Royals on the Farm 8/24

AAA - Omaha: Oklahoma 2, O-Royals 1

LF Huber 2-3, BB, 2B (19), HR (15), RBI (40), OF assist at home -- .291
3B Keppinger 0-4 -- .354
RF Costa 0-3, BB -- .351
CF K. Robinson 1-4, K -- .317
2B Cortez 2-3, CS (6) -- .257

Keppel 4 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, BB, K, HRA, pickoff -- L, 5-6, 5.54 ERA
Diaz, Yarnall and Braun 3 1/3 IP scoreless relief

*** Omaha had a tough time with Oklahoma SP R.A. Dickey and squandered a decent game from the pitching staff. The Royals dodged an early bullet in the 1st when RedHawks 2B Eric Young tried to stretch a triple to left into an inside-the-park homer but got nailed at the plate by Justin Huber via relay man Mike Aviles to keep the game scoreless. The Royals weren't as lucky in the 2nd as Oklahoma scored twice off Bobby Keppel. Omaha had 1 hit through 4 innings and only 3 going into the 8th when Huber led off the frame with his 15th homer to cut the lead in half. The Royals got 2 on with 2 outs before Kerry Robinson grounded out to end the inning. With 2 out in the 9th, Omaha drew three consecutive walks to load the bases but Mike Aviles couldn't get a clutch hit as he grounded out to end the game. Omaha is 50-83. Dickey went the distance with 1 ER on 6 hits and 4 walks with 2 K to move to 7-8 with a 5.17 ERA, LF Anthony Webster was 2-3 with his 15th AAA RBI to move to .244 and DH Randall Simon was 1-1 with a double to move to .317.

Game 3 of the 5-game set is Friday night. Pitchers: RH Mike Wood (0-1, 6.00) vs. RedHawks LH John Rheinecker (4-3, 2.51).

AA - Wichita: Wranglers 5, Arkansas 4 (10)

3B Gordon 2-3, BB, HBP, HR (27), 2 RBI (88), 2 RS -- .321, walkoff shot
CF Maier 1-3, BB, RBI (85), RS -- .302
LF Lubanski 1-5, 2 K, RS -- .279
SS Sanchez 0-5, K -- .283
DH D. Brown 1-4, K, RS -- .312
RF Groves 1-3, BB, 2B, 2 RBI (16), OF assist at first -- .205

Greinke 8 IP, 3 ER, 9 H, 3 K, HRA -- ND, 4.15 ERA
Lowery 2 IP, ER, H, HRA -- W, 4-1, 5.40 ERA

*** The Wranglers only scored in 2 innings but it was enough to get a needed win over Arkansas and reduce the magic number by 1. Zack Greinke got off to a rough start as he allowed 4 singles for 2 runs in the 1st and a solo homer in the 4th made it 3-0 Travs. Two 1-out walks gave Wichita a chance to rally in the 5th but two force outs ended the rally and with 2 out in the 6th the Wranglers were still being no-hit by Arkansas SP Jesse Smith. After Alex Gordon walked, Dee Brown broke up the no-no with a single and Mitch Maier drove Gordon home with a single. Brett Groves followed with a clutch 2-run double to tie the game. Devon Lowery relieved Greinke to start the 9th and gave up a solo homer to former KU player Brent Del Chiaro in the 10th. With 1 out and Lubanski on first in the Wichita 10th, Gordon stroked his 27th homer to left to end the game with one swing. Wichita is 36-24 and still 5 1/2 games up on first. The magic number is now 5 for the second-half title and 3 for a wild card playoff spot. Smith took a no-decision for Arkansas after giving up 3 ER on 4 hits and 4 walks with 5 K over 8 IP to make his ERA 4.98, CF Terry Evans was 2-4 to move to .321, LF Aaron Peel was 2-5 with his 37th double to move to .298 and 3B Matt Brown was 1-4 with his 17th homer and 72nd RBI to move to .293. Del Chiaro's homer was his 5th and he's hitting a light .174 for the Travs.

The series wraps up Friday night as Seung Song pitches for Wichita. This was supposed to be Brian Bass' start but he got suspended for hitting a Corpus Christi batter last week.

High-A - High Desert: Mavs 9, Lake Elsinore 6

1B Stodolka 0-5, RS -- .291, still slumping at bad time
RF McFall 3-4, 2B (24), 2 HR (19), 4 RBI (69), 2 RS -- .245
C Duenas 2-4, 2B (16), HR (14), 3 RBI (48), PB (12) -- .300
DH R. Brown 2-4, HR (14), RBI (54), K, 2 RS -- .260
CF Senreiso 2-4, HR (15), RBI (58), 2 RS, SB (19) -- .284
LF Tomlin 2-4, K, SB (3) -- .279
SS Falu 1-5, K -- .290

Christensen 6 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 4 BB, 5 K, WP -- ND, 5.11 ERA
Rowe IP, 2 ER, 4 H, K, HRA, WP -- BS, 2, 4.66 ERA
Plummer 2 IP, H, K -- W, 11-5, 4.14 ERA

*** The Mavericks plugged in to their power source for 5 homers Thursday to get a big win in the opener with the Storm. Dan Christensen gave up a run in the 1st but the Mavs matched it on a 2-out RBI double by Tomas Duenas in their half. Juan Senreiso hit HD's first homer with a solo shot for his 15th in the 2nd to make it 2-1 HD and Duenas cranked a 2-run shot in the 3rd for his 14th of the season. Brian McFall added a 2-run homer (his 18th) in the 4th to make the lead 6-1 but Christensen gave up 3 runs with 2 out in the 5th to close the gap to 6-4 Mavs. Adam Rowe took over pitching duties in the 7th and blew his 2nd save by giving up a 2-run homer in the 8th. Jarod Plummer came in and got through the inning without more damage and Rusty Brown hit a 1-out solo homer in the Mavs 8th for his 14th before McFall added some insurance with a 2-run shot for his 19th and second of the game to make it 9-6. Plummer pitched the 9th to get the W and move to 11-5. HD is 29-31 and 2 games back of first. Their lead on the wild-card spot is now 2 1/2 over Lake Elsinore. Storm 3B Chase Headley was 3-4 with his 31st double, 18th error and 2 RBI (62) to move to .289, CF Yordany Ramirez was 3-4 to move to .251 and RF Nick Crosta was 1-4 with his 5th homer and 2 RBI (36) to move to .256.

Carlos Rosa makes his 2nd Cal League start in Friday night's game with the Storm.

Low-A - Burlington: Bees 7, Kane County 6

3B Lisson 3-3, BB, HBP, HR (12), 2 RBI (68), 3 RS -- .259
RF Arroyo 3-5, 2B, RBI (32), K -- .259
SS Johnson 2-4, HBP, 2B (7), RBI (38), 3 RS, K, E (10) -- .254
1B Vega 2-5, RBI (71) -- .247
C Everett 2-5, RBI (22) -- .258
CF Duarte 1-5, 2B (21), 2 K -- .266
*lineup all in BA range from .238 to .266

Penn 5 IP, 4 R (2 ER), 8 H, 3 K, HRA -- W, 6-2, 2.64 ERA
Schambough IP, H, K -- SV, 12, 3.14 ERA

*** Burlington jumped out to an early lead and staved off the Cougars to take the opener. The Bees started the game with 5 hits out of their first 6 batters as Josh Johnson, Miguel Vega and Carlos Arroyo hit RBI singles to make it 3-0 Bees. Mario Lisson singled home Johnson in the 2nd to make it 4-0 but Michael Penn allowed a run in the 2nd and 2 in the 3rd thanks in part to a Johnson error to close the lead to 4-3. The Bees got those 2 runs back in the 4th on a Brady Everett RBI single and when Lisson scored on a wild pitch. Penn gave up a solo homer in the 5th to make it 6-4 Bees. Chris Hayes got through the 6th and 7th unscathed and Lisson hit his 12th homer for a solo shot in the 8th. The Bees had to hold on from there as Hayes gave up an RBI double in the 8th to close the lead to 2 and Kraig Schambough gave up an RBI single in the 9th before shutting the door on his 12th save. The Bees are 24-35. Cougars 1B Steve Kleen was 3-4 with his 22nd double and 57th RBI to move to .281, CF Chad Boyd was 1-5 to drop to .356 and C Anthony Recker was 1-5 with his 13th passed ball, 14th homer and 54th RBI to move to .282.

Game 2 of the set is Friday night. Matt Kniginyzky starts for Burlington.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 13, Helena 1

DH Maddox 2-5, 2B (18), RBI (28), 2 RS -- .330
RF Gonzalez 2-4, 2 BB, HR (4), 2 RBI (16), K, 2 RS -- .267
2B Mertins 1-6, RBI (21), K, RS, picked off -- .349
CF Dickerson 1-5, RBI (31), RS -- .275
1B Turner 1-3, 2 BB, 2B (15), 3 RBI (37), 2 RS -- .235
SS McConnell 1-3, 2 BB, 2B (5), RBI (26), 2 K, RS -- .252
LF Bigler 0-2, 2 BB, RBI (20), RS -- .217

B. Wood 6 IP, ER, 2 H, 7 K, pickoff -- W, 2-1, 4.93 ERA, nice last couple starts
Baldwin and Vacek 3 IP scoreless relief, Vacek still has 20.86 ERA (YIKES!!!)

*** Three multi-run innings helped Idaho Falls to its 3rd straight win. A Chris McConnell RBI double and Brett Bigler RBI ground out made it 2-0 Chukars in the 2nd, and as Blake Wood 1-hit the Brewers through 4 IP, the Chukars added 3 in the 5th on a run-scoring error by Helena and a 2-run homer by O.D. Gonzalez for his 4th of the season. Wood allowed an RBI double in the 5th to get Helena on the board but Idaho Falls got the run back in the 6th on an RBI fielder's choice by Ross Boudreaux. Idaho Falls put it away in the 8th with 7 runs on a Brenan Herrera sac fly, bases loaded RBI singles by Kurt Mertins, Joe Dickerson and Marc Maddox, and a bases-clearing 3-run double by Jase Turner (who had popped out to lead off the inning) to make it 13-1. The Chukars' 13 runs came on only 9 hits as they drew 10 BB. IF is 10-14 and 4 games back of first. Helena CF Stephen Chapman was 2-4 to move to .312, LF Cole Gillespie was 0-3 with his 14th SB to drop to .342 and 1B Bill Rowe was 1-3 with his 5th double and 11th RBI to move to .263.

Everett Teaford starts game 2 of the set for Idaho Falls Friday night.

Rookie - AZL: Padres 6, Royals 2

3B Taylor 0-4, 2 K -- .264
2B Al. Perez 2-4, K -- .300
OF Dyson 1-4, K, SB (16) -- .275
RF Van Stratten 1-4, RS -- .279
1B S. Lucas 1-4, 3 K -- .266
DH Francis 1-3, SF, 2 RBI (22), 2 K -- .285
C Doscher 0-2, 2 K -- .257
CF D. Robinson 0-2 -- .244

Damico 5 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K, WP -- L, 3-1, 3.00 ERA
M. Morales 1 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, K -- 3.71 ERA
McLintock and Chavez 2 2/3 IP scoreless relief

*** The Royals lost their share of the first-place lead and Yovany Damico took his first loss as a starter in '06 as the first-half AZL champ Pads scored 3 runs in 2 separate innings. Damico gave up a 2-run triple and RBI single in the 4th to spot the Friars a 3-0 lead but Nick Francis got 1 run back with an RBI single in the Royals 4th. Miguel Morales gave up 5 singles for 3 runs in the 7th and the Padres extended their lead to 5. Francis hit a sac fly in the 9th but the would-be rally stalled with runners at the corners. The Royals are 16-8 and a game back of first now. Pads SP Geoff Vandel moved to 2-0 with 5 IP of an ER on 2 hits and a walk with 8 Ks to drop his ERA to 4.32, SS Rayner Contreras was 2-5 with 2 RBI (47) to move to .322, 3B Jarol Gonzalez was 2-4 to move to .357, 1B Jeremy Hunt was 1-4 with his 3rd triple and 2 RBI (30) to move to .349 and DH Luis Durango was 0-5 to drop to .382.

The Royals have Friday off and only 4 games are left in the season.