Royals on the Farm 4/20

AAA -- Omaha: O-Royals 10, Round Rock 7

LF Butler 1-2, 2 BB, 2 RBI (14), 2 RS -- .327
RF Costa 2-5, 3B, K, 2 RS -- .319
CF Gathright 2-4, BB, 2B (3), 2 RBI (7), RS -- .259
DH Maier 2-3, SF, 2 RBI (7), RS -- .290
SS Berroa 1-5, K, RS -- .304
3B Aviles 1-3, BB, 2B (3), 2 RBI (8), RS -- .293
1B Huber 0-4, RBI (4) -- .138
2B Cortez 1-4, RBI (4), 2 K, RS -- .277

Bannister 2 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, K, HRA -- ND, 2.61 ERA, no health worry, pulled because of potential call to KC?
Wright 3 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, BB, 2 K -- W, 2-2, 3.71 ERA
Giron 3 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K, HRA, WP -- SV, 2, 3.86 ERA, not a pretty save, but it qualifies

The O-Royals pounded out 10 runs on 10 hits and earned a split of the series with Round Rock. SP Brian Bannister gave up a 2-run homer to Express 3B Danny Klassen in the 2nd before getting pulled under speculation (according to the O-Royals' site) he's getting the call to KC to start Tuesday. Omaha dwarfed Klassen's feat in the bottom of the 2nd with 8 runs on an RBI double by Mike Aviles, Mitch Maier RBI single, Fernando Cortez RBI single, 2-run Joey Gathright single, 2-run Billy Butler single (he led off the inning with a BB) and Aviles RBI force attempt (he reached on an error on the play). All of that took place off Express SP Phil Barzilla. The Royals added 2 in the 4th off RP Jose Rodriguez as Shane Costa led off with a triple and was driven home on a Justin Huber ground out. A Maier sac fly made it 10-2 Omaha. RP Matt Wright gave up single runs in the 5th and 6th and RP Roberto Giron allowed a 2-run homer to 2B Brooks Conrad in the 7th. Giron gave up a run on a 2-out rally in the 9th but got the job done to pick up his 2nd save based on an over-3 IP relief appearance. Omaha moved to 7-9. Klassen was 3-5 for Round Rock with his 1st triple, 3rd homer and 3 RBI (8) to move to .245, RF Josh Anderson was 3-4 with his 2nd double and 2 RBI (8) to move to .305 and Conrad was 1-5 with his 2nd E, 2nd homer and 2 RBI (10) to move to .204. CF Hunter Pence was 1-4 with 2 RS to move to .317 and Barzilla took the loss with 8 ER over 3 IP to move to 2-1 with a 6.48 ERA.

The Royals dropped the first of 4 with the Memphis Redbirds (6-10 entering the series, AAA Cardinals) on Saturday. More on that in the next RoF report. Scott Elarton made a rehab start for Omaha. The Redbirds' roster includes Cards' prospects P Chris Narveson (1-1, 5.00), OF (one time wild P) Rick Ankiel (.204 BA, .756 OPS thus far) and P Blake Hawksworth (0-3, 5.28). Omaha RP Neal Musser was called up to KC Friday and Jason Standridge was DFA'd, so either will be gone or back in Omaha. C Jared Price has also been released to sign with an independent league team -- no huge loss there...for some reason he was moved from high-A to AAA at one point and never showed much at Omaha. Best of luck in the Atlantic League to Price.

AA -- Wichita: Arkansas 7, Wranglers 2

2B Lewis 2-4, K, RS, CS -- .262
LF Lubanski 1-3, BB, HR (2), RBI (7), K, RS -- .261
DH Brazell 1-4, 2B (2) -- .340
RF Padilla 0-4, E (1) -- .375
C Espino 1-2, 2 BB, RBI (4), K -- .158
1B Stodolka 1-4, K -- .233

Hudson 3 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 5 H, BB, 5 K -- L, 0-1, 6.00 ERA
Christensen 4 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K, HRA, balk -- 4.26 ERA
C. Smith 1 1/3 IP, H, BB -- 4.70 ERA

Luke Hudson had a somewhat rough outing in his first rehab start and Wichita lost the second of 4 with the Travs. Hudson's 1st went BB, RBI double, K, RBI single (with Jorge Padilla fielding error), RBI single, K, single, K. Wichita got a run back in the 2nd on a Damaso Espino RBI single but P Danny Christensen gave the run back in the 4th with a solo homer to 2B Adam Morrissey. Christensen pitched well until the 8th, when he balked in a run, gave up an RBI single and RP Cody Smith walked in a run on the first batter he faced to make it 7-1. Chris Lubanski hit an inside-the-park homer in the 9th for his 2nd HR of the season but it wasn't enough to spark a rally and Wichita lost, 7-2. Wichita dropped to 6-8. SS Sean Rodriguez was 3-5 for the Travs with 2 RS to move to .364, Morrissey was 1-2 with 2 BB, his 2nd homer, 2 RBI (5) and 2 RS to move to .318, and SP Chris Saenz got the win with 5 IP of an ER on 6 hits and 2 BB to move to 1-0 with a 5.84 ERA.

The Wranglers lost a third straight to Arkansas Saturday. Jason Cromer got the start for Wichita.

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: Winston-Salem 6, Blue Rocks 5 (10)

CF Duarte 3-5, BB, RBI (2), 2 RS -- .216
3B Lisson 3-6, RBI (5), K, RS, E (3) -- .250
DH Kaaihue 2-4, 2 BB, RBI (1) -- .089
2B Perez 1-5, BB, 3B, RBI (2), 2 K -- .308
*Not a lot to crow about in Wilmington right now. The Rocks left 15 (!) on base.

Pimentel 6 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 4 K, HRA, 4 WP (!) -- ND, 3.71 ERA, the catcher's over there, Julio
Green 3 IP, ER, 2 H, 3 K, WP -- BS, 1, 3.38 ERA
Haltiwanger 2/3 IP, ER, 2 H -- L, 0-1, 11.57 ERA, not off to a great start as a Royal farmhand

Julio Pimentel got a little wild but was in place for the win when he left. The bullpen had other plans as the Rocks dropped another game to the Warthogs. Mario Lisson hit an RBI single in the 1st and Wilmington jumped out to a 1-0 lead. Kila Kaaihue, who's having a rough season already, hit an RBI single in the 3rd to make it 2-0 and Jose Duarte singled home a run in the 4th before Wilver Perez tripled him home for a 4-0 lead. Pimentel had a 2-hitter through 4 IP and a Warthog error scored another Blue Rock run in the 6th as Wilmington took a 5-0 lead. Pimentel hit the wall somewhat in the bottom of the inning as he gave up a 1-out, 2-run homer to 1B Micah Schnurstein, an RBI single, an RBI double and had 3 wild pitches in the inning and Winston-Salem closed the gap to 5-4. P Patrick Green came in for the 7th and allowed a run on another costly wild pitch to tie the game. The game went to extras and Wilmington stranded the bases loaded in the 10th. RP Russ Haltiwanger came in and gave up a leadoff double in the bottom of the 10th but appeared to get out of trouble with a pop bunt double play. Unfortunately, 3B Javier Castillo followed with a walkoff triple to end the game. Wilmington dropped to 4-10. Castillo was 3-5 with his 2nd E, 1st triple and 2 RBI (6) to move to .341, Schnurstein was 2-5 with his 6th double, 2nd HR and 2 RBI (13) to move to .306 and RF Aaron Cunningham was 1-4 with 2 SB (7) and a RS to move to .354. RP Jason Rice picked up the win with a scoreless 10th to move to 2-1 with a 11.37 ERA.

The Blue Rocks lost again Saturday to run the losing skid to 6 games. SP Michael Penn took the loss.

A -- Burlington: Fort Wayne 3, Bees 2 (13)

C Everett 3-5, 2B (2), 2 K, E (3), 2 PB -- .296
RF Gonzalez 2-5, 2B, K, RS -- .152
CF Dyson 2-6, SB (2) -- .261
2B Maddox 1-5 -- .349
SS Mertins 0-6, K -- .170, not a good day for the BA for Kurt

Campbell 5 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K -- ND, 0.57 ERA
Santiago 4 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, BB, 2 K, E (1) -- BS, 1, 2.35 ERA
Chambliss 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 5 K -- 0.00 ERA
Hayes 1/3 IP, ER, 2 H, BB -- L, 0-1, 3.86 ERA

The bullpen couldn't hold a lead for SP Matt Campbell and the Bees lost in extras Friday. As Campbell shut out the Wizards over his 5 2/3 IP, the Bees scored in the 5th on a Jarrod Dyson single aided by a Wizard error to take a 1-0 lead. Dyson knocked in another run thanks to an error in the 7th to make it 2-0 Bees but, after P Mario Santiago got out of 2-on, 2-out jam in the 7th, he loaded the bases with none out in the 8th and allowed a run on a sac fly to cut the lead to 2-1. A 1-out RBI double off Santiago in the 9th tied the game and it went into the bottom of the 13th tied at 2. RP Chris Hayes came in after Tyler Chambliss threw 2 scoreless IP and allowed a 1-out double, intentional walk and walkoff single to end it. The loss dropped the Bees to 8-5. 2B Tom King was 3-7 with 3 doubles (6), his 1st RBI and 1st E of the season to move to .364, CF Cedric Hunter was 1-3 with 3 BB, a HBP and his 2nd double to move to .316 and 1B Jeremy Hunt was 2-5 with the game-winning RBI (4) to move to .333. RP Brooks Dunn pitched a scoreless inning to earn the win and move to 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA.

The Bees walloped the Dayton Dragons (9-1 entering the game, A Reds) in the series opener Saturday. Harold Mozingo got the start and the win. The Dragons feature Reds prospects OF Drew Stubbs (.375 BA, .902 OPS), SS Chris Valaika (.455 BA, 1.149 OPS) and P Sean Watson (2-0, 2.40 ERA).