Royals on the Farm 5/28

AAA -- Omaha: O-Royals 8, New Orleans 3

1B Butler 3-5, HR (10), 2 RBI (33), 2 RS -- .326
CF Gathright 3-5, 3B (2), RBI (18), K, RS -- .320, I like how he's playing this season
SS Blanco 2-3, RBI (8), 2 RS -- .196, nearing Mendoza line but reinjured knee
3B Aviles 2-5, 2 K, RS -- .333
2B Cortez 1-3, S, SF, 2B (6), 3 RBI (14) -- .289
LF Maier 0-3, BB, SF, RBI (26), 2 K -- .276
DH Brazell 0-5, K -- .341, what a difference a couple days makes
C Tupman 1-3, BB, RS -- .313
*Omaha still left 10 on base.

Lumsden 5 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 4 K, HRA -- W, 4-3, 5.63 ERA
Ray 2 1/3 IP, 2 BB, K -- 4.32 ERA
Markray IP, nothing -- 4.35 ERA

The O-Royals finally got a somewhat easy win over the Zephyrs to finish a 7-1 homestand. Omaha starter Tyler Lumsden loaded the bases with 1 out in the 2nd but got out of the jam with only 1 run in. Omaha loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame, also with 1 out, and Andres Blanco singled home a run to tie the game. A Mitch Maier sac fly in the 3rd put Omaha ahead, 2-1, and the O-Royals scored 3 in the 4th on a Joey Gathright RBI triple, Fernando Cortez sac fly and Billy Butler solo homer -- his 10th -- to make it 5-1 and chase New Orleans starter (and former WSU Shocker) Mike Pelfrey. Lumsden got in some trouble in the 6th as he got the first 2 outs but then gave up a solo homer to LF Chip Ambres and three straight singles to score another run and cut it to 5-3. RP Ken Ray stranded the bases loaded and Omaha got a run back in the bottom of the 6th on a Butler RBI single. The Royals scored 2 in the 7th on a 2-out rally of 3 singles and a 2-run double by Cortez off RP Willie Collazo to make it 8-3. Ray and Markray finished the game to preserve the win. Omaha is 26-25 and 3 1/2 games back as the Royals moved over .500 for the first time this season. Ambres was 2-4 with his 7th homer and 25th RBI to move to .247 and Pelfrey took the loss with 3 2/3 IP of 5 runs (4 ER) on 7 hits, 2 walks and a K to drop to 0-1 with a 3.52 ERA.

Omaha starts a 4-game set at the Tacoma Rainiers (22-30, AAA Mariners) tonight. Probable starters: Omaha RH Jason Shiell (0-1, 2.43) vs. RH Jorge Campillo (2-4, 3.90). Tacoma's roster features M's prospects OF Adam Jones (.299 BA, .889 OPS, top organization prospect), C Jeff Clement (.232 BA, .761 OPS, #2 prospect in org.), OF Wladimir Balentien (.332 BA, .961 OPS, 11 HR, 10/12 SB) and 2B Yung Chi Chen (.333 BA, .761 OPS in only 5 games). In other news, RP Gabe DeHoyos got the bump to AAA after going 2-0 with a 0.84 ERA and 2 saves (21.0 IP, 10 H, 7 BB, 17 K) in 13 relief appearances for Wichita. In the "obvious" department, Craig Brazell was named PCL Batter of the Week for the week that ended Sunday. Over 7 games, Brazell hit .414 (12-29) with 8 home runs, 14 RBI and 9 runs scored. He's the 1st Omaha batter to win the award since Matt Diaz in July 2005.

AA -- Wichita: off day

The 21-29 Wranglers start a 3-game home set with the Frisco RoughRiders (31-17, AA Rangers) tonight. Wichita is 0-3 versus Frisco. Probable starters: Righty Leo Nunez (no record) makes a rehab start for the Wranglers versus vs. Frisco ace righty Eric Hurley (6-0, 1.83 ERA, 0.98 WHIP in 64 IP). In other news, RP Cody Smith, who was one of the better stories of '06 in the Royals' minors, has been released after posting a 1-0 record, 6.43 ERA and 2.21 WHIP in 14 IP.

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: Blue Rocks 6, Kinston 5

CF Duarte 3-5, 2B (8), K, 2 RS, SB (11) -- .277
DH Vega 2-4, 2 2B (7), RBI (18), RS -- .205
3B Lisson 2-5, 2B (11), RBI (26), RS, CS -- .295
1B Kaaihue 1-4, BB, RBI (31), RS -- .269
C Thibault 1-3, BB, RBI (13), E (3), PB (2) -- .246
LF Bigler 1-3, HBP, RBI (15), CS -- .238
2B Maddox 0-5 -- .305

Cortes 3 2/3 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 3 H, 4 BB, 5 K, HRA -- ND, 4.06 ERA, control problems flared up
Haltiwanger 2 1/3 IP, ER, 3 H, 2 BB, K, 2 WP -- 4.03 ERA
D'Amico 3 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 K, HRA -- BS, 1, W, 3-0, 2.35 ERA, vultured win

A 9th inning run got the Blue Rocks the win in the series opener with Kinston. A hit, walk and Kiel Thibault throwing error got the Tribe a run in the 1st off starter Dan Cortes but Miguel Vega doubled home a run and scored on a Brett Bigler single to give Wilmington a 2-1 lead in the 2nd. Mario Lisson doubled in a run in the 3rd and scored on a Kila Kaaihue ground out to make it 4-1 Rocks. Cortes gave up a solo homer to LF Chris Gimenez in the 4th and was pulled with 1 on and 2 out for Russ Haltiwanger, who sandwiched a hit batsman between 2 wild pitches and then sandwiched 2 walks around a 2-run single to tie the game at 4. He stranded the bases loaded, tho, and the Rocks moved back ahead in the 6th on a Thibault RBI single. Wilmington left the bases juiced in the 7th and Yovany D'Amico gave up a solo homer to C Max Ramirez in the bottom of the inning to re-tie it at 5. Jose Duarte led off the Wilmington 9th with a double, advanced on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch to give the Rocks a 6-5 lead. D'Amico faced no serious trouble in the 9th to end it for his 3rd win. Wilmington is 25-24 and 1/2 a game back. Ramirez was 2-5 with his 7th homer and 2 RBI (29) to move to .301, RF Jose Constanza was 2-4 with a walk, his 11th SB and 2 RBI (13) to move to .261 and Gimenez was 1-4 with his 2nd error, 11th homer and 24th RBI to move to .258. Kinston RP Kyle Collins got the loss with 2 IP of an ER on 2 hits and a K to drop to 2-2 with a 7.36 ERA.

The series goes to game 2 tonight. Probable starters: Rocks ace Rowdy Hardy (5-0, 1.22), who leads the league in ERA, versus Kinston's Sung-Wei Tseng (0-4, 3.12).

A -- Burlington: Bees 3, Clinton 0

2B Mertins 3-4, 2B (6), RBI (20), E (6) -- .252
3B Jirschele 1-4, HR (2), 2 RBI (6), RS -- .277
CF Robinson 1-3, S, K, SB (6) -- .257
SS Bianchi 0-4 -- .220
LF Dickerson 0-4, RS -- .260

Santiago 6 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K -- ND, 2.49 ERA, great start, no run support
Campbell 3 IP, 2 H, 2 K -- W, 3-2, 3.40 ERA

The Bees' bats awoke late to salvage one game of the series versus the LumberKings. Starters Mario Santiago and Clinton's Zach Phillips dueled for 6 innings as Burlington stranded a runner at third in the 2nd and 4th. With two out and Derrick Robinson at second in the 5th, Kurt Mertins singled but was thrown out trying to get to second to end the would-be rally. Clinton got 2 on with 0 out in the 5th but couldn't score and, when John Slusarz took over for Phillips in the 8th, the Bees cashed in with a Mertins RBI double to make it 1-0. With 2 out and 1 on in the 9th, Jeremy Jirschele gave the Bees some needed insurance with a 2-run homer for his 2nd of the season to make it 3-0. P Matt Campbell, who had come on in the 7th, put 2 on with 1 out in the 9th but induced a double play to end it for his 3rd win. Burlington is 20-28. Clinton 3B John Whittleman was 1-4 with his 17th double to move to .350 and Slusarz took the loss with 3 runs (1 ER) on 3 hits over 2 IP to drop to 0-2 with a 3.43 ERA.

The Bees start a split 4-game series with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (16-33, A Mariners) tonight. Probable starters: Bees RH Harold Mozingo (3-5, 4.18) vs. Rattlers LH Tony Butler (0-4, 5.18). Wisconsin's roster features M's prospects Butler (stats already noted, also has ugly 2.05 WHIP), SS Carlos Triunfel (.309 BA, .730 OPS, 16 errors, 17 years old) and P Anthony Varvaro (3-5, 5.66 ERA, 1.45 WHIP), not to mention Seattle manager Mike Hargrove's son Andy (.239 BA, .740 OPS).