Royals on the Farm 6/22

AAA -- Omaha: O-Royals 4, New Orleans 0 (4-hitter)

2B Aviles 2-4, HR (5), 2 RBI (31), 2 RS -- .311
1B Brazell 2-4, K -- .320
LF McCarthy 1-3, HBP, RBI (3), 2 K, SB (1) -- .259
SS Berroa 1-3, SF, 2B (6), RBI (19) -- .246
CF Maier 1-5, K, RS, SB (6) -- .284
C Tupman 1-4 -- .296

Wright 7 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K -- W, 4-3, 3.76 ERA, great start
Hoelscher 1/3 IP, H, BB -- 3.38 ERA
Braun 1 2/3 IP, BB, 4 K -- SV, 5, 2.16 ERA

Omaha got starter Matt Wright a lead early and Wright took care of the rest as Omaha shut down the Zephyrs. Mike Aviles hit a 2-run homer in the 1st for his 5th of the season and Omaha had a 2-0 lead. Angel Berroa hit a sac fly in the 2nd to make it 3-0 and Bill McCarthy singled home a run in the 3rd to make it 4-0 O-Royals. Wright's biggest threat came when he stranded 2 in the 4th. Nate Hoelscher came in for the 8th and was pulled with 2 on and 1 out for Ryan Braun, who got 2 swinging Ks to escape the threat. Braun stranded 1 in the 9th for his 5th save. Omaha is 35-39 and 8 games back. Four different Zephyrs had a hit each and SP Mike Pelfrey took the loss with 5 1/3 IP of 4 ER on 8 hits, a walk and 5 Ks to drop to 2-2 with a 3.44 ERA.

A 4-day, 5-game set at the Oklahoma RedHawks (34-38, AAA Rangers) starts tonight. Probable game 1 starters: Omaha LH Tyler Lumsden (5-5, 5.40) vs. RedHawks LH John Rheinecker (0-2, 4.24). Omaha is 5-2 versus Oklahoma this season.

AA -- Wichita: Arkansas 10, Wranglers 1

1B Stodolka 2-2, 2 BB, 2B (13), RBI (28) -- .270
LF Lubanski 0-3, BB, K, RS -- .300
DH Kaaihue 0-4, K -- .350

Connolly 4 1/3 IP, 7 ER, 9 H, 4 BB, K, 2 WP -- L, 3-4, 5.48 ERA
Cedeno 3 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, BB, 4 K, 2 HRA, WP -- 4.70 ERA, at least he's not walking people as much

The anemic Wranglers' offense managed only 5 hits and the Travs hammered Mike Connolly for the win. Mike Stodolka hit a 2-out RBI single in the 1st and Wichita grabbed a 1-0 lead. Connolly exhibited some control problems off the bat as he walked 3 in the 1st and an RBI single tied the game at 1. Three hits and 2 Connolly wild pitches in the 2nd made it 3-1 and the Travs pushed across another run in the 4th to take a 4-1 lead. Connolly left with the bases loaded and 1 out in the 5th and Juan Cedeno came in and got a strikeout before giving up a grand slam to 2B Adam Morrissey and a solo shot to 3B Freddy Sandoval. Two more hits scored another run and Arkansas was up, 10-1. Travs SP Miguel Gonzalez allowed only 2 hits after the 1st and 3 relievers allowed only 2 more hits to finish the Wranglers off. Wichita is 1-3 and 2 games out. Morrissey was 2-4 with his 6th homer and 4 RBI (27) to move to .286, Sandoval was 2-3 with his 6th homer and 3 RBI (35) to move to .295 and Gonzalez got the win with 6 IP of an ER on 3 hits, 4 walks and 3 Ks to improve to 4-2 with a 3.41 ERA.

The series continues tonight. Probable starters: Wichita lefty Danny Christensen (1-7, 5.57) vs. Arkansas righty Nick Adenhart (6-2, 3.44).

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: Blue Rocks 5, Frederick 1 (2-hitter)

1B Vega 3-4, 2 2B (12), RBI (26) -- .217
RF McFall 2-4, 2 2B (15), 2 RBI (23), RS, E (6) -- .240
2B Maddox 1-3, S, RBI (22), 2 K -- .271
CF Duarte 1-3, S, K, RS -- .294
3B Lisson 0-3, BB, 2 K, RS -- .277
LF Perez 1-4, 3B (2), RS -- .308
SS McConnell 1-4, K, RS -- .278

Cortes 4 IP, ER, H, 5 BB, K -- 3.71 ERA, had a little trouble finding strike zone
Barnes 2 1/3 IP, H, 2 K -- W, 1-2, 3.28 ERA
de la Vara 2 2/3 IP, nothing -- SV, 7, 0.82 ERA

Wilmington's pitchers were again in lockdown mode as the Rocks allowed only 2 hits and pounded out 4 doubles in the win. SP Dan Cortes gave up a walk and RBI double in the 1st but stranded the bases loaded in the 3rd. Wilver Perez led off the 5th with a triple and scored on a Miguel Vega double to tie it at 1. Marc Maddox singled home a run in the 6th and the Rocks took command in the 8th with 3 runs on a 2-run Brian McFall double and a wild pitch that scored McFall to make it 5-1. The Blue Rocks left the bases loaded, though, but it was no big deal as Justin Barnes and Gilbert de la Vara got the last 11 outs in a row to secure the win. Wilmington is 2-0 and a game up on first. Keys RF Arturo Rivas was 1-3 with his 11th double and 16th RBI along with an OF assist to move to .322 and SP Carlos Perez took the loss with 7 1/3 IP of 4 ER on 7 hits, 2 walks and 5 Ks to drop to 5-6 with a 4.74 ERA.

The series wraps tonight as Wilmington goes for the sweep. Probable starters: Rocks ace southpaw Rowdy Hardy (8-1, 1.55) and Frederick right-hander Jason Berken (4-5, 4.62).

A -- Burlington: Bees 6, Cedar Rapids 0 (finish of Thursday's game, 4-hitter)

LF Dickerson 3-3, SF, 2 RBI (23) -- .286
2B Mertins 2-5, HR (4), 2 RBI (29), 2 K, 2 RS, CS -- .272
DH Turner 1-3, BB, HR (6), RBI (17), K, RS -- .189
CF Robinson 1-5, 2B (7), RS -- .271
SS Bianchi 1-3, S, HBP, K, RS -- .241
1B Everett 1-4, BB, K, RS -- .287
*The Bees left 10 on base.

Santiago 4 IP, 2 K -- 2.76 ERA
Hayes 3 IP, 3 H, 3 K -- W, 2-3, 4.19 ERA
Wladyka 1 1/3 IP, H, 2 BB, K -- 11.25 ERA

The game that was suspended by rain in the bottom of the 4th ended up with another Bees' shutout before being rained out for good in the 9th. Joe Dickerson hit an RBI single in the 1st and Jase Turner smoked his 6th homer of the season to center in the 2nd as Burlington grabbed a 2-0 lead. A Dickerson sac fly in the 3rd was followed with a 2-out Kernels error that scored Brady Everett to make it 4-0. SP Mario Santiago got through the 4th and still hadn't allowed a hit but, with 1 on and 1 out in the bottom of the 4th, the rain suspended play and it resumed Friday evening. P Chris Hayes cleared any no-no suspense by giving up a double in the 5th but got out of the small jam before Kurt Mertins hit a 2-run homer in the 6th for his 4th of the season to make it 6-0 Bees. Hayes stranded 2 in the 7th and the Bees left the bases loaded that frame. RP Jim Wladyka came in for the 8th and stranded 2 and the Kernels had 1 on with 1 out in the 9th when the rain returned to wash out the game for a 6-0 Bees win. Burlington moved to 1-0. Four Kernels split the team's 4 hits. SP Sean O'Sullivan took the loss with 3 1/3 IP of 4 runs (2 ER) on 5 hits, 2 walks and 4 Ks to drop to 4-5 with a 2.94 ERA.

Game 2 of the night, which was Friday's regular game, was rained out and will be made up as part of a doubleheader tonight. The Bees will send RH Harold Mozingo (6-5, 4.04) and RH Tyler Chambliss (3-0, 2.41) to start the twinbill while the Kernels will send out RH Jeremy Haynes (2-3, 3.86) in game one and RH David Herndon (7-4, 3.63) in game two.

Rookie -- Burlington: B-Royals 3, Greeneville 0 (3-hitter)

RF Tucker 3-4, 2B (1), RBI (6) -- .438, on an early tear
C Graterol 1-3, SF, 2B (1), RBI (1) -- .333, season debut
2B Santos 1-4, HR (1), RBI (1), RS -- .250, season debut
DH Amyx 0-1, 3 BB, RS -- .250
CF Norris 0-4, BB, K, RS, SB (3) -- .188
3B Jimenez 0-4, BB, 2 K -- .313
1B Lane 0-2, BB, HBP, picked off -- .167
*The Royals left 12 on base.

Augustine 4 IP, 2 H, 3 K -- ND, 0.00 ERA
Bradley 4 IP, H, 4 K -- W, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, nice pro debut, same for Augustine
Rollins IP, 2 K -- SV, 1, 0.00 ERA, another lockdown debut

Three Burlington pitchers combined on a 3-hit shutout as the Royals swept the 2-gamer. A Juan Graterol sac fly in the 2nd gave the Royals a 1-0 lead and Wilson Tucker singled home a run in the 2nd to make it 2-0. Jose Santos hit his 1st homer of the season in the 4th to make it 3-0 and SP Joe Augustine left with a 2-hit shutout after 4 IP. RP Anthony Bradley retired 12 of 13 to hold the Astros in check through 8 and Jimmy Rollins pitched a perfect 9th for his 1st save in his first pro appearance. Burlington is 3-1 and tied for first. Three 'Stros split the 3 hits and SP Antonio Noguera took the loss with 4 IP of 3 runs (1 ER) on 4 hits, 2 walks and 3 Ks to drop to 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA.

The B-Royals move on to 2 with the Kingsport Mets (2-2) starting tonight. The Kingsport roster features '07 Mets draftees 2nd round RHP Brant Rustich (no stats yet), 10th round SS Brandon Richey (one game thus far, 1-2) and six other late-round picks.

Rookie -- Idaho Falls: Chukars 4, Orem 1

CF Van Stratten 2-3, BB, RS, OF assist at second -- .389
DH Evangelho 2-3, SF, RBI (1) -- .500
1B Robinson 1-4, HR (1), 2 RBI (6), RS, E (2) -- .300
RF Gonzalez 1-3, BB, HR (2), RBI (3), 2 K, 2 RS -- .222
2B Seratelli 1-4, K -- .500
3B Van De Keere 1-4, 3 K -- .333

Baldwin 4 2/3 IP, ER, 4 H, BB, 2 K, HRA -- ND, 3.38 ERA
Peterson 2 1/3 IP, 3 K -- W, 1-0, 0.00 ERA
Holland 2 IP, H, BB, 3 K -- SV, 1, 0.00 ERA

A go-ahead homer in the 6th kept the Chukars undefeated. O.D. Gonzalez got it started for Idaho Falls with a solo homer in the 2nd for his 2nd of the season but Orem tied it in the 4th with a solo homer from LF Donato Giovanatto off SP Burke Baldwin. The Chukars left a runner at third in the 5th but Clint Robinson came through in the 6th with a 1-out, 2-run homer for his first pro longball to make it 3-1. A Zach Evangelho sac fly later in the inning made it 4-1. RPs Zach Peterson and Greg Holland finished off the game for their first pro win and save, respectively. Idaho Falls is 4-0 with a 2-game division lead. Five Owlz had 1 hit, including Giovanatto, who was 1-2 with his 1st homer and 2nd RBI to move to .667. RP Tremayne Holland took the loss with an IP of 3 runs (2 ER) on 2 hits, 2 walks and a K to drop to 0-1 with an 18.00 ERA after SP Young-Il Jung allowed an ER on 5 hits, a walk and 5 Ks over 5 IP to make his ERA 1.80.

The series continues tonight. No announced starters on the team site. Fifth-round draftee CF Adrian Ortiz has joined IF after signing recently.

Rookie -- AZL: Rangers 9, Royals 6

1B Wood 3-4, 2 RBI, RS -- .750
2B Donovan 2-4, RBI -- .500
LF Arias 1-1, 2B, RBI -- 1.000
SS Jose 1-5, RBI, K, RS, SB, 2 E -- .200
DH McCauley 1-4 -- .250
3B Cruz 0-3, K -- .000
CF Richardson 0-5, K -- .000, tough debut

Jorge IP, 5 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, WP -- 45.00 ERA
Rada 3 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, BB, 4 K -- L, 0-1, 7.36 ERA
Hodgson 2 IP, ER, H, BB, 3 K, HRA -- 4.50 ERA
Van Slyke 1 1/3 IP, H, K -- 0.00 ERA

The Rangers cranked out 5 runs off SP Victor Jorge in the 1st and got some big runs in the middle innings to open the season with a Royals loss. The Rangers scored 5 runs on 5 hits, a walk and sac fly to take the lead in the 1st, The Royals scored in the 2nd on a Dennis Donovan RBI single and Jorge was pulled with 2 on and none out in the 2nd. David Wood singled home a run in the 3rd and tied it with 3 in the 5th on a Lifete Jose RBI single, another Wood RBI base hit and a wild pitch that scored a run. The Rangers surged back ahead with 3 in the 5th on 4 hits to knock RP Orlando Rada out of the game. RP Ivor Hodgson gave up a solo homer in the 6th to make it 9-5 and the Royals got an RBI double from Renny Arias in the 9th but that was all they could muster. The Royals dropped to 0-1. Rangers 1B Michael Ortiz was 2-4 with a double and 2 RBI and RP Eleno Soto got the win with 2 IP of 3 runs (2 ER) on 3 hits to move to 1-0 with a 9.00 ERA.

The Royals defeated the Cubs today to even their record.