Royals on the Farm 6/28

AAA -- Omaha: O-Royals 9, New Orleans 0 (2-hitter)

C Tupman 2-4, 2B (7), 2 RBI (18) -- .291
3B Wathan 3-4, 2B (2), RBI (4), 2 RS, SB (1) -- .250
2B Aviles 2-5, 2 RBI (38) -- .309
CF Maier 2-3, 2 BB, RBI (36), 2 RS -- .286
RF Padilla 2-4, 2 2B (8), K, 2 RS -- .294
LF McCarthy 1-3, BB, HR (3), RBI (7), 2 RS -- .235
1B Brazell 0-4 -- .327
DH Lewis 1-4, S, 2B (6), RBI (19), K -- .239
SS Berroa 1-3, BB, RS -- .266

Elarton 6 IP, 2 H, K -- W, 2-2, 4.18 ERA, at least he's .500 at AAA....a very good start, anyway
Ray 2 IP, BB, 2 K -- 4.12 ERA
DeHoyos IP, BB, K, WP -- 4.97 ERA

Two hits and 2 walks were all that was allowed by Scott Elarton and 2 relievers as Omaha set up a potential sweep of the Zephyrs. Bill McCarthy got it started with his 3rd homer for Omaha that made it 1-0 in the 2nd. Matt Tupman hit a 2-out, 2-run single in the 4th to make it 3-0 and Elarton gave up both Zephyr hits in the 5th but stranded both runners. Mike Aviles hit a 2-run single in the 5th and the Royals touched up RP Willie Collazo for 4 runs in the 6th all with 2 outs on a passed ball that scored Jorge Padilla, an RBI double by Derek Wathan, a Mitch Maier RBI single and an RBI double by Richie Lewis that made it 9-0. Ken Ray and Gabe DeHoyos polished it off from there. Zephyrs 1B Andy Tracy was 1-3 to move to .310 and SP Jose Santiago took the loss with 5 IP of 5 ER on 7 hits, 2 walks and 2 Ks to drop to 3-4 with a 5.56 ERA.

Omaha is 39-42 and 8 1/2 games back. The series ends tonight. Probable starters: Zephyrs RH Brian Lawrence (4-4, 5.71) vs. once again rehabbing Omaha LH John Bale (0-0, 0.00). Craig Brazell was named as a reserve on the PCL All-Star squad that will take on the IL July 11 in Albuquerque. It will be shown on ESPN2. His 29 homers this season are officially the most in professional baseball. He is also set to be in the Home Run Derby at the AAA ASG July 9. Besides Bale, 1B/OF Ross Gload begins a rehab stint at Omaha tonight.

AA -- Wichita: Corpus Christi 7, Wranglers 2 (9/G1)

DH Stodolka 2-3, BB, 2 2B (16), RS, SB (2) -- .279
C Espino 2-4, RS -- .258
CF Greenberg 1-4, RBI (25), 2 K -- .248
RF Valentin 0-4, K -- .290
1B Kaaihue 0-3, BB -- .290

Rosa 5 IP, 5 H, 3 BB, 6 K, WP -- ND, 5.24 ERA
Hughes 1 2/3 IP, 2 ER, H, 2 BB, HRA -- BS, 1, 4.01 ERA
Mattox 2 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, HRA -- L, 0-1, 19.29 ERA, not a good debut

Even though the game went the standard 9 innings, it was in extras when the Hooks blistered D.J. Mattox in his Wichita debut to win the opener of a Thursday double dip. Mike Stodolka doubled and scored on a Hooks error in the 1st and Adam Greenberg hit a 2-out RBI single in the 2nd to make it 2-0 Wichita. Starter Carlos Rosa dodged trouble in the 1st and left the bases full in the 5th. Dusty Hughes came on for the 6th and gave up a 2-out, 2-run homer to RF Francisco Caraballo to tie the game. Mattox stranded 2 in the 8th as CC starter Felipe Paulino retired 13 of 14 after Greenberg's RBI. Wichita stranded 2 in the 8th and Mattox loaded the bases with 2 out in the 9th only to give up a 2-run single to 2B Jonathan Ash and a 3-run homer to C J.R. Towles to blow the game open. The Wranglers went down in order in the 9th. Towles was 3-5 with his 6th double, 4th homer and 3 RBI (14) along with his 3rd SB to move to .313, Caraballo was 1-4 with his 7th homer and 2 RBI (27) to move to .250 and RP Brian Gordon picked up the win with 3 IP of 2 hits, a walk and 2 Ks in relief of Paulino to move to 3-0 with a 1.84 ERA.

Wranglers 3, Corpus Christi 2 (7/G2)

SS Falu 2-3, RS -- .249
1B Stodolka 1-3, 2 RBI (31), K -- .280
DH Kaaihue 1-3, 2B (3), RBI (4), RS -- .294
2B Valentin 0-3, K -- .286
C Donachie 0-1, S, K -- .193, return from DL

Atencio 7 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 5 K, 2 WP -- W, 3-4, 3.86 ERA

A 3-run 1st was all Greg Atencio needed in making another solid start to split the twinbill. Kila Kaaihue hit an RBI double and Mike Stodolka followed with a 2-run single to make it 3-0 but Stodolka was thrown out trying to get to second on the play. Wichita stranded 2 in the 2nd and Atencio gave up runs in the 3rd and 5th but sat the last 7 Hooks down consecutively to end it. Caraballo was 2-2 for the Hooks with his 28th RBI to move to .258 and SP Josh Muecke took the loss with 6 IP of 3 runs (2 ER) on 4 hits, a walk and 4 Ks to drop to 1-4 with a 4.98 ERA.

Wichita is 3-5 and 2 1/2 games back. The series ends tonight. Probable starters: Hooks righty Jimmy Barthmaier (2-4, 5.98) vs. Wranglers righty Luke Hochevar (3-6, 4.63, roughly 4.4/1 K/BB ratio).

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: Blue Rocks 5, Lynchburg 3

CF Duarte 3-5, 2B (11), RBI (18), SB (20) -- .290
C Thibault 1-3, BB, HR (2), 2 RBI (19), K, RS, SB (7) -- .267
SS Johnson 1-3, BB, 2B (6), RBI (16), RS -- .227
3B Lisson 0-4, HBP, 2 K -- .268
2B Jirschele 1-2, 2 BB, S -- .300
1B McCann 0-4, K -- .278
DH Perez 0-2, BB, HBP, RS, 2 SB (12) -- .308
*The Rocks left 10 on base.

Hardy 6 IP, 2 ER, H, BB, 6 K, 4 HBP, pickoff -- W, 10-1, 1.51 ERA, c'mon, move him up
Oliveros 2 IP, 3 H, 3 K -- 2.76 ERA
Haltiwanger 1/3 IP, ER, 3 H -- SV, 3, 3.63 ERA, saved by rain

Russ Haltiwanger was facing trouble in the 9th when the rain washed out the rest of the game to give the Rocks the win. Starter Rowdy Hardy again pitched well despite some problems of throwing the ball into Lynchburg batters. He hit 2 batters in the 1st and the Hillcats had 3 steals in the inning as RF Brad Corley hit a 2-run single with 2 outs to make it 2-0. That was the only hit Hardy would allow over 6 IP as the Rocks tied it with 2 in the 3rd on a Josh Johnson RBI double and a wild pitch that scored Johnson. Wilmington moved ahead with 2 in the 4th on a 2-run homer by Kiel Thibault for his 2nd of the season. The Rocks stranded 2 in the 6th and left the bases loaded in the 7th before scoring in the 8th on a 2-out RBI single by Jose Duarte to make it 5-2. There were 7 hit batsmen in the game and, after Wilver Perez got hit in the 8th, Lynchburg manager Jeff Branson was ejected. Haltiwanger put the first 2 on in the 9th and gave up a 1-out RBI single before the rain washed out the game with runners at first and second. Corley was 2-4 with 2 RBI (50) to move to .261 and SP Serguey Linares took the loss with 5 2/3 IP of 4 ER on 5 hits, 4 walks and 3 Ks to drop to 1-4 with a 5.46 ERA.

Wilmington is 6-2 and a game up on first. The series concludes tonight. Probable starters: Rocks right-hander Julio Pimentel (4-3, 2.80) vs. Hillcats lefty Kyle Bloom (7-6, 4.84). Hardy is the first Carolina League pitcher to 10 wins this season.

A -- Burlington: Bees 4, Kane County 3

DH Everett 2-4, RBI (24), RS -- .296
CF Dickerson 2-4, 2B (12), RBI (28), RS, picked off -- .289
1B Castillo 2-4, 2B (2) -- .250
3B Thompson 1-4, HR (15), RBI (42), K, RS -- .239
RF Peralta 1-4, RBI (7) -- .333

Mozingo 5 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, BB, 4 K -- W, 7-6, 4.35 ERA
Barrera 2 1/3 IP, H, 2 K -- 4.86 ERA
Hayes IP, ER, H, K -- SV, 5, 4.22 ERA

The Bees doubled Kane County up on hits, 10-5, and held on to take 3 in a row from the Cougars. A Brady Everett RBI single in the 1st made it 1-0 Bees but Kane County tied it in the 2nd on a double off starter Harold Mozingo. Mike Thompson put Burlington back ahead with a solo homer in the 3rd for his 15th of the season, Joe Dickerson hit an RBI single in the 5th and Felix Peralta drove in a run with a single in the 6th to make it 4-1 Bees. Mozingo retired 13 of 14 into the 6th and left with 2 out and 1 on. Henry Barrera gave up an RBI single but handed the 4-2 lead to Chris Hayes in the 9th. A 2-out RBI single cut the lead to 1 but Hayes got a clutch K to pick up his 5th save. Cougars 1B Greg Dowling was 1-3 with his 45th RBI to move to .276 and SP James Heuser took the loss with 7 IP of 4 ER on 9 hits and 6 Ks to drop to 6-3 with a 3.08 ERA.

Burlington is 6-2 and 1/2 a game up on first. The Bees start a 4-gamer at the Peoria Chiefs (4-4, A Cubs) tonight. The Bees are 6-2 versus the Chiefs. Probable game 1 starters: Bees' Josh Cribb (1-6, 6.15) vs. Chiefs' Jose Pina (1-7, 5.64).

Rookie -- Idaho Falls: Orem 15, Chukars 8

3B Van De Keere 3-5, RBI (8), K, RS, E (2) -- .366
RF Van Stratten 2-2, HBP, 2 BB, 2 RS -- .273
2B Evangelho 2-5, 2 RBI (4) -- .364
1B Robinson 2-5, RS, E (4) -- .360
SS Seratelli 1-4, HBP, 2B (2), RBI (9), RS -- .333
CF Ortiz 1-5, RBI (2), K, RS, SB (1), CS -- .429
LF Gonzalez 1-4, BB, K, OF assists at second and home -- .333
*IF left 11 on base.

Denton 2 2/3 IP, 7 R (3 ER), 9 H, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 HRA, E (1) -- L, 0-1, 6.43 ERA
Snipes 2 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, BB, 2 K -- 9.95 ERA
Cassa 2 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, BB, 2 K, HRA -- 5.63 ERA

Three IF pitchers got pummeled as Orem took the series opener. The Chukars grabbed an early lead with 3 in the 2nd on an Orem error that scored Clint Robinson, a wild pitch that scored Nick Van Stratten and an RBI ground out by Adrian Ortiz. Starter Chris Denton gave up a 2-run homer to LF Jeremy Moore in the bottom of the 2nd and 5 runs in the 3rd on a homer, 5 other hits and a Devery Van De Keere error. Clegg Snipes gave up 2 runs in the 4th to make it 9-3 but IF scored 4 in the 6th on a Zach Evangelho RBI single, an Owlz error that scored Ryan Eigsti, an RBI double by Anthony Seratelli and a Van De Keere RBI single that cut the lead to 9-7. Snipes gave up 2 runs on 3 hits in the 6th before RP Pat Cassa got out of the inning. The Chukars added a run in the 8th on a balk that scored Van De Keere but Orem scored 4 off Cassa that inning to lock down the 15-8 win. Orem 1B Gordon Gronkowski was 4-5 with his 1st homer and 6 RBI (12) to move to .429, 2B Hector Estrella was 4-5 with his 2nd homer, 5th RBI and 4 RS to move to .314 and RP Tremayne Holland got the win with 1 2/3 IP of an ER on 3 hits and 2 walks to move to 2-1 with a 5.79 ERA. RP Ryan Brasier picked up his 1st save.

Idaho Falls is 8-2 and 2 games up on first. The series continues tonight. No starters announced on the team site.

Rookie -- Burlington: rainout

The B-Royals start a 2-gamer at the Elizabethton Twins (7-1) tonight. No makeup date for the washout was announced, as far as I've read. Elizabethton's roster includes a handful of '07 Twins draftees as well as 7-1 RHP Ludovicus Van Mil (2-0, 1.23 in 2 starts).

Rookie -- AZL: Rangers 9, Royals 6

LF R. Arias 2-3, BB, 3B (1), RBI (2), K, RS -- .500
SS Jose 2-4, BB, 2B (1), RBI (2), RS, SB (2) -- .300
CF Richardson 1-4, 3B (1), 2 K, RS -- .150
C McCauley 1-3, BB, 2B (1) -- .167
3B F. Cruz 0-3, K, E (2) -- .176

Duffy 2 IP, BB, 4 K, E (1) -- 0.00 ERA, nice pro debut
Rada 2 2/3 IP, 3 R (1 ER), 6 H, 3 K -- 5.68 ERA
Mieles 1 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 2 K, 2 WP -- 6.23 ERA
Santerre 1 1/3 IP, 2 ER, H, BB, 3 K -- L, 1-1, 5.40 ERA
Belanger 1 2/3 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 4 K, HRA -- 7.36 ERA

The Royals blew a 4-0 lead and dropped yet another game. Hilton Richardson led off the Royals 1st with his first career triple and scored on a Lifete Jose single before Jose scored on a wild pitch and a Renny Arias triple brought 2 runs home thanks to a Ranger error. Third-round pick lefty Dan Duffy pitched a scoreless 2 innings in his pro debut but RP Orlando Rada gave up a run in the 3rd and, along with RP Edwin Mieles, allowed 2 runs in the 5th to cut the lead to 4-3. The Royals left 2 in scoring position in the 3rd but scored 2 in the 5th on a Sean McCauley double play ball and another wild pitch that scored a run to make it 6-3. The Rangers tied it off Mieles in the 6th but the Royals stranded 2 more in the 7th. RP Ryan Belanger came in with 2 on and 1 out in the 8th and allowed a 2-run single before giving up a solo homer in the 9th to make it 9-6 Rangers. RP Yoon-Hee Nam pitched a perfect 8th and 9th for his 1st save for the Rangers. Rangers CF Cody Podraza was 2-5 with his 4th SB, 3rd RBI and 2 RS to move to .375, 3B Emmanuel Solis was 3-5 with his 3rd double, 7th RBI and 2 SB (3) to move to .286 and RP Eleno Soto got the win with 2 IP of 2 hits and a K to improve to 2-0 with a 6.00 ERA.

The Royals dropped to 1-5. They lost to the Cubs today.