Royals on the Farm 4/25

AAA -- Omaha: off day

A 4-game home set with the division leading Nashville Sounds (13-6, AAA Brewers) starts today. Pitching probables: Sounds LH Zach Jackson (3-1, 3.38) vs. RH Scott Elarton (0-1, 5.40). Nashville's big guns are the Brew Crew's top two prospects -- 3B Ryan Braun (.338 BA, 1.138 OPS, 7 HR so far, on fast track to Miller Park) and RHP Yovani Gallardo (3-1, 2.35 ERA, 0.91 WHIP in 4 GS, and he's only 21). Jackson has also been a fringe MLB guy for Milwaukee. Former Royals farmhand RP Steve Bray is also with Nashville.

AA -- Wichita: Springfield 4, Wranglers 3

C Donachie 1-3, BB, 2 RBI (5), K -- .135
1B Brazell 0-3, BB, RBI (9), E (1) -- .323
LF Lubanski 1-3, BB, RS, CS -- .306
DH Padilla 1-2, 2 BB, RS -- .360
RF Valentin 1-3, HBP, RS -- .333, season debut
SS Brewer 1-3, S, 2B (4), K, E (5) -- .264

Hudson 4 1/3 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, BB, 7 K, HRA -- ND, 3.68 ERA
Buckner 4 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 3 K, HRA, WP -- L, 1-3, 4.66 ERA

In a see-saw game, Wichita took the lead in the 6th but couldn't hold on as Springfield evened the series at 1-1. The Wranglers looked to be in good shape with a walk and single to start the 2nd but Jorge Padilla was thrown out trying to get to third and a DP ball ended the rally. Wichita loaded the bases with 1 out in the 3rd and Craig Brazell drew a 2 out walk to force home a run, but that was all the Wranglers got to take a 1-0 lead. A Brazell error in the bottom of the inning led to a run as a Juan Encarnacion RBI ground out brought the runner home to tie the game. Rehabbing SP Luke Hudson gave up the lead in the bottom of the 4th as 2B Jarrett Hoffpauir homered with 2 outs and nobody on to make it 2-1 Cards. Wichita loaded the bases again with 2 outs in the 6th and this time did a little better as Adam Donachie came through with a 2 run single to make it 3-2 Wranglers. The lead lasted one batter into the Springfield 6th as P Billy Buckner gave up a leadoff homer to 3B Juan Richardson to tie the game. The game went into the bottom of the 9th tied at 3 and Buckner gave up a leadoff double, got the runner out at third on a base running blunder on a grounder, then loaded the bases with 2 singles. LF Jon Jay came through for Springfield with a walkoff single to end it. Wichita is 8-10 and 1 1/2 games back of first. Hoffpauir was 2-4 with his 4th double, 2nd HR and 6th RBI to move to .326, Richardson was 2-4 with his 2nd HR and 7th RBI to move to .254 and Encarnacion was 1-5 with his 1st RBI in his rehab stint. RP Chris Perez got the win with a perfect top of the 9th to move to 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA.

The series wraps tonight. Pitching probables: Wranglers lefty Danny Christensen (0-0, 4.26 ERA) vs. Springfield righty Mitch Boggs (1-2, 4.61).

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: Frederick 4, Blue Rocks 3

DH Kaaihue 3-4, HR (2), 2 RBI (5), RS -- .148, been a long time since Kila's been on right side of Mendoza line, still not there yet, but Wed. is a start
3B Lisson 1-4, RBI (7) -- .234
CF Duarte 1-4, K, RS -- .270
2B Perez 1-3, K -- .290
C Thibault 1-4 -- .256

Nicoll 5 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 5 K, HRA -- L, 0-2, 4.24 ERA
Haltiwanger 2 IP, ER, H, K, HRA -- 8.31 ERA
Humen IP, H, K -- 3.00 ERA

The Rocks fell behind early and couldn't recover as Frederick held on. One pitch crippled the Blue Rocks as SP Chris Nicoll gave up a 2 out, 2 run HR to 3B Ryan Finan in the 1st. The Keys added another run off Nicoll in the 3rd but a Mario Lisson RBI single in the 4th got Wilmington in the game, down 3-1. Wilmington trimmed further into the lead in the 6th as Jose Duarte singled to lead off the inning and scored from first on a 2 out single by Kila Kaaihue to make it 3-2. RP Russ Haltiwanger came in for the bottom of the 6th and Finan got the Keys some insurance with a leadoff homer for his 2nd of both the game and season to make it 4-2. Kaaihue homered to lead off the 9th for his 2nd of the season (and for the second game in a row) to cut the lead back to 1 and Brian McFall hit a 1-out single but a Kiel Thibault 5-4-3 DP ball ended the game. Wilmington is 6-12 and 5 games back. Finan was 3-4 for Frederick with the 2 HR and 3 RBI (5) to move to .211, rehabbing DH Ramon Hernandez was 1-4 with a double, and SP Jason Berken picked up the win with 6 IP of 2 ER on 6 hits and 2 BB with 4 K to move to 1-2 with a 6.89 ERA. RP Bob McCrory picked up his 5th save despite serving up a longball in the 9th.

The series ends tonight as Wilmington goes for its first series win of the season. Pitching probables: The Blue Rocks will piggyback the tandem of righty Patrick Green (0-1, 3.38) and righty Julio Pimentel (1-0, 3.71) vs. Frederick righty Brandon Erbe (0-0, 3.78, top O's pitching prospect).

A -- Burlington: off day

The 9-8 Bees start a split 4-game home-and-home series with the Swing of the Quad Cities (9-10, A Cardinals) tonight. The first two games are in Burlington. Pitching probables: Bees righty Mario Santiago (0-1, 2.35) vs. Swing SP Tyler Herron (0-2, 6.00). The Swing feature Cards prospects OF Daryl Jones (.172 BA, .546 OPS, off to slow start) and P Herron (only a 1.25 WHIP thus far).

Other news: 2006 AZL Royals OF Tyrone Wilson was suspended 50 games by MLB for missing a drug test. He didn't fail it, he just missed it, but still gets the suspension. It'll start when the AZL season starts in June.