Royals on the Farm 5/3

AAA -- Omaha: O-Royals 7, Memphis 2

3B Aviles 2-4, HR (1), 3 RBI (16), RS -- .324
SS Berroa 1-3, SF, HR (1), 4 RBI (11), RS -- .310
CF Cortez 2-3, S, RS -- .277
LF Costa 1-3, BB, 2 RS, OF assist at second -- .378, 19-game hit streak, longest in minors
1B Huber 1-4, K -- .229
RF Maier 1-4, 2B (3) -- .259

Wright 4 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 2 K, WP -- ND, 4.32 ERA
Markray 4 IP, 4 H, BB, 3 K -- W, 2-0, 2.37 ERA
Standridge IP, BB -- 0.00 ERA

The O-Royals rebounded from an early Memphis rally to split the 4-game series with the win. Royals starter Matt Wright loaded the bases with no outs in the 1st, wild pitched a run home and then gave up a 1-out sac fly to make it 2-0 Redbirds. An Angel Berroa sac fly in the 3rd brought home Fernando Cortez to cut the lead in half and the game went into the 5th at 2-1 Memphis. Omaha finally got to Memphis SP Randy Keisler in the bottom of the 5th as a double and walk put 2 runners on and Berroa hit a 2-out, 3-run homer to left for his 1st of the season to make it 4-2. RP Thad Markray stranded 2 Redbirds in the 6th and Omaha had 2 on with 2 out in the 7th when Mike Aviles blasted a 3-run homer to left off RP Mike Smith for his 1st of the season to make it 7-2. Markray and Jason Standridge polished it off on the mound for Omaha. Omaha is 13-15 and 2 1/2 games back of first. SS Brendan Ryan was 2-5 to move to .238 for Memphis and Keisler took the loss with 6 1/3 IP of 6 ER on 9 hits and a walk with 3 K to drop to 0-1 with a 4.72 ERA.

Omaha starts a 4-game set at the Oklahoma Redhawks (14-13, AAA Rangers) tonight. Probable starters: RH Ben Hendrickson (2-1, 5.26) vs. Redhawks RH Alfredo Simon (1-3, 5.22). The Redhawks' roster features Texas prospects 1B/OF Jason Botts (.204 BA, .585 OPS thus far), P Wes Littleton (0-1, 4.61 ERA) and P Josh Rupe (1-2, 4.91) as well as former Royal IF Desi Relaford (.229 BA, .657 OPS thus far).

AA -- Wichita: Springfield 7, Wranglers 5 (7/G1)

RF Padilla 2-3, RBI (12), RS -- .368
1B Stodolka 2-3, 2B (7), RS -- .316
SS Brewer 1-3, HR (1), 3 RBI (5), K, RS -- .250
3B Lucas 1-3, RBI (17), RS -- .300
LF Lubanski 0-3, K -- .303, 15-game hit streak done
2B Valentin 0-4, K -- .250
DH Brazell 1-3, 2B (4), K, RS -- .337

Hochevar 5 1/3 IP, 6 ER, 10 H, 3 BB, 5 K, HRA -- L, 2-3, 4.60 ERA, ungood start
Atencio 1 2/3 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 K, HRA -- 2.87 ERA

Luke Hochevar took a beating and the Wranglers dropped the opener of a Thursday double dip with the Cardinals. A 2-out RBI double off Hochevar in the 1st got Springfield off to a nice start and the Cardinals added 2 in the 2nd on 3 hits and a walk to take a 3-0 lead. Wichita provided some run support in the bottom of the 2nd as Ed Lucas hit a 1-out RBI single and Jace Brewer hit a 3-run homer to left center off SP Cory Rauschenberger for his 1st of the season to make it 4-3 Wichita. The lead lasted 1 batter into the 3rd as Hochevar gave up a leadoff homer to CF Colby Rasmus and a 1-out RBI single made it 5-4 Springfield. Cards LF Jon Jay cracked an RBI triple in the 6th to make it 6-4 and chase Hochevar but Wichita tried to rally with 1 out in the bottom of the 6th off RP Ryan Meaux. Craig Brazell doubled and scored on a Jorge Padilla single and Mike Stodolka followed with a double to put runners at second and third but the Wranglers couldn't get it tied. RP Greg Atencio gave up a leadoff homer to 1B Joe Mather in the 7th and RP Chris Perez struck out the side for Springfield in the bottom of the inning to end it. Five Cardinals had 2-hit games, including Mather, who was 2-4 with his 11th homer and 20th RBI to move to .337 and Jay, who was 2-5 with his 1st triple and 2 RBI (7) to move to .231. Rasmus was 1-3 with his 3rd homer and 14th RBI to move to .250 and big league OF Juan Encarnacion was 0-3 to drop to .091 at AA. Rauschenberger got the win with 4 ER on 5 hits with a K over 5 IP to move to 1-2 with a 12.64 ERA. Perez picked up his 5th save.

Wranglers 6, Springfield 5 (7/G2)

1B Brazell 3-4 -- .356
DH Padilla 2-3, BB, 2B (5), RBI (13) -- .380
CF Joseph 2-4, RBI (9), K, RS -- .276
SS Brewer 2-2, S, 2B (6), RS -- .270
RF Valentin 1-4, RBI (8), K, RS, SB (2), E (1) -- .250
3B Lucas 1-4, GW RBI (8) -- .297
LF Lubanski 0-3, SF, RBI (13), K -- .293
2B Falu 1-2, BB, RBI (5), SB (4) -- .187

Connolly 4 2/3 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 6 H, BB, HRA, pickoff -- ND, 5.09 ERA
Plummer 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K, WP -- 0.71 ERA
Cedeno 1/3 IP, nothing -- W, 2-0, 3.48 ERA

Wichita took Springfield's shots in the middle innings and salvaged a win in the bottom of the 7th to split the doubleheader. A Chris Lubanski sac fly and Jorge Padilla RBI double gave Wichita a 2-0 lead in the 1st and RBI singles from Onil Joseph and Geraldo Valentin in the 2nd made it 4-0. SP Mike Connolly didn't get scored upon until the 4th when DH Colby Rasmus hit a solo homer to cut the lead to 4-1. Wichita got the run back on an Irving Falu RBI single in the bottom of the inning to make it 5-1. Connolly didn't last through the 5th as a double, single and Jon Jay 2-run triple cut the lead to 5-3 and an ensuing sac fly cut the lead to 1 at 5-4. A Valentin fielding error extended the inning and brought in Jarod Plummer, who promptly wild pitched in a run to tie the game. Wichita stranded 2 in the 6th, as did Springfield in the 7th. Craig Brazell singled with 1 out in the Wichita 7th and was pulled for pinch runner Adam Greenberg, who stole second and then scored on an Ed Lucas walkoff single to end it. Wichita is 12-14 and a game back of first. Rasmus was 3-4 for Springfield with his 9th double, 4th HR, 3rd SB and 15th RBI to move to .273, Jay was 1-3 with his 2nd triple and 2 RBI (9) to move to .234 and RF Joe Mather was 0-3 to drop to .326. RP Matt Scherer took the loss with an ER on 2 hits and a walk with 2 Ks over an IP to drop to 1-2 with a 2.25 ERA.

The series wraps tonight as Wichita righty Dusty Hughes (0-2, 4.50) is set to face Cards lefty Jaime Garcia (1-1, 3.00).

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: Frederick 9, Blue Rocks 7 (13)

SS Johnson 3-6, RBI (4), K, RS -- .200
CF Duarte 2-5, BB, HBP, RBI (7), K, SB (5) -- .274
DH Larsen 2-6, 2B (1), RBI (1), K, RS -- .167
2B Maddox 1-5, S, HBP, 2 RBI (2), 2 K, RS -- .083, first Wilmington hit
C Thibault 1-6, RBI (6), K, E (2) -- .239
3B Lisson 1-5, BB, 2B (5), K, RS, E (5) -- .247
*The Rocks left 10 on base.

Penn 6 1/3 IP, 6 R (5 ER), 9 H, 3 K, 2 HRA, WP -- ND, 3.76 ERA
Barnes 2 2/3 IP, ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K -- 2.35 ERA
de la Vara 3 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, K -- 0.66 ERA
Humen IP, 2 ER, H, BB, K, 2 WP -- L, 1-3, 3.00 ERA

The Blue Rocks had a big 9th to force extras but couldn't come back for the win as Frederick got 2 in the 13th and held on. SP Michael Penn gave up a 2-out RBI double to RF Arturo Rivas in the 1st to spot the Keys a 1-0 lead but a Josh Johnson RBI single in the 2nd tied the game. Rivas stepped up to hit a leadoff homer in the 4th to make it 2-1 and a solo homer by C Zach Dillon made it 3-1 off Penn. Rivas was a killer again in the 5th with a 1-out, 2-run single to make it 5-1. The Blue Rocks got 2 back in the 6th on a 2-out RBI single by Kiel Thibault and RBI double by Andrew Larsen to cut it to 5-3. Penn was pulled for RP Justin Barnes with 1 out and 1 on in the 7th and Barnes gave up a squeeze bunt to extend the Keys lead to 6-3. A throwing error by Thibault in the 9th helped lead to an RBI single to give the Keys a 7-3 lead entering the bottom of the 9th. The Blue Rocks loaded the bases with none out off RP Dan Lonsberry to bring in Keys closer Bob McCrory. Jose Duarte singled home a run and Marc Maddox chose a great time for his first hit at the level with a 2-run single to cut it to 7-6. Duarte tried to make the hit a 3-run single but got thrown out at home on the play. The Rocks reloaded the bases and, with 2 out, a McCrory throwing error on a dribbler by Thibault allowed the tying run to score. Larsen grounded out to end the inning as the Blue Rocks were unable to finish it in the 9th. Frederick loaded the bases with none out in the 12th off RP Gilbert de la Vara and a fly ball to LF Brett Bigler resulted in a double play as Bigler nailed a runner at the plate to keep the score tied. 3B Mario Lisson made a diving catch on the next batter to also keep the game at 7-7. RP David Humen came in for the 13th and had 2 wild pitches while giving up 2 runs on a hit and a walk to make it 9-7 and the Blue Rocks got the tying run on in the bottom of the 13th only to see Maddox ground into a DP to end it. Wilmington is 9-17 and 6 games back. Rivas was 3-4 for Frederick with his 6th double, 2nd HR and 4 RBI (9) to move to .431, Dillon was 4-6 with his 3rd double, 3rd homer and 5th RBI to move to .240 and SS Blake Davis was 3-7 with his 10th double and 3 RS to move to .329. RP Manny Basilio got the win with a hit allowed and 5 Ks over 4 IP to move to 1-3 with a 6.97 ERA.

A 3-game set at the division leading Potomac Nationals (14-10, A-Adv. Nats) begins tonight. Probable starters: righty Blake Johnson (1-2, 2.59) against Nationals right-hander Craig Stammen (2-1, 4.26). The Nats feature Washington prospects P Shairon Martis (1-3, 5.40), P Clint Everts (1-3, 3.43) and SS Ian Desmond (.253 BA, .765 OPS thus far).

A -- Burlington: Bees 4, Lansing 0

LF Dickerson 3-3, HBP, 2B (4), RS, SB (6) -- .312
RF Gonzalez 2-3, BB, 2B (5), 2 RBI (7), K -- .200
DH Thompson 1-3, HBP, 2B (5), RBI (12), K -- .238
CF Morel 2-5, 2B (5), RS -- .221
SS McConnell 0-4 -- .267

Cribb 5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, K -- W, 1-1, 4.08 ERA
Godin 4 IP, 0 H, BB, 5 K -- SV, 1, 2.38 ERA, very nice day for Josh and Jason

The Lugnuts had more errors (4) than hits (3) off Josh Cribb and Jason Godin as the Bees got a second straight shutout to split the 4-game set. O.D. Gonzalez hit a 2-out RBI single in the 2nd to make it 1-0 Burlington and Cribb stranded 2 in the 3rd before Burlington got a 2-out RBI double from Mike Thompson to make it 2-0. Gonzalez hit an RBI double in the 4th to make it 3-0 and Joe Dickerson hit an RBI single in the 7th to make it 4-0. Cribb and Godin didn't allow a hit after the 5th as Godin retired 12 of 13 batters he faced to lock down the win. Burlington is 12-13 and 3 games back. Lugnuts RF Travis Snider was 0-3 with a walk to drop to .363, 3B Sean Shoffit and CF Yuber Rodriguez had 2 errors each and SP Zach Dials took the loss with 5 IP of 3 R (1 ER) on 7 hits with a K to drop to 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA.

Burlington moves on to face the defending league champ West Michigan Whitecaps (13-12, A Tigers) for a 4-game set starting tonight. Probable starters: Bees LH Ryan DiPietro (0-1, 4.97) vs. Whitecaps RH Lauren Gagnier (1-3, 5.11). The Whitecaps don't have Cameron Maybin anymore, but do feature Detroit prospects OF Gorkys Hernandez (.313 BA, .785 OPS), 2B Scott Sizemore (.213/.651) and Ps Jonah Nickerson (2-2, 4.34) and Chris Cody (2-2, 1.13 ERA, 0.78 WHIP).