's 2-run homer for his 9th of the season. Cota gave up a solo homer in the 4th but the Mavs again struck back with 3 in the bottom of the 4th on a 2-run error on a ball hit by McFall and a solo homer by Tomlin for his 1st of the season. A Stodolka RBI single in the 5th made the score 13-2 before both teams scored twice in the 6th. High Desert's pair of runs came on a bases-loaded walk by Michael Gaffney and a Stodolka RBI ground out. RP Adam Rowe gave up a run in the 9th but finished the game. High Desert is on a 4-game win streak at 9-4 and is now up 2 1/2 games on first. Lancaster SP A.J. Shappi gave up 12 runs but, because of 5 errors, only 4 were earned as he dropped to 5-6 with a 6.31 ERA. 3B Brandon Burgess was 3-4 with his 15th homer and 2 RBI (45) along with 2 errors (6) to move to .268, LF Mark Reynolds was 0-4 to drop to .330 and DH Wilkin Castillo was 3-4 with a double and RBI to move to .288.

The teams finish the series Thursday night. Kyle Crist gets the start. According to the team site, the Mavs are the only Cal League team with more double plays turned (94) than errors committed (92), so the team of Falu and Gaffney/Valentin is working well. The Mavs lead the league in fewest errors committed.

Low-A - Burlington: Cedar Rapids 4, Bees 3

3B Lisson 2-4, 2B (20), RS, 2 E (16) -- .240
DH Howell 1-4, HR (4), 2 RBI (21), K -- .241
CF Duarte 1-4, 2B (10), RBI (23), K -- .260
2B Johnson 0-4, K -- .260
C Everett 0-2, BB, picked off, E (3) -- .248
SS McConnell 1-3, 2 K, RS -- .175, been over .200 what, two or three days this season? He's hitting like Biancalana.

Nicoll 6 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, BB, 5 K, pickoff -- ND, 2.66 ERA, frustrating to get that line and no W
Schambough 2 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, BB, K -- L, 2-3, 1.73 ERA

*** Kraig Schambough blew a 9th inning lead and the Bees lost again. A Jeff Howell solo homer in the 4th (his 4th of the season) gave the Bees a 1-0 lead and Chris Nicoll took a no-hitter into the 7th. A Kernels leadoff double in that inning spoiled his no-hit bid and errors by C Brady Everett and 3B Mario Lisson helped 2 runs score and the Kernels took a 2-1 lead. Schambough came in and worked out of the jam without any runs. A 2-out RBI double by Jose Duarte in the 8th tied the game and a Howell RBI ground out in the 9th gave the Bees a 3-2 lead. Schambough came out for the 9th to try to finish the Kernels but gave up a 1-out RBI double to tie the game and then a walkoff single to end it. The Bees are now 4-10 and have lost 5 in a row. Kernels SP Robert Mosebach went 8 IP and allowed only 2 ER on 5 hits and a walk to drop his ERA to 3.20. SS Hainley Statia was 2-4 with 2 RS and his 12th SB to move to .296.

Cedar Rapids goes for the 4-game sweep on the Bees Thursday night. Erik Cordier is set to make his single-A debut for the Bees. The Bees are at the bottom of the league in team BA (.230) and team SLG (.308) and next to last in team OPS (.624) so the hitting isn't pretty in Burlington. They are third in walks and don't strike out much but are also last in total bases. It's a shame because the Bees are 5th in ERA (3.30) and 3rd in WHIP (1.21). Power pitchers aren't the Bees' bag, however, as they are 4th from the bottom in Ks.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Orem 4, Chukars 2

LF Bigler 3-5, K -- .319
CF Dickerson 0-3, BB, K, RS, SB (2) -- .306
1B Castillo 1-4, RBI (14) -- .388
2B Maddox 1-4, BB, 2B (7), K, RS -- .264
3B Herrera 0-4, K -- .314
SS Gil 1-3, RBI (5), K, E (4) -- .229

B. Wood 1 1/3 IP, ER, 3 H, 3 BB, K -- ND, 6.75 ERA, not a good debut. I'm hoping it was a strict pitch count and not injury that caused him to leave
Hartsock 4 2/3 IP, 2 H, 3 K -- 0.56 ERA, been doing great work out of bullpen
Baldwin 3 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K, balk -- L, 0-2, 6.35 ERA

*** The Chukars faltered late to drop the game to the Owlz. Blake Wood got the start for his organizational debut and got the first 2 outs in the 1st easily before going triple, walk, RBI single, walk to give Orem a 1-0 lead. After a single, walk and force out in the 2nd, he was pulled and Aaron Hartsock was brought in. As Hartsock cruised through 4-plus innings, the Chukars tied the game in the 4th on an RBI single by Gilbert Gil. The game remained tied at 1 into the 8th before RP Burke Baldwin gave up a go-ahead RBI single in the 8th to give the Owlz a 2-1 lead. Luis Castillo tied the game in the Chukar 8th with an RBI single but the Chukars could do no more damage despite having 2 on with 0 out. Baldwin gave up a backbreaker 2-out, 2-run triple in the 9th to give Orem its big break and Idaho Falls got 2 on with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th but couldn't score again. Idaho Falls is 10-6 and now tied with Orem for the division lead. Owlz CF Chris Pettit was 2-4 with the big triple and 3 RBI (9) to move to .273 and LF Tyler Johnson was 0-2 with 2 walks to move to .351.

The teams finally finish their 6-game run Thursday night. No announced starters.

Rookie - AZL: Royals 12, Brewers 4

3B Taylor 4-6, 2 2B, 2 RBI (4), K, 2 RS, SB (1), E (2) -- .481, he's red hot
DH Bianchi 3-5, HBP, 3 RS, SB (1) -- .432
CF Van Stratten 2-4, BB, 3 RBI (10), K -- .211
2B T. Wilson 0-3 -- .182
LF Dyson 1-3, BB, HBP, 3B, 3 RS, SB (2) -- .500
1B S. Lucas 1-3, BB, HBP, SF, 3 RBI (17), RS, SB (5), CS -- .378
RF Peralta 1-4, 2 BB, RBI (14), 2 RS, 2 SB (4) -- .325

Arias 3 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 6 K!, balk -- ND, 0.00 ERA
Hauff IP, BB, K -- 0.00 ERA
Y. Lopez 3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, BB, 2 K -- W, 3-0, 5.91 ERA

*** The Royals laid it on the Brewers late to get another win behind the hot hitting of 2nd rounder Jason Taylor. The Royals started the scoring with 2 in the 2nd on a 2-run single by Nick Van Stratten and added a run in the 3rd on a double steal in which Scott Lucas was caught stealing but Jarrod Dyson (50th rounder) scored to make the score 3-0. SP Henry Arias and RP Michael Hauff got through the first 4 innings unscathed to give way to Yensi Lopez, who took the shutout into the 7th. The Royals scored again in the 6th on a Van Stratten single and twice in the 7th on a Lucas sac fly and Taylor RBI single for a 6-0 lead. Lopez gave up 2 runs with 2 outs in the 7th but the Royals struck back with 5 in the 8th on a Lucas 2-run single, Peralta RBI single and a 2-run Brewer error. RP Henry Barrera gave up 2 runs in the 8th but the Royals piled on an insurance run in the 9th on a Taylor RBI double to make the score 12-4. RP Tyler Cummings threw a 1-2-3 9th to end the game. The Royals are 8-4 and now in a 3-way tie for first. Brewers DH Brett Whiteside was 1-4 with a triple and 2 RBI (12) to move to .429 and CF Mike Goetz was 2-3 with 2 walks, 2 SB (8) and an RBI to move to .286.

The Royals have Thursday off.