Royals on the Farm 8/1

AAA - Omaha: Tucson 11, O-Royals 1

2B Keppinger 2-4, 2B (4) -- .417
3B Aviles 2-3, BB, 2B (18), SB (7), 2 E (17) -- .254
CF K. Robinson 2-3, 2B (19), K -- .311
RF Allen 0-4, 2 K -- .319
1B Cortez 1-4, RS -- .248
C Tupman 0-4, 2 K -- .265

Van Hekken 4 IP, 9 R (5 ER), 10 H, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 HRA -- L, 1-2, 6.75 ERA, ugly start
Braun 2 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 2 K -- 2.79 ERA
Yan 2 IP, H, 4 K, 2 WP -- 0.00 ERA

*** A 6-run Tucson 4th pretty much put the game out of reach for Omaha as the Royals ended up dropping 3 of 4 to the Sidewinders. Andy Van Hekken gave up a homer to the second batter he faced and Tucson was off and running. The Sidewinders got 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk in the 3rd before breaking out with 6 off Van Hekken in the 4th on 5 hits and walk, including a solo homer. An error by Mike Aviles kept alive what would have been a 1-run inning but Van Hekken allowed an RBI single and 2 doubles to put Omaha down, 9-0. While 12 Royals in a row were sat down by Tucson starter Mike Bacsik, the Sidewinders added their final 2 runs in the 5th on 3 hits off Ryan Braun and another Aviles error. Two Royals were thrown out trying to stretch hits in the 6th as Kerry Robinson led off with a double and was thrown out trying to get to third and DH Mike Coolbaugh drove home the lone run on a 2-out single only to have Jeff Keppinger thrown out at the plate trying to score a second run. Omaha is 44-67 and again in the cellar by 1/2 a game. Bacsik allowed only the unearned run (due to an error earlier in the inning) on 7 hits and a walk over 8 IP to move to 11-0 with a 2.40 ERA, LF Scott Hairston was 2-4 with 2 RBI (63) and was the guy who threw Keppinger out at the plate in improving to .327, C Miguel Montero was 1-5 with a double and 2 RBI to drop to .413 and 3B Brian Barden was 2-5 with his 31st double and 2 RBI (83) to move to .312. By the way, former Royal IF Donnie Sadler is hitting .277 for the Sidewinders.

A 4-game home set vs. the Portland Beavers (53-57, AAA Padres) starts Wednesday. Pitchers: Beavers LH Roger Deago (3-3, 5.06) vs. RH Kyle Middleton (0-5, 6.60). Mike Sweeney is set to continue his rehab with the Royals Wednesday, as is new trade pickup RP Joselo Diaz, whom the Royals obtained for Matt Stairs.

AA - Wichita: Arkansas 10, Wranglers 7

3B Gordon 1-5, K, RS -- .313, moved up to #2 hole to accommodate Sweeney
RF Butler 0-4, HBP, RS, E (7) -- .317, 7 errors not too bad in RF
DH Sweeney 3-4, BB, HR, 2 RBI -- .385, on to Omaha
CF Maier 2-4, RS, 2 SB (10) -- .293
1B Kaaihue 2-3, BB, HR (4), 2 RBI (37), K -- .199, threatening Mendoza line for first time in long time, maybe all season
LF Lubanski 1-4, BB, HR (12), RBI (59) -- .275
2B Murphy 1-4, K -- .233
C Bako 1-4, RBI, RS -- .167
SS Sanchez 0-3, BB -- .284

Herndon 1 1/3 IP, 10 R (9 ER), 8 H, 2 BB, HRA, WP -- L, 8-5, 4.81 ERA, worst outing of year
Song 1 2/3 IP, 3 H, BB, K -- 5.50 ERA, maybe long relief is right role
Hoelscher and Smith 5 combined IP scoreless relief (4 by Hoelscher) -- Smith 1.91 ERA

*** Junior Herndon got lit up like a Christmas tree and the Travelers took the series finale to get 1 game closer to the Wranglers in the division standings. Herndon gave up 3 straight 1-out doubles in the 1st for 2 runs but Wichita tied it in the top of the 2nd on Kila Kaaihue's 4th homer -- a 2-run shot to right. With 1 out in the 2nd, Herndon walked 2 batters, another batter reached on Billy Butler's 7th error of the season, 2 doubles brought home 4 runs, a single drove home another and the last straw was a 3-run homer allowed by Herndon to make it 10-2. Seung Song came in and loaded the bases with 2 out but got out of the jam. Paul Bako hit an RBI ground out and another run scored on a passed ball in the 4th to cut it to 10-4 and Chris Lubanski led off the 5th with his 12th homer before Mike Sweeney cranked a 2-run homer to left to cut the lead to 10-7. The Wranglers loaded the bases in the 6th but couldn't score and didn't have a base runner after the 7th. Wichita is 21-17 and 3 1/2 games up on first. Travs 3B Matt Brown was 3-5 with his 36th double and 2 RBI (62) to move to .309, SS Brandon Wood was 2-5 with 2 doubles (38) and 3 RBI (75) and his 17th SB to move to .277 and DH Greg Porter was 1-4 with his 16th homer and 3 RBI (55) to drop to .290.

The Wranglers open a 5-game set at the Tulsa Drillers (17-20, AA Rockies) Wednesday. Billy Buckner starts the opener.

High-A - High Desert: San Jose 2, Mavs 1

DH Stodolka 1-3, BB, 2B (24), K -- .303
CF Senreiso 2-4, K -- .281
RF Valentin 1-4 -- .292
3B E. Lucas 0-3, BB, K -- .281
LF Tomlin 0-4, RS -- .291

Gragg 7 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 6 K -- L, 7-5, 3.29 ERA
Pimentel IP, H, BB, 2 K -- 3.86 ERA

*** The Mavs outhit the Giants, 7-5, but couldn't outscore San Jose in the series opener. 2B Wilver Perez drove home HD's only run on a 2-out single in the 2nd but San Jose got 2 RBI singles in the 4th off John Gragg to take a 2-1 lead. The Mavs put up a small rally in the 5th but couldn't score again and took the loss despite good pitching from Gragg and RP Julio Pimentel. High Desert is 18-19 and a game back of first. Giants SP Darren Sack allowed only the unearned run on 7 hits and a walk over 5 IP to improve to 6-0 with a 0.68(!!) ERA. RP Brian Anderson pitched 2 perfect innings to pick up his 31st save and drop his ERA to 1.19. Giants 2B Mark Minicozzi was 2-4 with his 19th double to move to .282, LF Carlos Sosa was 0-3 to drop to .325 and '05 Omaha farmhand 1B Chad Santos was 1-4 with an RBI to move to .235.

The series continues Wednesday night. Luis Cota starts for HD. The Mavs are 1-6 against the Giants this season.

Low-A - Burlington: Clinton 5, Bees 4

1B Vega 3-4, 2B (14), 3 RBI (56), K, RS -- .246
2B Johnson 2-5, K, E (6) -- .250
CF Duarte 1-5, 2 RS -- .277
C Howell 2-4 -- .245

Nicoll 6 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 10 K!, 2 HRA -- L, 4-7, 2.82 ERA
Oliveros 3 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 K -- 3.06 ERA

*** The Bees lost their 3rd straight 1-run game as Clinton snapped a 9-game skid with the narrow win. Miguel Vega slapped a 2-run double in the 1st to give the Bees an early boost but SP Chris Nicoll allowed a solo homer in the 2nd and 3 runs in the 3rd on a 2-run homer and RBI triple. Josh Johnson also contributed his 6th error in the inning. The Bees' offense struggled as they hit into DPs in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th. The LumberKings added an insurance run off Rayner Oliveros in the 8th but Vega singled home a run in the 8th and RF Carlos Arroyo drew a bases-loaded walk to cut it to a 5-4 game. Valentino Arce popped out to end the inning and the Bees went down without much fight in the 9th. The Bees are 15-24. Clinton 2B Ian Gac was 2-4 with his 5th homer and 2 RBI to move to .202 and RF John Mayberry Jr. was 1-3 with his 3rd triple, 7th SB and 55th RBI to move to .256.

Game 2 of the set is Wednesday as the Bees try to snap their skid. Erik Cordier starts for Burlington.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Orem 22, Idaho Falls 12

CF Dickerson 2-5, HBP, HR (5), RBI (21), 3 RS, SB (6) -- .341
2B Mertins 2-5, RBI (12), K, 2 RS, E (8), SB (8) -- .385
SS McConnell 0-5, 3 K -- .279
RF Gonzalez 3-3, BB, 2B, RBI, 2 RS, SB (11) -- .231
LF Bigler 2-4, BB, RBI (16), RS, E (2), SB (8) -- .245
DH Herrera 2-5, 2 RBI (23), K, SB (4), picked off -- .259
1B Turner 2-4, BB, 2B (8), K, 2 RS -- .203
3B Gil 2-4, BB, RBI, K, 2 RS, SB (4) -- .246
C Balduf 2-5, 3 RBI, SB (1), PB (2) -- .256

Mozingo 3 1/3 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 5 H, 3 BB, 2 K, HRA, WP -- ND, 7.76 ERA
Chambliss 1 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K -- 5.09 ERA
Hartsock 1/3 IP, 6 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, HRA -- L, 3-1, 3.45 ERA
Baldwin and Eckley also gave up runs

*** 34 runs on 37 hits with 7 combined errors added up to a slugfest loss for the Chukars as Orem continued its recent ownership of IF. Both teams scored in the 1st as Harold Mozingo gave up a leadoff homer and Brenan Herrera singled home a run for the Chukars. Mozingo gave up 2 more runs in the 3rd but IF struck back with 5 on another Herrera RBI single, a double steal in which Joe Dickerson scored, and RBI singles by Kurt Mertins, O.D. Gonzalez and Todd Balduf for a 6-3 Chukar lead. Tyler Chambliss entered the game with 1 out and the bases loaded in the 4th and allowed a run on a passed ball by Balduf before getting touched up along with Aaron Hartsock for 4 in the 5th on 4 hits and 3 walks for an 8-6 Orem lead. Idaho Falls regained the lead with a 3-run 5th as Gilbert Gil hit an RBI single, Balduf hit an RBI ground out and Gil scored on a throwing error to make it 9-8. Hartsock got hammered for 5 runs to start the 6th and RP Burke Baldwin allowed 2 more in the inning to spot the Owlz a 15-9 lead. The Chukars got 2 back in the 7th on a Balduf RBI single and RBI ground out by Brett Bigler but a 2-run homer off Chase Vacek in the 8th made it 17-11. Dickerson hit his 5th homer -- a solo shot -- in the 8th for IF's last run but Orem wasn't finished as the Owlz had a 5-run 9th to put it further away. Idaho Falls is 0-3 and in the midst of a 5-game losing streak. Orem LF Darrell Sales was 4-5 with a double, 4 RBI and 3 RS to move to .190, RF Luis Rivera was 4-7 with a double, 2 RBI and 2 RS to move to .282 and SS Ryan Mount was 2-4 with his 7th homer, 2 RBI (21) and 4 RS to move to .281.

Idaho Falls moves on to a 3-game home set with the Ogden Raptors (0-3, Rookie Dodgers) starting Wednesday. No announced starters.

Rookie - AZL: Royals 5, Rangers 2

3B Taylor 2-3, 2 BB, RBI (15), K, RS, SB (5) -- .303
CF/RF Van Stratten 1-4, SF, 3B (3), 2 RBI (18), K -- .277
LF Dyson 1-2, BB, 2 HBP, 2B, 2 RS, 4 SB! (8), E (1) -- .279
1B S. Lucas 1-5 -- .333

A. Morales 5 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, BB, 3 K -- W, 6-3, 4.50 ERA
M. Morales 1 1/3 IP, 3 H -- 3.45 ERA
Hauff 2 1/3 IP, 2 H -- SV, 2, 0.00 ERA

*** A 4-steal game by '06 50th-round pick Jarrod Dyson highlighted the Royals' win Tuesday over the Rangers. Dyson was walked and stole second in the 1st and was HBP and stole second in the 3rd but didn't score either time. The Royals broke through in the 4th when Jason Taylor scored on a Ranger fielding error and added 2 in the 5th when Dyson doubled, stole third and scored on another Ranger fielding error and Nick Van Stratten tripled home a run to make it 3-0. The Rangers scored twice off Angelo and Miguel Morales in the 6th to cut the lead to 1 but the Royals repadded the lead with 2 in the 7th on a Van Stratten sac fly (that scored Dyson after he was HBP again and stole second) and a bases loaded walk by Taylor. RP Michael Hauff allowed only 2 hits over the final 2 1/3 innings to secure his 2nd save. The Royals are 4-1 and back atop the league standings. Rangers CF Ronnie Anderson was 3-4 to move to .234 and RF Victor Barrios was 2-4 to move to .333. The Rangers made 6 errors in the loss.

The Royals take on the 2-3 Cubs Wednesday night.