Royals on the Farm 4/23

AAA -- Omaha: Memphis 7, O-Royals 1

LF Butler 1-4, HR (6), RBI (21), 2 K, RS -- .338, 21 RBI in 19 games
SS Berroa 2-4, K, E (6) -- .309; 13 games, 6 errors, 0 BB, 10 K.
DH Costa 1-3, HBP -- .321
CF Gathright 0-4, K, picked off -- .238
RF Maier 0-3, K -- .243
1B Huber 0-3 -- .125

Brazelton 5 IP, 7 R (6 ER), 7 H, 2 BB, K, 2 HRA -- L, 0-4, 6.63 ERA
Shiell 3 IP, H, 2 K -- 2.92 ERA

Dewon Brazelton got clubbed again and the O-Royals lost a 3rd straight to Memphis. SS Angel Berroa made a throwing error in the 1st and Brazelton gave up a 1 out, 3 run homer to Redbirds LF Ryan Ludwick to put the O-Royals down, 3-0. A Ludwick sac fly and 2-run homer by CF Rick Ankiel made it 6-0 in the 3rd and Omaha scored its only run in the 4th on a solo shot by Billy Butler for his 6th of the season. Memphis got the run back on a sac fly in the bottom of the frame to make it 7-1. The O-Royals never threatened to get back in the game. Omaha dropped to 7-12 and 6 games out. Ludwick was 2-3 with his 5th double and 5th HR with 4 RBI (18) to move to .348, Ankiel was 1-4 with his 6th homer and 2 RBI (18) to move to .215 and SP Chris Narveson went the distance to pick up the complete game win. He allowed an ER on 5 hits and a walk with 7 K to move to 2-1 with a 3.67 ERA.

The series is wrapping today. Starters were Omaha RH Ben Hendrickson (2-1, 6.75) and Redbirds RH Matt Ginter (1-2, 5.17). Omaha is up 7-2 in the 6th. Billy Butler is 3rd in the Pacific Coast League in HR and 2nd in RBI.

AA -- Wichita: Wranglers 6, Springfield 1

DH Brazell 2-4, 2B (3), RBI (8) -- .339
SS Brewer 2-4, 2B (3), K -- .260
LF Lubanski 2-5, 2B (3), 3B, K, RS -- .305
2B Falu 1-4, SF, 2 RBI (4), SB (3) -- .193
CF Joseph 1-2, RBI (7) -- .314
RF Padilla 1-4, HR (2), RBI (7), RS, OF assist at second -- .354
C Espino 1-3, BB, RBI (5), 2 RS -- .182
1B Stodolka 1-4, 2 K, RS -- .235

Connolly 6 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K -- W, 1-0, 4.97 ERA
Cedeno 2 IP, ER, H, K, HRA -- 3.86 ERA
Atencio IP, K -- 2.25 ERA

Wichita slapped 12 hits and got a good start from Mike Connolly in the series-opening win. The game was scoreless into the 4th before Wichita scored with a 1-out triple by Chris Lubanski and an RBI double by Craig Brazell to make it 1-0 in the top of the 4th. Connolly left after giving up 2 hits and 2 walks through 6 strong IP and Wichita helped out with 3 in the 7th on a leadoff homer by Jorge Padilla (his 2nd) and 2 out RBI singles by Onil Joseph and Irving Falu off RP Zach Zuercher after the inning was extended by a Cardinals error. RP Juan Cedeno gave up a leadoff homer to 3B Juan Richardson to start the bottom of the 7th but Wichita came back with 2 in the 9th on a Damaso Espino RBI single and Falu sac fly. Greg Atencio got the last three batters in short order to end it. Wichita is 8-9 and tied with Tulsa for first. The Cardinals had only 3 hits as Richardson was 1-4 with his 1st homer and 6 RBI to move to .236, CF Colby Rasmus was 0-3 to drop to .211 and rehabbing DH Juan Encarnacion was 0-3 to stay at .000. Springfield starter Chris Lambert took the loss with 4 ER on 7 hits and a walk with 3 K over 6 2/3 IP to drop to 0-2 with a 3.63 ERA.

Game 2 of the set is tonight. Wranglers righty Billy Buckner (1-2, 4.70) pitches vs. Springfield lefty Eric Haberer (1-0, 6.00).

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: Blue Rocks 2, Frederick 0

CF Duarte 2-4, 2 RS, 2 SB (2) -- .236
3B Lisson 1-4, 2B (4), RBI (6), K -- .233
2B Johnson 1-3, BB, K, picked off -- .174
SS Arce 0-3, K -- .233

Rosa 6 IP, 5 H, BB, 3 K -- W, 2-1, 0.39 ERA, the word miniscule comes to mind
Barnes 2 IP, H, BB -- 2.53 ERA
de la Vara hitless IP -- SV, 2, 1.17 ERA

Both teams had 6 hits but Wilmington actually made something of them as Carlos Rosa and two relievers combined on a shutout. Both teams stranded 2 in the 2nd but Wilmington got on the scoreboard in the 3rd with a 1 out single by Jose Duarte, a steal of second and a 2 out RBI double by Mario Lisson to make it 1-0 Blue Rocks. Both teams had chances at scoring but couldn't get it done through the middle innings. Valentino Arce struck out looking to start the 8th and Wilmington manager John Mizerock got tossed. Duarte followed with a 1 out single, stole second, moved to third on a Josh Johnson fly out and scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 Rocks. Gilbert de la Vara pitched a hitless 9th to pick up his 2nd save. Wilmington is 5-11 and 4 games back. Keys SS Blake Davis was 2-4 with his 6th double and 3rd E to move to .349 and SP David Hernandez took the loss with 7 IP of an ER on 5 hits and a walk with 6 K to drop to 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA.

Game 2 of the series is tonight. Pitchers: Blue Rocks lefty Rowdy Hardy (0-0, 0.00) and right-hander Blake Johnson (0-2, 4.40) will see mound time vs. Frederick's rehabbing Jaret Wright. Catcher Ramon Hernandez is also set to play for Frederick in a rehab stint.

A -- Burlington: Dayton 3, Bees 2

2B Mertins 1-4, HR (1), RBI (7), K, RS -- .186
1B Turner 1-2, BB, HR (2), RBI (5), K, RS -- .130
3B Maddox 1-4, K -- .352
CF Dyson 1-4, 2B, K -- .273
LF Dickerson 0-4 -- .280
SS McConnell 1-4, picked off -- .269
C Morizio E (1), pickoff, 3 SB against

A. Morales hitless IP -- uh oh, left with sore shoulder, 1.23 ERA
Fisher 4 1/3 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 7 H, 2 BB, 7 K, HRA -- L, 0-1, 2.51 ERA, hasn't been mowing 'em down like last couple years
Hartsock 2 2/3 IP, H, K -- 5.62 ERA

The Bees lost both the game and, likely, SP Angelo Morales for a while Monday night in a 3-2 loss to the Dragons. Morales pitched a perfect 1st but had to leave with a sore throwing shoulder. Brent Fisher took over in the 2nd and gave up a double, single, RBI single, fly out, run on a Matt Morizio throwing error on a steal attempt, K swinging, K looking. Burlington evened the score in the 4th on back-to-back jacks from Kurt Mertins (#1 on the season for him) and Jase Turner (#2 on the season) but Fisher didn't hold it as he gave up a leadoff homer to Dragons RF Denis Phipps in the bottom of the 4th to make it 3-2. The Bees had runners thrown out on the base paths in the 5th and 6th and didn't threaten again. Burlington is 9-7 and 1 1/2 games back of Clinton. Phipps was 3-3 for Dayton with his 1st homer and 7th RBI to move to .339, CF Drew Stubbs was 1-4 with 2 SB (5) and a K to drop to .350 and SS Chris Valaika was 1-4 to drop to .411. Dayton SP Rafael Gonzalez got the W with 6 1/3 IP of 2 ER on 6 hits and a walk with 5 K to move to 3-0 with a 1.04 ERA.

The Bees go for the split tonight as RH Jason Godin makes his season debut vs. Dayton LH Travis Webb (1-0, 2.89). The team site reports Morales is expected to hit the DL.