Royals on the Farm 5/11

AAA -- Omaha: O-Royals 3, Sacramento 0 (2-hitter)

C Tupman 2-3, 2B (2), K -- .273
3B Berroa 2-4, K, RS, SB (2) -- .316
DH Brazell 1-4, HR (1), 2 RBI (2), RS -- .231
SS Aviles 1-2, BB, SF, RBI (21), K, RS -- .318
CF Gathright 1-4 -- .304
LF Maier 1-3, BB -- .252
1B Cortez 0-2, BB, K -- .308
2B Blanco 0-3 -- .104

Lumsden 5 2/3 IP, H, 5 BB, 4 K -- ND, 6.60 ERA, great start despite the walks
Buckner 2 1/3 IP, H, 4 K -- W, 2-0, 2.61 ERA
Braun IP, 2 K -- SV, 1, 0.00 ERA

Tyler Lumsden and two relievers combined on a 2-hit shutout as Omaha took the series finale to split the 4-game set. With 2 out and 1 on in the Omaha 2nd, Matt Tupman doubled but Fernando Cortez got thrown out at the plate to keep it 0-0. Lumsden allowed a hit in the 2nd and walks in 3 other innings before getting pulled with 2 out and 2 on in the 6th. Billy Buckner got Kurt Suzuki to fly out to end the threat and the 0-0 tie continued. Angel Berroa led off the bottom of the 6th with a single and advanced to third on a Sacramento error. He scored on a Mike Aviles sac fly and Omaha led, 1-0. With 2 out and 1 on in the 8th, Craig Brazell slammed his 1st AAA homer of the season and Omaha took a 3-0 lead. Buckner gave up a hit in the 7th but, along with Ryan Braun, finished off the River Cats without further trouble. Omaha is 16-19 and 4 games back of first. Suzuki was 1-3 with a walk to move to .306, CF Hiram Bocachica was 0-1 with 3 walks and his 8th SB to move to .319 and starter Brad Knox took the loss with an UER on 5 hits and 3 walks with 5 Ks over 6 1/3 IP to drop to 0-2 with a 2.84 ERA.

The O-Royals move on to a 4-game home set with the Fresno Grizzlies (18-18, AAA Giants) tonight. Probable starters: Grizz LH Travis Blackley (2-1, 3.93) vs. Omaha RH Brian Bannister (1-1, 2.61). C Paul Phillips got called up to KC with Jason LaRue going on the DL, and C Cody Clark was brought up from Wilmington (!?) to take his spot. Justin Huber also got put on the DL Friday with a "tight hamstring", marking yet another trip to the shelf for Huber. Fresno's roster features Giants' prospects OF Nate Schierholtz (.347 BA, .940 OPS), P Billy Sadler (3-1, 4.40, 1.19 WHIP), P Brian Wilson (0-1, 1.93) and former O-Royal 1B Chad Santos (.239 BA, .751 OPS).

AA -- Wichita: Springfield 8, Wranglers 6

RF Joseph 2-4, RS -- .229
C Donachie 1-3, BB, 2 RBI (9), 2 K -- .182, maybe that's why he was passed up for Phillips' AAA spot
LF Lubanski 1-4, BB, HR (5), RBI (15), 2 K, RS, OF assist at third -- .303
DH Lucas 1-5, RBI (12), K -- .304
CF Greenberg 0-3, 2 BB, RBI (13), 3 K, SB (6) -- .236
1B Stodolka 0-4, BB, RS -- .300
3B Eure 0-4, 2 RS -- .286

Cromer 4 1/3 IP, 6 ER, 10 H, 3 BB, 2 K, WP -- L, 2-3, 6.59 ERA
Santos 2 2/3 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, K, WP -- 5.14 ERA
Atencio IP, ER, 3 H, K -- 3.71 ERA

Two bad innings did in the Wranglers as Springfield got the win. Three consecutive Springfield errors in the 2nd helped lead to 3 Wrangler runs as Adam Donachie singled 2 runs home and an Irving Falu double play ball brought a third run home. Springfield tied it off SP Jason Cromer in the 3rd on 5 hits and a walk, but Wichita crept back ahead on a bases-loaded walk by Adam Greenberg in the 4th to make it 4-3. The Cardinals took command for good in the 5th as Cromer and Arthur Santos allowed 4 runs on 4 hits, a walk and 2 wild pitches to make it 7-4 Springfield. Chris Lubanski hit a solo homer in the 7th for his 5th of the season to cut the lead to 2 but RP Greg Atencio gave the run back in the 8th. Ed Lucas hit a 2-out RBI single in the 9th to put the tying run on base but Mike Stodolka flew out to end the game. Wichita is 17-17 and 1 game back of Tulsa. Cards 3B Juan Richardson was 4-5 with his 6th double, 16th RBI and 2 errors (3) to move to .283, DH Sean Danielson was 2-3 with his 5th double and 2 RBI (4) to move to .438 and 1B Joe Mather was 3-3 with 2 walks and his 22nd RBI to move to .336. SP Kevin Ool got the win with 4 R (1 ER) on 2 hits and 4 walks with 4 Ks to move to 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA. RP Chris Perez picked up his 8th save. Wichita couldn't win despite 5 Springfield errors.

The series continues with a twinbill Saturday. No announced starters.

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: Blue Rocks 5, Salem 3

CF Duarte 3-5, 2 RS -- .299
2B Perez 2-5, 2B (5), HR (1), 3 RBI (10), K, 2 RS -- .290
DH Vega 2-4, K -- .212
3B Lisson 1-4, BB, RBI (14) -- .259
1B Kaaihue 1-4, BB, 2B (4), 2 K, E (4) -- .210
SS Arce 1-3, BB, RS, SB (7) -- .270

Pimentel 5 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, BB, K -- W, 3-0, 2.04 ERA
Barnes 3 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K -- 2.49 ERA
Humen IP, nada -- SV, 1, 2.40 ERA

The Rocks won their eighth straight by jumping ahead early and hanging on to win the opener versus the Avalanche. Jose Duarte led off the game with a single and scored on a Wilver Perez double before a Mario Lisson ground out drove Perez home to make it 2-0. With 1 out in the 5th, Valentino Arce and Duarte singled and Perez followed with his 1st homer for a 3-run shot to make it 5-0. Julio Pimentel had a good start but left after giving up an RBI double in the 6th and Justin Barnes allowed another ER in the inning. Barnes gave up a run in the 8th but he and David Humen reitred the last 4 Salem batters to end it. Wilmington is 17-17 and 2 games back. Salem DH Mark Ori was 3-4 with his 7th double and 12th RBI to move to .293, RF Eli Iorg was 1-4 with his 12th double, 12th RBI and 1st error to move to .295 and Salem SP Raymar Diaz took the loss with 6 2/3 IP of 5 ER on 9 hits and 2 walks with 7 Ks to move to 1-4 with a 4.26 ERA.

The series continues Saturday night with a double dip. Probable starters: Game 1: Wilmington right-hander Dan Cortes (0-2, 5.23) vs. Salem lefty Brian Bogusevic (2-3, 3.82). Game 2: Blue Rocks righty Michael Penn (1-1, 3.76) vs. Avalanche right-hander Rory Shortell (1-1, 1.50). Wilmington is at .500 for the first time since being 1-1.

A -- Burlington: Clinton 5, Bees 0

RF Gonzalez 2-4, K -- .236
SS Bianchi 1-4, 2 K, SB (1) -- .281
CF Robinson 1-4, K, SB (5) -- .224
DH Everett 1-4, 2B (8), K -- .264
C Boudreaux 0-3, BB -- .000, season debut
* The Bees committed 3 errors in the loss.

Campbell 6 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, BB, 5 K, 2 HRA -- L, 1-2, 3.45 ERA
Santiago 3 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 4 K -- 2.65 ERA

The Bees couldn't give SP Matt Campbell any run support and Clinton shut out Burlington to capture the series finale. Campbell allowed a run on a hit, hit batsmen and a throwing error by 3B Mike Thompson on a force attempt to make it 1-0 Clinton in the 1st. The Bees stranded 2 in the 1st and Campbell gave up homers to 3B John Whittleman and CF K.C. Herren in the 3rd to make it 4-0. Burlington stranded the bases loaded in the 4th and P Mario Santiago gave up a run in the 8th. The Bees never really threatened after the 4th. Burlington is 14-19 and 6 games back. Whittleman was 3-3 with his 6th homer, 20th RBI and 2 RS to move to .364, Herren was 2-4 with his 8th double, 2nd homer and 3 RBI (15) to move to .363 and RF Chad Tracy was 1-4 with his 26th RBI to move to .286. Clinton starter Zach Phillips got the win with 5 hits and 2 walks with 7 Ks over 5 IP to move to 4-1 with a 2.51 ERA.

The Bees start a split home-and-home 4-game series with the Swing of the Quad Cities (20-15, A Cards) tonight. Probable starters: Bees RH Harold Mozingo (2-3, 4.50) vs. QC SP P.J. Walters (2-1, 3.31). The Bees are 1-3 versus the Swing so far.