Royals on the Farm 8/22

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 3, New Orleans 1

RF Costa 3-3, BB, HR (9), 2 RBI (24), 2 RS -- .360
LF Huber 1-4, 2B (18), RBI (39) -- .287
CF K. Robinson 0-4 -- .315
2B Cortez 0-4, K, RS -- .255

Van Hekken 8 IP, ER, 3 H, 3 K, HRA -- W, 3-3, 4.29 ERA, another great start for Van Hekken
Nunez IP, H, BB -- SV, 3, 2.03 ERA

*** Andy Van Hekken had his 4th good start in a row and the O-Royals took 3 of 4 from New Orleans with Tuesday's win finishing the series. Justin Huber spotted Van Hekken a 1-run lead in the 1st after doubling home Shane Costa. Van Hekken had a 1-hitter through 5 IP and Costa blasted a 2-run homer to right in the Omaha 5th to make it 3-0. Van Hekken's only blemish came in the 8th on a leadoff homer by Zephyrs RF George Lombard. Leo Nunez came in for the 9th and gave up a walk and double to put 2 in scoring position with no outs but a lineout double play and fly out salvaged the game for the Royals. Van Hekken has a 2.77 ERA over his last 4 starts. Omaha is 49-82. Lombard was 1-3 with his 9th homer to move to .293.

A 5-game set at the Oklahoma RedHawks (67-64, AAA Rangers) starts Wednesday night. Pitchers: RH Kyle Middleton (0-6, 5.56) vs. Okie LH Eric Knott (0-0, 4.76). Only 13 games remain on Omaha's schedule.

AA - Wichita: Wranglers 9, Arkansas 6

DH Gordon 2-5, RBI (86), K -- .321
LF Lubanski 2-4, HBP, K, RS -- .274
CF Maier 2-4, 3B (7), RBI (83), K, RS -- .301
3B Keim 2-4, RBI (27), K, RS -- .246
2B Sevilla 2-4, 2 RS, SB (2) -- .209
SS Sanchez 1-3, 2 BB, 3 RBI (55), 2 RS -- .286
RF D. Brown 1-5, RBI (68) -- .314

Herndon 5 IP, 6 ER, 10 H, 7 K, 2 HRA -- W, 10-6, 5.41 ERA, didn't do #s any favors other than no walks
Cedeno 2 2/3 IP, H, 3 BB, 3 K -- 5.62 ERA
DeHoyos 1 1/3 IP, K -- SV, 7, 1.32 ERA

*** Wichita pounded out 8 runs over 2 innings early and Junior Herndon picked up his 10th win despite giving up 6 ER. Herndon gave up a leadoff homer to start the game and the game went into the bottom of the 2nd with Wichita down, 1-0. That changed quickly as Adam Keim led off the inning with a single and scored on a Mitch Maier RBI triple, Brett Groves scored Maier with a sac fly, Angel Sanchez hit a bases loaded 2-run single and Dee Brown and Keim added RBI singles to make it 6-1 Wranglers. The Travs scored a run in the 3rd but Wichita scored twice more in the bottom of the frame on a 2-run Arkansas error. The Travs got back in the game as Herndon gave up a 2-run homer as part of a 4-run 4th and Arkansas closed the gap to 8-6. Herndon got through the 5th and Cedeno was effective into the 8th before Alex Gordon singled home an insurance run in the 8th. Gabe DeHoyos came in to get the last out of the 8th and had a perfect 9th to pick up his 7th save. Wichita is 35-23 and still 6 1/2 games up on first. Travs LF Aaron Peel was 3-5 with his 13th SB, 36th double, 13th homer and 61st RBI to move to .295, CF Terry Evans was 3-3 to move to .305, 2B Eric Rodland was 2-3 to move to .300 and SS Sean Rodriguez, who recently made the move up from Rancho Cucamonga, was 1-4 with his 3rd RBI and 1st error to move to .286.

The magic number for clinching the second-half title is 6. The Arkansas series continues Wednesday night as Billy Buckner pitches for the Wranglers. In other news, according to the Wichita Eagle, Wranglers owners Bob and Mindy Rich have completed a contract with Springdale, Ark., to move the team there in 2008.

High-A - High Desert: Inland Empire 3, Mavs 1

1B Stodolka 1-4, K -- .296
CF Senreiso 1-2, HBP, K, RS -- .282
LF Tomlin 1-3, RBI (27) -- .276, Mavs only had 3 hits
C Duenas 0-3, BB, K -- .292, 5 steals against in the game

Gragg 5 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 3 K, balk, WP -- L, 7-9, 4.38 ERA
Barnes 2 1/3 IP, H, BB, 2 K -- 4.34 ERA

*** The Mavs nearly got no-hit themselves a day after the first no-hitter in franchise history. Inland Empire RH Andy Baldwin made his first Cal League start after coming over to the Mariners in the Jamie Moyer trade last weekend and no-hit the Mavs through 6. Mavs starter John Gragg gave up a run in the 1st and worked out of a jam in the 2nd before settling down through the 5th. He gave up 2 runs in the 6th to make it 3-0 IE. Mike Stodolka led off the 7th with a single to break up the no-hitter but the Mavs didn't score until the 8th on a James Tomlin RBI single off 66ers RP Joseph Woerman. The Mavs couldn't mount a rally and didn't put up much fight in the 9th, either. The Mavs are 27-31 and 4 games out of first. Baldwin allowed a hit and walk with 4 K over 7 IP to move to 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA, 3B Alex Meneses was 2-3 to move to .304, CF Brent Johnson was 2-4 with his 45th RBI to move to .291 and LF Josh Womack was 2-4 with 2 RBI (43) and 2 SB (16) to move to .290.

The series ends Wednesday night as Chris Nicoll makes his Cal League debut after getting called up from Burlington. The Mavs maintained a 1 1/2 game lead on Lake Elsinore for the wild-card playoff spot despite the loss. Lancaster is 3 games back in the wild-card race but is leading the division in the second half.

Low-A - Burlington: off day

*** The Bees are off again Wednesday and are 23-35. Chris Nicoll won't immediately be replaced on the Bees roster.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 7, Helena 4 (10)

2B Mertins 1-4, BB, RBI (20), 2 SB (20) -- .355
LF Morel 3-5, BB, 2B (5), K, 2 RS, SB (19) -- .297
SS McConnell 2-6, HR (3), 3 RBI (25), 2 K, SB (3), E (14) -- .250, walkoff 3-run homer
C Balduf 2-5, 2B, K, RS, PB (3) -- .254
CF Dickerson 0-5, BB -- .277
DH Morizio 0-1, 4 BB -- .250
*15 left on base

Mozingo 3 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K, HRA -- ND, 6.33 ERA
Chambliss 4 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 3 K, HRA -- 4.31 ERA
Best 2 IP, H, BB, K -- 2.80 ERA
Hartsock IP, nothing -- W, 5-2, 3.46 ERA

*** Chris McConnell's big hit in the 10th earned the Chukars a split of the 4-game set with Helena. Harold Mozingo had a rocky 1st but got out of it with only 1 run allowed and the Chukars took the lead with a 3-run 2nd on an O.D. Gonzalez RBI ground out, a Kurt Mertins RBI single and a wild pitch that scored Alvi Morel. Mozingo gave up a 2-run homer in the 3rd to tie it and Tyler Chambliss gave up the go-ahead homer in the 5th to make it 4-3 Brewers. The Chukars had 2 on with 2 out in the 5th when a ball hit by Todd Balduf hit baserunner Brenan Herrera to end the inning. IF stranded 2 more in scoring position in the 6th and another in the 7th en route to stranding 15 total runners. Jase Turner came through with a 2-out RBI single in the 8th to tie it at 4 and eventually send it to extras. With 2 out in the bottom of the 10th, Gilbert Gil singled and Turner walked to set up McConnell's 3rd Pioneer League homer of '06 to left to end the game. IF is 9-14 and 4 games back of first. Helena LF Cole Gillespie was 2-3 with 2 walks, his 13th SB, 6th HR and 3 RBI (26) to move to .350, 1B Chris Errecart was 1-5 with his 10th homer and 48th RBI to move to .309 and CF Stephen Chapman was 2-5 with his 16th double and 17th SB to move to .309.

The Chukars have Wednesday off.

Rookie - AZL: Royals 4, Cubs 2

3B Taylor 0-1, 2 BB, SB (7), CS (2) -- .272
2B Al. Perez 2-3, 2B (9), 4 RBI (29), SB (17) -- .294, pretty much all the team's offense Tuesday
LF Francis 1-4, 2B (7), 2 K, 2 RS -- .295
DH Dyson 0-3, BB, 2 K -- .279
RF Van Stratten 0-3, BB, RS -- .284
1B S. Lucas 1-4, K, RS -- .273
CF D. Robinson 0-3, K, E (3) -- .247

Arias 6 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 6 K -- W, 4-4, 2.89 ERA, nice start
Barrera 3 IP, H, 4 K -- SV, 2, 4.29 ERA

*** The Royals got nice pitching from Henry Arias and Henry Barrera and a good game with the bat from 2B Alwin Perez to keep hold of the AZL lead. Perez hit an RBI ground out in the 4th and Arias was perfect through 4 1/3 before hitting trouble in the 5th. Two singles and a steal put runners at second and third with 1 out and a sac fly ended up scoring 2 runs on a throwing error by Derrick Robinson to make it 2-1 Cubs. The Royals picked Arias up by scoring 3 in the 6th on a bases loaded 3-run double by Perez. Barrera came in for the 7th and allowed only 1 baserunner to lock down the win. The Royals are 16-6 and 1/2 a game up on first. Cubs SP Taylor Parker allowed only an unearned run over 5 IP to lower his ERA to 2.22 and take a no-decision. CF Andy Rundle was 2-3 to move to .236 as the Cubs only had 3 hits in the game.

The Royals take on the 10-11 A's Wednesday night. There are only 6 games left in the season.