Royals on the Farm 4/27

AAA -- Omaha: O-Royals 6, Nashville 0

DH Butler 1-3, SF, RBI (22), RS -- .333
SS Aviles 3-4, RBI (11), K -- .333, impressive thus far
CF Gathright 2-4, 3B, RS -- .282
3B Cortez 1-3, HR (2), 2 RBI (6), RS -- .283
LF Costa 1-4, RS -- .343
2B Berroa 0-2, BB (!), SF, RBI (6), RS -- .309, HEY, a walk
RF Maier 0-2, BB, SF, RBI (10) -- .253
C Tupman 0-1, 2 BB, K, RS -- .314

Day 5 IP, 0 ER, H, 3 BB, 3 K -- W, 1-0, 2.30 ERA
Shiell 3 IP, H, K -- 2.35 ERA
Giron IP, 2 H, K -- 3.55 ERA

Looks like Zach Day is getting back in shape, as he allowed 1 hit and 3 BB over 5 IP in picking up his first win and Omaha is 2 for 2 versus Nashville. Day retired 12 of the first 13 Sounds batters and Omaha gave him some run support with 2 in the 4th on a sac fly by Billy Butler and an RBI single by Mike Aviles. Fernando Cortez padded the lead with a 2-run homer in the 5th for his 2nd of the season and the score was 4-0 Omaha. A Mitch Maier sac fly in the 6th made it 5-0 and Joey Gathright tripled to lead off the 7th and scored on an Angel Berroa sac fly. Roberto Giron gave up 2 singles with 1 out in the 9th but got 2 fly outs to end it. Omaha is 9-13 and 4 1/2 games back now. Sounds 3B Ryan Braun was 1-1 with his 9th double to move to .329 before getting pulled for a pinch-hitter in the 4th -- maybe signalling a call to the bigs? 1B Brad Nelson was 0-4 to drop to .320 and SP R.A. Dickey took the loss with 5 ER on 6 hits and 4 walks over 5 IP to drop to 1-3 with a 7.43 ERA.

Game 3 of the set is tonight. Pitching probables: Sounds RH Tim Dillard (0-1, 3.04) vs. RH Matt Wright (2-2, 3.71). Billy Buckner has been promoted to Omaha after going 1-3 with a 4.66 ERA in 4 games (3 starts) in Wichita. To make room, the Royals released Dewon Brazelton, who was 0-4 with a 7.11 ERA. Also, Luke Hudson is slated to make a rehab start in Omaha Monday. As a side note, tonight is Alex Gordon bobblehead night in Omaha but the manufacturer screwed it up and spelled his last name "Gordn". Omaha is giving out vouchers for corrected versions redeemable after July 12, so the error may be a nice Gordon collectible at some point.

AA -- Wichita: Arkansas 2, Wranglers 1

1B Stodolka 2-3, K -- .259
3B Lucas 1-3, HR (1), RBI (5), K, RS -- .231
DH Brazell 1-4, K -- .333
RF Padilla 1-3, HBP -- .357
LF Lubanski 1-4, K, picked off -- .300

Hochevar 4 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, BB, 5 K, 2 hit batsmen -- L, 2-2, 3.46 ERA, no run support
C. Smith 2 IP, H, BB, 2 K -- 3.72 ERA
Plummer 2 IP, H, BB, 3 K -- 0.90 ERA

One hit made the difference as Luke Hochevar got minimal run support and picked up his 2nd loss in the opener with the Travelers. Hochevar loaded the bases with 1 out in the 2nd and gave up a 2-run single to C Tim Duff before getting out of the inning with a double play. Wichita stranded 1 in the 3rd when Mike Stodolka was doubled off second on a line out and the Wrangler 4th ended when Jorge Padilla was hit by a grounder by Chris Lubanski. The Wranglers stranded 2 in the 5th but got on the board in the 7th when Ed Lucas homered to left with 1 out for his 1st of the season to make it 2-1 Travs. A double-play ball killed a would-be rally in the 9th as Wichita couldn't tie the game. Wichita is 8-12 and 1 1/2 games back. RF Greg Porter was 3-4 for Arkansas with his 7th SB and a run scored to move to .239, Duff was 1-3 with his first 2 RBI to move to .200, and SP Dan Davidson allowed an ER on 7 hits with 5 Ks over 8 IP to move to 1-3 with a 2.12 ERA. RP Jose Arredondo picked up his 2nd save.

Game 2 is tonight as lefty John Bale makes a rehab start vs. Arkansas righty James Holcomb (no stats yet).

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: Blue Rocks 4, Winston-Salem 3 (13)

1B Kaaihue 2-5, BB, 2B, RBI (6), K, RS -- .171
3B Lisson 2-5, S, K, 2 RS -- .233
SS Arce 2-5, K -- .218
CF Duarte 1-6, K, RBI (4), picked off -- .274
DH Vega 1-6, RBI (3), 3 K -- .197
RF McFall 1-4, SF, RBI (2), K -- .182

Green 4 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, BB, 6 K, 2 HRA -- ND, 4.11 ERA
Oliveros 3 1/3 IP, H, BB, 2 K -- 2.13 ERA
de la Vara 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 4 K, E (1) -- 0.93 ERA
Humen 3 IP, H, BB, 2 K, E (1) -- W, 1-2, 2.00 ERA, nice run of relief for Wilmington on Friday

Wilmington fought back from a 3-0 deficit and got 8 1/3 IP of nice relief to pick up an extra inning win over the Warthogs Friday. Winston-Salem struck with 3 in the 4th on a 2-run homer by CF David Cook that was back-to-back with a solo shot by 1B Micah Schnurstein to make it 3-0 Warthogs. Kila Kaaihue doubled home a run in the 4th and scored on a Brian McFall sac fly to close the gap to 3-2. Jose Duarte tied the game with an RBI single in the 5th and it stayed 3-3 into the 9th. Winston-Salem got the potential lead run to third with no outs in the 9th but Gilbert de la Vara got two clutch Ks and then a strikeout looking to end the rally with emphasis. de la Vara gave up a leadoff double in the 10th but again got out of the jam and, after Wilmington stranded 2 in the 11th, the game went into the 13th tied at 3. With 2 out in the Rocks 13th, Mario Lisson and Kaaihue singled and Miguel Vega came through with his 1st hit in 6 ABs to end the game by bringing Lisson home. Wilmington is 7-13 and 4 1/2 games back. Schnurstein was 2-5 with his 10th double, 5th homer and 19th RBI to move to .342, Cook was 1-5 with his 5th homer and 2 RBI (13) to move to .271, and RF Aaron Cunningham was 1-4 with a walk to drop to .370. RP Matt Zaleski took the loss with an ER on 3 hits and 2 walks over 2 2/3 IP to drop to 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA.

The series continues tonight. Pitching probables: Rocks righty Michael Penn (1-1, 3.21) vs. Warthogs right-hander Kyle McColloch (1-1, 3.15).

A -- Burlington: Quad Cities 5, Bees 3

SS McConnell 2-4, 2B (3), RS, CS -- .266
C Morizio 1-2, 2 BB, 2B (2), 2 RBI (3), K -- .217
3B Maddox 0-4, RBI (17), E (2) -- .318
LF Dickerson 1-4, 2B (3), 2 K -- .276
CF Robinson 0-3, K -- .000, season debut

Mozingo 4 1/3 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 5 H, 3 BB, 3 K -- L, 2-2, 3.98 ERA
Chambliss 1 2/3 IP, ER, 2 H, K -- 1.00 ERA
Hartsock IP, 2 K -- 5.00 ERA
D'Amico 2 IP, H, K, pickoff -- 1.69 ERA

A big 5th from the Swing evened the series at a game a piece Friday. A QC error with 2 out and 1 on in the 2nd and Matt Morizio came through with a 2-run double to make it 2-0 Bees. SP Harold Mozingo gave up a sac fly in the 3rd to cut the lead in half and combined with Tyler Chambliss to give up 4 runs on 4 hits and 2B Kurt Mertins' 2nd error of the season helped extend the inning. Marc Maddox hit an RBI ground out in the 6th to cut the lead to 2, and the Bees got base runners in each inning thereafter but couldn't get a run home. Burlington is 10-9 and 1 game out. Swing RF Luke Gorsett was 2-4 with his 4th double and 4th RBI to move to .288, CF Daryl Jones was 1-3 with a walk, his 3rd double, 4th SB, an OF assist at third and 3rd RBI to move to .185 and 1B Brandon Buckman was 1-3 with his 18th RBI to move to .310. RP Shaun Garceau got the win with 3 IP of an ER on 2 hits, a walk and 4 Ks to move to 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA. RP Kenneth Maiques picked up save #4.

Game 3 has already been played today with the Swing winning in a shootout. Starters were: RH Jason Godin (0-0, 0.00) vs. Swing RH Blake King (1-0, 5.17).