Royals on the Farm 5/20

AAA -- Omaha: New Orleans 5, O-Royals 4 (10)

1B Butler 1-4, HBP, 2B (6) -- .340
3B Aviles 3-5, 2B (9), RS, E (7) -- .329, is it just me or has there even been a whisper of Aviles going to KC?
DH Brazell 3-5, RS -- .333
RF Padilla 2-4, BB, HR (3), 2 RBI (9), RS -- .245
C Tupman 1-2, BB, 2 RBI (10), PB (5) -- .284
CF Gathright 1-4, BB, HBP, K -- .301
LF Maier 1-4, BB, 2 K, RS, SB (3) -- .274
SS Blanco 0-5, 2 K -- .141, Andres isn't cutting it
*Omaha left 12 on base.

Wright 6 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K -- ND, 3.75 ERA, bullpen failed again
Tamayo 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, BB, K -- 20.25 ERA
Hoelscher 2 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, K, HRA -- BS, 1, 5.40 ERA
Giron IP, ER, H, BB, K -- L, 0-2, 4.82 ERA

For the second day in a row the O-Royals' bullpen failed them as Omaha blew a late 4-run lead and lost in extras. Jorge Padilla got the O-Royals started with a solo homer in the 2nd for his 3rd of the season at AAA. Omaha catcher Cody Clark left the game in the 5th after a play at the plate that cut down a Zephyr runner and Matt Tupman took over. Omaha loaded the bases with no outs in the 6th and Padilla hit an RBI single followed by a 2-run Tupman single as Omaha made it 4-0. The rally stalled there, however, which would come into play later. The Royals stranded 2 in scoring position in the 7th and Danny Tamayo took over for starter Matt Wright to begin the bottom of the frame. Tamayo gave up three straight doubles to start the inning and score 2 runs and was pulled for Nate Hoelscher with 2 on and 2 out. Hoelscher gave up an RBI single before getting out of the jam and Omaha's lead was down to 4-3. With 2 out in the 8th, New Orleans C Robinson Cancel picked a good time for his 1st homer of the season as the game was tied at 4. Omaha left 2 in scoring position in the 9th and the Zephyrs left 2 on versus RP Roberto Giron in the bottom of the inning. Giron loaded the bases with 1 out in the 10th and a sac fly by 2B Anderson Hernandez ended the game. Omaha is 19-24 and 5 games back. Cancel was 2-4 with his 2nd double, 1st homer and 2 RBI (5) to move to .353, LF Jesus Feliciano was 1-4 with his 4th double and 5th RBI to move to .311 and 1B Andy Tracy was 2-5 with his 31st RBI to move to .262. RP Steve Schmoll got the win with a perfect 10th to move to 1-1 with a 4.78 ERA.

Omaha moves on to 4 at home against the Oklahoma RedHawks (21-21, AAA Rangers) starting tonight. Probable starters: RedHawks RH Armando Galarraga (no stats yet) vs. RH Ben Hendrickson (2-3, 5.50). Omaha is 1-2 versus Oklahoma thus far.

AA -- Wichita: Arkansas 5, Wranglers 3

RF Valentin 2-4, 3B (2), 2 RBI (14) -- .268
C Donachie 2-4, 2 2B (4), RBI (12), K -- .207
DH Falu 2-4, 2 K, RS -- .231
2B Gaffney 2-4, RS -- .364
LF Lubanski 0-3, BB -- .301

Connolly 3 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, BB, 2 K -- L, 2-1, 5.03 ERA
Santos 1 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, K -- 4.91 ERA
Plummer 2 IP, ER, 2 H, 3 K, HRA -- 3.27 ERA
DeHoyos 2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, K, WP -- 0.89 ERA

Arkansas got to three of the four Wrangler pitchers Sunday to split the 4-game set. The Travelers pushed a run across off SP Mike Connolly in the 2nd and Connolly was pulled with 2 on and 1 out in the 4th. Arthur Santos gave up an RBI single and Arkansas took a 2-0 lead. As Wichita continued to struggle for offense, the Travs got a 2-run single from SS Sean Rodriguez in the 5th. Wichita got those 2 runs back in the bottom of the frame as Adam Donachie doubled home a run and a Geraldo Valentin ground out brought home another run to make it 4-2. RP Jarod Plummer came on for the 6th and gave up a solo homer to C Tim Duff. Valentin tripled home a run in the 7th but was stranded at third and Wichita got the tying run to the plate in the 9th but couldn't cash in with a rally. Wichita is 21-23 and 2 1/2 games back. RF Greg Porter was 3-5 for Arkansas with his 6th double and 18th RBI to move to .253, Duff was 2-4 with his 2nd homer and 2 RBI (8) to move to .276 and Rodriguez was 1-4 with 2 RBI (22) and his 6th SB to move to .252. Travs RP Kevin Lynch got the win with 3 IP of an ER on 3 hits and a walk with 2 Ks to move to 1-0 with a 4.32 ERA. RP Jose Arredondo picked up his 6th save.

Wichita moves on to three games at the Frisco RoughRiders (26-16, AA Rangers) starting tonight. No announced starters. Frisco's roster features Rangers prospects P Eric Hurley (5-0, 2.13 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, top organizational pitching prospect, high school teammate of Billy Butler), P Edinson Volquez (2-0, 1.50, 1.08 WHIP), IF German Duran (.280 BA, .854 OPS) and OF Anthony Webster (.258 BA, .758 OPS).

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: off day

The Blue Rocks had a day off before starting a 3-game home set versus the Potomac Nationals (19-21, A-Adv. Nats) tonight. The Rocks are 3-0 versus Potomac thus far. Probable starters: Rocks right-hander Chris Nicoll (1-3, 5.66) vs. Potomac righty Garrett Mock (1-0, 0.00).

A -- Burlington: Bees 7, South Bend 1

1B Turner 3-4, 2 RS -- .171
CF Morel 3-4, HR (2), 4 RBI (9), RS, SB (5) -- .230
RF Gonzalez 2-4, 2 2B (8), 2 RBI (9), 2 RS -- .223
C Morizio 1-3, S, RBI (9), RS -- .254
LF Dickerson 1-4 -- .274
SS McConnell 0-4, K -- .225

Godin 6 IP, ER, 5 H, BB, 4 K -- W, 1-1, 2.10 ERA, first pro win
Cribb 3 IP, H, BB, 3 K -- SV, 1, 4.45 ERA

Burlington turned up the offense in the middle innings and split the 4-game series with South Bend. The Silver Hawks scored a run on 3 hits and a walk off SP Jason Godin in the 1st to put the Bees down early. Godin settled down to retire the last 7 batters he faced but the Bees didn't help him out with run support until the 5th when they scored 4 runs on a Matt Morizio RBI single and 3-run homer by Alvi Morel for his 2nd of the season. Burlington added 3 runs in the 6th on a 2-run double by O.D. Gonzalez and a Morel RBI single to make it 7-1. RP Josh Cribb stranded 2 Silver Hawks in the 8th but had a perfect 9th to pick up the 3-inning save for his 1st of the season. Burlington is 17-23 and 9 games back. South Bend 1B Brad Miller was 2-4 with his 9th double to move to .255, SS Yunesky Sanchez was 1-4 with his 11th RBI to move to .307 and CF Joey Side was 1-4 to move to .350. SB starter Anthony Barnette took the loss with 5 1/3 IP of 7 runs (6 ER) on 9 hits and a walk with 3 Ks to drop to 3-2 with a 3.19 ERA.

The Bees start 4 for their first matchup ever versus the newest Midwest League team, the Great Lakes Loons (17-24, A Dodgers) tonight. Probable starters: Bees LH Brent Fisher (1-3, 4.75) vs. Loons RH Arismendy Castillo (0-1, 5.40). The Loons are managed by former Tigers catcher Lance Parrish. The Loons roster features Dodgers prospects P Clayton Kershaw (4-1, 2.84 ERA, top organizational pitching prospect, 19 years old), Don's son 1B Preston Mattingly (.188 BA, .490 OPS, 15 E) and 3B Josh Bell (.232 BA, .653 OPS, 14 E).