Royals on the Farm 8/12

AAA - Omaha: New Orleans 3, O-Royals 2

2B Keppinger 0-3, BB, K, RS -- .382
DH Allen 2-4, HR (14), 2 RBI (78), K -- .323
LF Huber 0-3, BB, K -- .283
RF Costa 1-4, K -- .377
SS Blanco 2-4, K, SB (6), E (21) -- .240
CF Cortez 0-4, K -- .243

Van Hekken 5 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, BB, 5 K, HRA -- ND, 5.60 ERA, best start for Omaha thus far
Braun 2 2/3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K -- 2.93 ERA
Diaz 2/3 IP, UER, BB -- L, 0-2, 4.35 ERA

*** Control problems by RP Jose Diaz helped cost the Royals the game for their 6th straight loss. Andy Van Hekken gave up a sac fly in the 1st but Chad Allen evened the score with a leadoff homer in the 2nd for his 14th of the season. Omaha took the lead in the 3rd on a 2-out RBI single by Allen and Van Hekken pitched solidly into the 6th before giving up a game-tying solo shot that inning. Ryan Braun came in with 1 on and 1 out and a double and intentional walk loaded the bases before he induced a double play to end the threat. Braun was pulled after striking out the side in the 8th and Diaz came in for the 9th. An Andres Blanco fielding error started the inning but Diaz got 2 outs before the trouble really began. After a walk to put runners on first and second, Diaz hit two straight batters to bring home the winning run. Omaha is 45-76. Recent Royal Chris Booker got the win with 2 2/3 IP of hitless relief that included 5 Ks as he moved to 1-0 with a 4.02 ERA. Zephyrs RF Marlon Byrd was 2-4 with a double, his 2nd homer and 2 RBI (11) to move to .216 and LF George Lombard was 0-3 to drop to .310.

Game 3 of the 4-game set is Sunday night. Pitchers: RH Kyle Middleton (0-6, 5.86) vs. Zephyrs RH Steve Watkins (6-5, 3.87).

AA - Wichita: Wranglers 9, Corpus Christi 1

3B Gordon 3-4, 3 2B (34), RBI (76), 2 RS -- .319
RF Butler 1-3, BB, RBI (92), K, RS -- .325
DH Maier 1-3, BB, 2 RBI (76), K, RS, SB (11), CS (10) -- .290
CF Lubanski 0-4 -- .275
SS Sanchez 0-3, BB, RS -- .282
LF D. Brown 2-4, HR (15), 3 RBI (61), 2 RS -- .294

Buckner 6 IP, ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 4 K, WP -- W, 4-2, 5.58 ERA
DeHoyos 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K -- 1.54 ERA

*** Billy Buckner had another great outing and Wichita salvaged a game of the series with the Hooks entering Sunday's finale. After Alex Gordon was stranded at third in the 1st and the Hooks left 2 on vs. Buckner in the 1st, the Hooks got the first run of the game in the 2nd on 2 hits off Buckner and an error by Adam Donachie. Gordon hit a 1-out double in the 4th and scored on a Billy Butler RBI single to tie the game and Wichita moved ahead with a big 6th. Gordon's third double of the game brought home the first run of the inning and Wichita added 6 more on 2-run singles by Dee Brown and Mitch Maier, an RBI triple by Adam Keim and sac fly by Kila Kaaihue to make it 8-1. Gabe DeHoyos relieved Buckner to start the 7th and faced loaded bases with 2 out before getting an inning-ending K. Dee Brown added the cherry on top with a solo homer in the 8th for his 15th of the season. Wichita is 28-21 and 4 games up on first. Hooks CF Tike Redman was 2-5 to move to .321, 2B Jonathan Ash was 2-4 with his 23rd RBI to move to .319 and RF Hunter Pence was 1-5 to drop to .294.

The series ends Sunday as Brian Bass pitches for the Wranglers. Apparently Bass was suspended earlier this season for a retaliatory move after he was DFA'd by KC to make room for Seth Etherton. That happened as the Wichita games with Corpus Christi were being televised on RSTN and Bass supposedly wrote "F*** the Royals" on the bill of his cap, with the epithet showing up on TV while he was on the mound. Oops. Anyway, he's back now and has been pitching better. Maybe he's gained some more appreciation for his paycheck. Butler will also leave the team after Tuesday to play with the U.S. team in an Olympic qualifying tourney in Cuba. According to the Wichita Eagle, Matt Tupman will also leave to play with the team.

High-A - High Desert: Rancho Cucamonga 12, Mavs 3

SS Falu 2-5, K, RS -- .276
1B R. Brown 1-5, 2 RBI (48), K, 2 E (11) -- .269
C Duenas 1-4, HR (11), RBI (37), 2 K -- .282
RF Valentin 0-4, 2 K -- .276
LF Tomlin 1-3, BB, E (3) -- .287

Cota 5 2/3 IP, 7 R (6 ER), 6 H, 4 BB, 3 K, HRA, pickoff, E (4) -- L, 5-11, 6.82 ERA

*** A big Rancho Cucamonga 6th propelled the Quakes to a big win over the Mavs. Tomas Duenas hit a 2nd inning solo homer for his 11th of the season and a 1-0 lead. Luis Cota gave up a solo homer in the 3rd to tie it and Mavs 2B Wilver Perez left the game in the bottom of the inning after grounding into a force out with an injured shoulder. With 1 out and the bases loaded, Rusty Brown singled home 2 runs to make it 3-1 Mavs. The Quakes got a run back off Cota in the 4th and took the lead with 2 in the 5th on 3 hits. Cota had 2 outs and a runner on second in the 6th before a hit batsman and run-scoring single and error by James Tomlin brought Justin Barnes in to pitch. Barnes gave up a walk, 4 straight hits and a hit batsman before getting out of the inning with the Mavs down, 11-3. Barnes gave up a homer in the 7th to further ice it for RC. High Desert is 22-26. Quakes SS Sean Rodriguez was 2-4 with his 5th triple, 24th homer, 2 RBI (77) and his 29th error to move to .304, DH Michael Collins was 2-4 with 3 RBI (72) to move to .291 and CF Josh Leblanc was 2-5 with his 3rd homer and 35th RBI to move to .231.

The Mavs and Quakes finish the series Sunday. Dan Christensen starts for HD against RC starter and Angels pitching prospect Nick Adenhart. Perez will be re-evaluated Monday and hurt his shoulder diving head-first back to first base according to the team site.

Low-A - Burlington: Peoria 4, Bees 3

SS O. Pena 2-4, 2B, HR (3), 2 RBI (12) -- .262
CF Duarte 1-4, 2 K -- .270
2B Johnson 0-2, 2 BB -- .250
3B Lisson 0-3, BB, RBI (62) -- .256

Nicoll 5 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 8 K -- L, 4-9, 2.93 ERA
Harkcom and Garcia 3 IP scoreless relief

*** Burlington put up a late comeback bid but didn't get it done. Omar Pena put the Bees up front with a 2nd inning RBI double but Chris Nicoll gave up a 2-out RBI double in the 4th to tie it and 3 runs on a 2-out rally in the 5th to make it 4-1 Chiefs. The Bees loaded the bases with 2 out in the 8th and Mario Lisson drew a walk to make it 4-2 before Jeff Howell K'd to end the inning. Pena closed the gap to 1 with a 2-out solo homer in the 9th for his 3rd of the season but Miguel Vega struck out to end the game. Burlington moved to 20-29. Chiefs starter Mitch Atkins got the win with an unearned run allowed on a hit and 2 walks to move to 11-3 with a 2.41 ERA, LF Jesus Valdez was 2-4 with his 24th double and 2 RBI (57) to move to .307 and DH Ryne Malone was 2-4 with his 13th double and 23rd RBI to move to .301.

The series wrapped up Sunday afternoon and the Bees earned a split with an 8-6 win. Erik Cordier picked up the victory. More on that in the next report.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Orem 5, Idaho Falls 3

DH Mertins 2-4, BB, RS -- .366
2B Maddox 2-4, 2B (13), RBI (24) -- .323
CF Dickerson 1-4, RBI (26), K -- .308
SS McConnell 0-5 -- .257
LF Morel 1-4, SB (15) -- .288

Wood 5 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 3 K -- ND, 5.52 ERA
Abreu 3 IP, 2 ER, H, BB, 5 K, HRA -- L, 3-2, 7.05 ERA

*** Orem kept its hold over Idaho Falls with 2 late runs that provided the winning margin. A Joe Dickerson RBI single put the Chukars up, 1-0, in the 1st but Blake Wood gave up a triple, single and double to start the Orem 1st and make it 2-1. Brandon Lance tied the game with an RBI ground out in the 2nd. Wood gave up a tiebreaking run in the 5th but Marc Maddox hit a clutch RBI double in the 8th to tie it at 3. Juan Abreu, who had pitched solid in the 6th and 7th, had 2 out and 1 on in the bottom of the 8th when he gave up a 2-run homer that broke the game open for the Owlz. The tying run got to second with 2 out in the 9th but Chris McConnell popped out to end the game. The Chukars are 6-8. Orem SS Ryan Mount was 2-3 with a triple and his 27th RBI to move to .271, RF Chris Pettit was 2-4 with his 16th double, 4th homer and 3 RBI (31) to move to .319 and CF Peter Bourjos was 1-4 with his 19th RBI to move to .291.

Game 3 of the set is Sunday afternoon and Idaho Falls has a late 3-2 lead.

Rookie - AZL: Royals 13, A's 1

3B Taylor 2-5, 2B (7), 2 RBI (19), 2 RS -- .288
RF Peralta 3-3, BB, HBP, RBI (18), 2 RS, picked off -- .277
LF Dyson 2-4, RBI (11), 2 RS -- .297
CF Van Stratten 2-4, HR (3), 2 RBI (26), 3 RS -- .263
C Doscher 2-3, BB, RBI (12), K, RS -- .255
1B S. Lucas 1-3, 2 BB, 2B (8), 3 RBI (43), K, RS -- .291

Arias 5 IP, ER, 3 H, 5 BB, 4 K -- W, 2-4, 3.20 ERA
Martinez and Lopez 4 IP scoreless relief

*** 12 runs in 2 innings got the Royals the easy win over the A's. Nick Van Stratten hit a solo homer in the 1st for his 3rd of the season and a 1-0 lead. The Athletics tied it in the 3rd off Henry Arias but the Royals moved ahead for good in the 5th. A 1-out RBI single by Jarrod Dyson got the Royals' scoring started in the inning and Alwin Perez added a run scoring single that scored 2 runs after an A's error. A Van Stratten RBI single was followed 3 batters later by a bases loaded double by Scott Lucas that cleared the bases and made it 8-1. The hits kept coming in the 6th as the Royals scored 5 on a Felix Peralta RBI single, a wild pitch that scored Van Stratten, a 2-run double by Jason Taylor and a Nick Doscher RBI single to make it 13-1. The Royals are 10-4 and tied for first with the Giants. A's CF Angel Sierra was 2-4 with his 10th SB and a RS to move to .198 and A's '05 first-rounder and DH Cliff Pennington was 1-3 to move to .167. The A's only had 4 hits in the game.

The Royals were set to play the 7-5 Padres Sunday.