Royals on the Farm 8/15

AAA - Omaha: Albuquerque 4, O-Royals 2

LF Huber 1-4, 2 K, OF assist at second -- .279
RF Costa 1-4, K -- .366
DH Allen 0-3, BB -- .314
CF K. Robinson 2-4, 2B (21), RS -- .321
3B Aviles 1-4, HR (7), RBI (39), SB (9), E (21) -- .255
C Tupman 0-3 -- .247
SS Blanco 0-2, BB -- .238

Mahomes 7 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 6 K -- L, 0-1, 5.94 ERA
Nunez 2 IP, 2 H, BB, K -- 1.59 ERA

*** A shaky 2nd cost the Royals yet another game as the Isotopes took the opener of a 4-game set. Pat Mahomes loaded the bases with no outs in the 2nd and a 1-out double cleared them to make it 3-0 'Topes. Omaha got on the board in the 4th as Kerry Robinson led off with a double and scored on an Alejandro Prieto single. The Isotopes matched the run in the 5th and the Royals trimmed the lead back to 2 on Mike Aviles' solo homer to lead off the 8th for his 7th blast of the season. The Royals got the winning run to the plate with 1 out in the 9th but Justin Huber struck out and Aviles grounded out to end the game. Omaha is 45-79 and riding a 9-game losing streak. Isotopes 2B Edgar V. Gonzalez was 2-3 with a double to move to .388, C Chris Ashby was 2-4 with his 12th double and 3 RBI (37) to move to .314 and RF Chris Aguila was 0-4 to drop to .293.

Game 2 of the set is Wednesday night. Pitchers: Isotopes RH Nic Ungs (8-9, 4.16) vs. LH Donovan Osborne (0-5, 6.63). The Royals have been mathematically eliminated from the PCL playoff hunt. Twenty games are left in the season. They need to go 13-7 to avoid setting a franchise record for futility. Matt Tupman and Chad Allen are now gone, headed to play for Team USA. No roster moves have been announced.

AA - Wichita: Wranglers 4, San Antonio 2

3B Gordon DNP
RF Butler 2-4, RBI (96), RS -- .331
DH D. Brown 2-4, 2B (18), RS -- .301
LF Lubanski 1-3, BB, RS, SB (8) -- .273
CF Maier 1-4, RBI (78) -- .290
SS Sanchez 1-3, SF, RBI (49) -- .282

M. Wood 2 IP, H, 2 K, WP -- ND, rehab start
Lumsden 6 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 4 BB, 4 K -- W, 1-1, 2.89 ERA
Cedeno IP, 2 BB, 2 K -- SV, 1, 5.91 ERA

*** Early run support helped Wichita hold on to a win for their 11th straight over San Antonio and 4th straight overall. Three straight singles started the Wrangler 1st as Billy Butler drove home his 96th RBI to make it 1-0. After 2 fairly solid innings from Mike Wood in a rehab start and the Wranglers stranding 2 in the 2nd, Wichita scored 2 in the 3rd on a Mitch Maier RBI single and Adam Keim double play ball to make it 3-0. Tyler Lumsden didn't get scored upon until the Missions pushed across a run in the 6th but Wichita got the run back in the 7th on an Angel Sanchez sac fly. The Missions got another run off Lumsden in the 8th but a line-out double play killed their hopes for a rally and Juan Cedeno put the tying run at first in the 9th but got out of the inning with his 1st save. Wichita is 31-21 and 5 games up on first. Missions SP Travis Chick took his first AA loss of '06 with 4 R (3 ER) on 7 hits and 3 walks over 7 IP to drop to 3-1 with a 2.23 ERA. 1B Marshall Hubbard was 4-4 with his 23rd RBI to move to .280, RF Mike Wilson was 1-3 with his 12th double to move to .302, DH Wladimir Balentien was 1-4 with his 68th RBI to move to .242 and 2B Yung Chi Chen was 0-5 to drop to .291.

The series continues Wednesday night. Junior Herndon starts for Wichita. The game marked Butler's final regular season tilt as he, too, leaves for Team USA play in Cuba. From the sounds of reports, he'll be back for the TL playoffs should the Wranglers qualify. His .331 BA leads the league. Gordon missed Tuesday's game with the flu.

High-A - High Desert: Visalia 14, Mavs 5

No Stodolka, call up to Wichita???
LF Valentin 3-3, BB, RS -- .283
C Thibault 2-3, BB, 2B (8), 2 RBI (12) -- .324
RF McFall 1-4, HR (16), 2 RBI (62), 3 K -- .241
2B Jirschele 1-2, RBI -- .500 in High-A debut, guess that sub-.200 BA in Burlington merited a call-up?
3B E. Lucas 1-3, BB, K, 2 RS, SB (14) -- .278

Weeden 3 1/3 IP, 8 ER, 9 H, 2 BB, 2 K, HRA, 3 WP! -- L, 6-5, 6.03 ERA
Pimentel 1 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, BB, 5 K, 2 HRA, WP -- 7.00 ERA, nice K # but Cal League bats are eating him alive

*** The Oaks jumped all over HD pitching and coasted to the 9-run win. Two wild pitches were part of Brandon Weeden's 3 runs allowed in the 1st and a homer to start the 2nd made it 4-0. A Kiel Thibault RBI single got the Mavs on the baord in the 2nd but Visalia countered with 5 in the 4th off Weeden and Julio Pimentel, who gave up a 2-run homer to the first batter he faced. Pimentel allowed a run on a wild pitch and another 2-run homer in the 5th to make it 12-1. The Mavs scored twice in the 7th on a Thibault RBI double and RBI single by Jeremy Jirschele in his first Cal League AB to make it 12-3. Visalia scored 2 off Justin Barnes in the 9th and a McFall 2-run homer in the Mavs' final chance padded his HR total to 16 and made the final score 14-5. High Desert is 23-27 and 3 games back of first. Visalia starter James Houser Jr. went 6 2/3 IP and allowed 3 ER on 5 hits and 3 BB with 7 K to improve to 11-4 with a 4.30 ERA. DH Josh Arhart was 4-5 with his 22nd double to move to .309, 1B Chris Nowak was 2-6 with his 37th double, 9th homer and 3 RBI (86) to move to .305 and SS Mark Schleicher was 3-5 with his 5th double, 6th homer and 2 RBI (19) to move to .267.

The series continues Wednesday night. Patrick Green pitches for HD.

Low-A - Burlington: Bees 4, South Bend 0

2B Johnson 2-3, RBI (36) -- .251
CF Duarte 1-3, 2 K, RS -- .270
3B Lisson 1-4, HR (11), 3 RBI (66), K -- .258

Rosa 6 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 6 K -- W, 8-6, 2.53 ERA, called up to HD after game, was 6th in MWL in ERA
Oliveros 3 IP, H, 3 K -- SV, 2, 2.92 ERA

*** Carlos Rosa had a shutdown start in his final game for Burlington in '06 and the Bees beat the Silver Hawks. Rosa got out of jams in the 3rd and 5th and the Bees scored a run in the 5th on a Mario Lisson RBI ground out. The other 3 runs came in the 7th on a squeeze bunt by Josh Johnson (extending his team season record) and a 2-run homer by Lisson for his 11th of the season. Rayner Oliveros allowed 1 hit over 3 IP to get his 2nd save. The Bees are 22-30. 3B Ricardo Sosa was 0-4 with his 16th error to drop to .314, SS Pedro Ciriaco was 2-4 to move to .262 and CF Justin Upton was 0-4 with 3 K to drop to .264.

Tonight's the night in Burlington as Luke Hochevar makes his organizational debut in game 3 with the Silver Hawks.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: off day

*** The Chukars are 6-10 and look to snap a 4-game skid in the first of 3 at home vs. the Missoula Osprey (10-7, Rookie D-Backs) Wednesday night. No announced starters.

Rookie - AZL: off day

*** The Royals are 11-5 and tied for first with the Giants and Angels. The Halos take on the Royals Wednesday night.