Royals on the Farm 5/16

AAA -- Omaha: off day

Omaha starts a 4-game set at the New Orleans Zephyrs (19-21, AAA Mets) tonight. Probable starters: Omaha's Tyler Lumsden (2-3, 6.60) vs. NO's Chan Ho Park (3-2, 6.67). The New Orleans roster features Mets prospects OF Lastings Milledge (.333 BA, .808 OPS, he of the rap CD that has pissed the Mets' FO off), P Philip Humber (3-4, 4.30 ERA, 1.20 WHIP), P Mike Pelfrey (no stats yet, back down from getting shelled in the NL), and former O-Royal OF Chip Ambres (.279 BA, .906 OPS thus far, leads Zephyr regulars in OPS). No word yet if Billy Butler will rejoin the O-Royals for today's game or not until Friday. Rehabbing 1B Ryan Shealy has been recalled to KC and had the game-winning RBI in Wednesday's game.

AA -- Wichita: Tulsa 6, Wranglers 5

LF Lubanski 2-5, 2B (9), 2 RBI (21), 2 K -- .312
3B Gaffney 2-5, 2B (3), 2 RBI (4), RS -- .364
RF Joseph 2-4, RS, CS (7) -- .229
1B Eure 1-4, HR (1), RBI (4), K, RS -- .276
CF Greenberg 0-2, 3 BB, RS, SB (9), CS (3) -- .238
DH Valentin 1-4, 2B (4), K -- .246

Cromer 4 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 9 H, 2 BB, 5 K -- ND, 6.21 ERA
Plummer 3 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, BB, K, HRA -- L, 1-2, 3.15 ERA

The Wranglers led twice but couldn't hold on as Tulsa held off Wichita to complete the 4-game sweep. Chris Lubanski got the Wranglers off to a good start with an RBI double in the 1st and, after SP Jason Cromer stranded 2 Drillers in both the 1st and 2nd, the Wranglers got a Lubanski RBI single in the 3rd to make it 2-0. Cromer stranded 2 more in the 3rd but the Drillers finally got to him in the 4th with 2 runs on 4 hits to tie the game. Jeff Eure hit his first homer as a Wrangler with a solo shot in the 6th to put Wichita back ahead, 3-2, but Tulsa worked over RP Jarod Plummer in the bottom of the inning. A hit and walk set up a 3-run homer by RF Joe Gaetti and Tulsa took a 5-3 lead. Former Omaha C Tomas Duenas provided an insurance run with a double in the 7th but Omaha loaded the bases with 1 out in the 9th. Adam Greenberg popped out for the second out but Mike Gaffney cracked a 2-run single to put the tying run at third with Lubanski up. Lubanski struck out, though, to end the game. Wichita is 19-21 and 3 1/2 games back of Tulsa now. Gaetti was 2-4 for Tulsa with his 5th homer and 3 RBI (19) to move to .250, 2B Matt Macri was 2-3 with 2 walks and 2 RBI (3) to move to .342 and SS Jonathan Herrera was 2-5 with his 2nd triple and a RS to move to .322. Tulsa starter Ryan Mattheus got the win with 6 IP of 3 ER on 6 hits and 3 walks with 3 Ks to move to 2-2 with a 4.34 ERA. RP Steven Register got his 14th save but 2 ER made his ERA 4.15.

The Wranglers start a 4-game home set with the Arkansas Travelers (15-23, AA Angels) tonight. Probable starters: Wichita lefty Danny Christensen (1-1, 4.54) vs. Travs righty Fernando Rodriguez Jr. (1-0, 3.86). Wichita is 3-5 versus the Travs in '07.

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: rainout

The finale with Lynchburg was rained out and won't be made up as the teams don't play each other again in the first half. The Blue Rocks move on to a 3-game home set versus the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (17-22, A-Adv. Braves) starting tonight. I assume Wednesday's planned starter, RHP Julio Pimentel (3-0, 2.04), will get the start tonight, although it could be RHP Dan Cortes (0-2, 3.38) versus MB RHP James Parr(2-4, 4.11 ERA). Wilmington is 1-3 versus the Pelicans thus far.

A -- Burlington: off day

The Bees start a 4-game home set versus the South Bend Silver Hawks (17-19, A D-Backs) tonight. Probable starters: Bees' Everett Teaford (1-3, 4.81) versus Silver Hawks' Cesar Valdez (1-3, 4.64). The Silver Hawks feature D-Backs' prospects P Brett Anderson (5-3, 1.68 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, age 19) and OF Gerardo Parra (.287 BA, .704 OPS).