Royals on the Farm 7/18

AAA -- Omaha: Albuquerque 12, O-Royals 8

1B Brazell 2-5, 2B (19), 3 RBI (57), 2 K, RS -- .319
2B Wathan 2-4, 2B (4), 2 RBI (13) -- .266
C Tupman 3-5, 2B (10), RBI (22), RS -- .292
SS Aviles 3-5, 2B (16), 3B (5), 2 RS -- .304
DH Huber 1-5, 2B (5), RBI (37), RS -- .250
3B Lewis 1-4, RBI (27), K, RS -- .237
RF Costa 1-4, BB, 2B (8), 2 RS -- .347
LF Lubanski 1-3, S, 2B (3), K -- .193, team had 7 doubles
CF Maier 0-5, E (3) -- .298

Elarton 5 2/3 IP, 7 R (6 ER), 8 H, BB, 2 K, 4 HRA -- 6.70 ERA, good God, can we just release him, please?
Hendrickson 2/3 IP, 5 ER, 5 H, BB, WP -- L, 7-5, 6.17 ERA, would say the same
Ray 2/3 IP, H, 2 K -- 3.83 ERA
Shiell IP, H -- 5.04 ERA

Scott Elarton started the fire and Ben Hendrickson helped him throw gas on it Wednesday as the Isotopes pulled away late to beat the O-Royals in a shootout. Elarton got it started by giving up a 2-run homer in the 1st and a solo homer in the 2nd as the Isotopes took a 3-0 lead. Craig Brazell broke the goose egg with an RBI ground out in the 4th but Elarton gave up a 2-run homer to CF Brett Carroll, his 2nd of the game, in the bottom of the inning. A Derek Wathan RBI ground out made it 5-2 in the 5th but a Mitch Maier throwing error helped Albuquerque make it 6-2 going into the 6th. The Royals put together a rally that inning as Isotopes SP Daniel Barone was about as reliable as Elarton Wednesday. Brazell hit an RBI single, Justin Huber doubled home a run and Matt Tupman singled home Brazell to cut it to 6-5 and knock Barone out of the game. Richie Lewis and Wathan added RBI singles and Omaha took a 7-6 lead. The lead lasted 2 batters into the bottom of the 6th as Elarton gave up Carroll's 3rd homer of the game for a solo shot to tie the game. Hendrickson stranded 2 in the inning after coming in with 1 on and 2 out, and the Royals regained the lead in the 7th on a Brazell RBI double. The Royals left 2 in scoring position in that inning and the Isotopes went back to work on Hendrickson in their half. Three doubles, a wild pitch, walk and RBI single later, Hendrickson was out and the 'Topes had an 11-8 lead. Ken Ray allowed another RBI single to make it 12-8. The last 2 innings were comparably uneventful as the Royals stranded 1 each inning. Carroll was 4-5 for the Isotopes with his 10th double, 3 HR (12) and 6 RBI (46) along with 4 RS to move to .313 (he had 2 chances at a 4 HR game and couldn't get it done), 1B Val Pascucci was 4-5 with his 19th double, 25th HR and 3 RBI (79) to move to .282 and RP Harvey Garcia got the win with an IP of an ER on 3 hits to move to 3-1 with a 6.59 ERA.

Omaha is 46-52. The series concludes tonight. Probable starters: Royals RH Billy Buckner (7-4, 4.28) vs. Isotopes RH Kenny Baugh (3-6, 5.78). Leo Nunez is headed back to Omaha as Ryan Braun got recalled to KC.

AA -- Wichita: Arkansas 6, Wranglers 3

LF Stodolka 3-4, BB, RBI (41), K -- .300, left field?
RF Joseph 2-4, RS, SB (9), OF assist at second -- .228
CF Greenberg 1-5, RBI (30), 2 K -- .255
3B Nettles 1-3, BB, 2 K, E (2) -- .268
2B Valentin 0-4, BB, K -- .305
1B Kaaihue 0-3, BB, 2 K -- .253
DH Padilla 0-4, K -- .343

Christensen 5 IP, 5 ER, 10 H, BB, 2 K, 2 HRA -- L, 2-10, 5.83 ERA, another sorry start
de la Vara 2 IP, ER, 3 H, K, HRA -- 6.10 ERA
Cedeno 2 IP, H, BB, E (2) -- 6.10 ERA

Wichita was down, 6-0, before they could generate any offense and what they did generate wasn't enough as Arkansas split the 4-game set. Starter Dan Christensen ran into trouble early as he gave up a solo homer to 3B Freddy Sandoval in the 1st and another Sandoval RBI hit in the 3rd. The Wranglers stranded a runner at third in the 3rd and the Travs scored again off Christensen in the 4th to make it 3-0. The Wranglers stranded 2 in scoring position in the 4th and Christensen allowed 2 runs in the 5th. Gilbert de la Vara allowed a solo homer in the 7th to make it 6-0 as Wichita was being shut out on 4 hits by Travs starter Nick Adenhart. The Wranglers finally got to him in the bottom of the 7th as Adam Donachie scored on an Onil Joseph single and Travs error, Adam Greenberg singled Joseph home and Mike Stodolka singled home a run off RP Bill Edwards to cut it to 6-3. The Wranglers stranded a base runner in both the 8th and 9th as RP Darren O'Day picked up his 2nd save for Arkansas. Sandoval was 3-5 for the Travelers with his 8th homer and 2 RBI (46) to move to .296, 1B Michael Collins was 3-5 with his 3rd homer and 2 RBI (22) to move to .210 and Adenhart got the victory with 6 1/3 IP of 3 ER on 8 hits, 2 BB and 9 Ks to improve to 7-3 with a 3.36 ERA.

Wichita is 10-16 and 6 games back. A 4-game set at the Springfield Cardinals (16-10) starts tonight. The Wranglers are 10-10 versus the Cards. No announced game 1 starters on the team site.

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: Myrtle Beach 7, Blue Rocks 1

SS McConnell 0-2, BB, RBI (9), K -- .259
CF Duarte 0-3, HBP, 2 K, 2 SB (25) -- .281
3B Lisson 1-4, K -- .251
2B Johnson 1-4, 2 K -- .254

Cortes 5 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 4 BB, 3 K, 2 WP -- L, 2-7, 4.00 ERA, pitched like '06 Cortes last night
D'Amico 1 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, HRA -- 4.22 ERA
Santos 2 IP, 4 H -- 4.50 ERA

Dan Cortes didn't have command and got no run support as Wilmington was held to 4 hits and Myrtle Beach set itself up for a 4-game sweep with a win today. Cortes stranded 2 in the 1st but gave up a run in the 2nd on 2 singles and a steal of home. Two walks and 2 hits made it 2-0 Pelicans in the 3rd and the Rocks were being 1-hit into the 5th by SP Thomas Hanson. They loaded the bases with 1 out in the 5th and Chris McConnell drew a walk to force home a run and cut the lead in half. The Blue Rocks left the bases loaded in their best chance to take the lead. A walk and 2 wild pitches by Cortes in the 6th scored another run to make it 3-1 and Yovany D'Amico gave up a 3-run homer in the 7th as the Pelicans scored 4 in the frame to make it 7-1. The Blue Rocks had 2 base runners after the 5th. Pelicans RF Quentin Davis was 3-4 with his 2nd homer and 3 RBI (47) to move to .273 and Hanson picked up the W with 5 IP of an ER on 3 hits, 2 walks and 7 Ks to improve to 1-0 with a 2.81 ERA.

Wilmington is 15-10 and 2 games up on first. The series finishes with a matinee today. Probable starters: Rocks ace southpaw Rowdy Hardy (11-2, 2.13, 0.91 WHIP, 5.8 K/BB in 114 IP) vs. Myrtle Beach right-hander Deunte Heath (1-0, 4.91). Hope Rowdy's a stopper today.

A -- Burlington: Bees 7, Lansing 5

LF Dickerson 2-5, 2 2B (19), 2 RBI (35), 2 K, picked off -- .295
2B Soto 3-3, 2 BB, HR (2), RBI (2), 3 RS -- .265
3B Thompson 2-4, HBP, 2B (19), RBI (45), K -- .232
RF Peralta 2-4, BB, RS -- .250
DH Everett 1-4, BB, HR (8), RBI (35), 2 K, RS -- .306
PH-2B Mertins 1-1, RBI (35) -- .265
CF Robinson 1-5, S, 2 K -- .249
SS Bianchi 0-4, BB, K, RS -- .223
*The Bees stranded 12.

Godin 7 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 6 K -- W, 3-1, 2.32 ERA, looking good at low A-ball
Wladyka 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H -- 9.19 ERA
Hayes 1 2/3 IP, H, 2 K -- SV, 8, 3.62 ERA

The Bees gave Jason Godin some run support and won their 5th straight game. Godin allowed 2 runs on 3 hits in the 2nd but settled down as the Bees got started with a Jesus Soto homer in the 3rd for his 2nd of the season and tied the game in the 4th on Brady Everett's 8th homer. Joe Dickerson hit an RBI force out and Mike Thompson took a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded in the 5th as Burlington moved ahead, 4-2. Godin retired 11 of 12 into the 7th before allowing a run that inning to cut the lead to 4-3. Burlington padded the lead with a 2-run 8th on an error that scored Soto and a Dickerson RBI double that made it 6-3. Jim Wladyka replaced Godin for the 8th and got touched up for 2 runs on 3 hits before getting pulled for Chris Hayes, who got out of the inning with the 6-5 lead. Kurt Mertins got a pinch-hit RBI single in the 9th to stretch the lead back to 2 runs and Hayes got the benefit of a double play in the 9th to pick up his 8th save. Blue Jays hot prospect RF Travis Snider was 2-4 for Lansing with his 6th triple and 57th RBI to move to .308 and SP Nathan Starner took the loss with 4 2/3 IP of 4 ER on 4 hits, 3 walks and 7 Ks to fall to 8-8 with a 4.74 ERA.

The Bees are 15-10 and tied for first. Game 3 of the set is tonight. Probable starters: Bees RH Mario Santiago (1-6, 2.89) vs. Lansing RH Graham Godfrey (5-4, 4.55).

Rookie -- Idaho Falls: off day

The Chukars are 19-9 and 7 games up on first. They start a 4-game set at the Helena Brewers (18-10) tonight. IF is 2-1 versus Helena. No announced game 1 starters on the team site.

Rookie -- Burlington: Bluefield 3, B-Royals 2 (7/G1)

CF Lough 2-4, RS -- .526
RF Tucker 1-3, 2B (8), RBI (23) -- .321
C Doscher 1-3, RBI (11), K -- .182
LF Norris 1-3, BB, 2 K -- .267
1B Amyx 0-3, K -- .246
SS Martin 1-3, 2B (9), RS, E (3) -- .233

Paulino 5 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, K, WP -- 4.13 ERA
Hastry IP, ER, H, BB, WP -- L, 1-2, 1.04 ERA

The Orioles turned a 2-0 deficit in the 5th into a 3-2 win to take the first of 2 with the B-Royals Wednesday. The Royals missed an opportunity in the 1st as they stranded 2 in scoring position and Patrick Norris was thrown out at the plate in the inning. Burlington loaded the bases with 1 out in the 3rd but a double play killed the threat. Nick Doscher hit a 2-out RBI single in the 4th to break the stalemate and Wilson Tucker doubled home a run in the 5th to make it 2-0 Royals. Starter Eduardo Paulino was lockdown in the early going with a no-hitter through 4 IP but Bluefield got to him in the 5th for 2 runs on 3 hits and a wild pitch to tie the game. Bobby Hastry entered the game to pitch the 6th and the O's took advantage with a run on a single, walk, wild pitch and sac fly to take a 3-2 lead. The last 8 Royals went down in order as RP Brian Parker got his 2nd save. O's SS Jason White was 1-3 with his 10th double and 13th RBI to move to .283 and RP Bernard Robert got the win with an IP of a K to improve to 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA.

Bluefield 2, B-Royals 1 (7/G2)

1B Amyx 0-2, SF, RBI (14) -- .239
CF Norris 2-3, 2B (3), K, RS -- .281
LF A. Perez 2-2, S, SB (3), E (7) -- .314
DH Lough 0-3, K -- .455
SS Martin 0-3, K -- .226
RF Severino 1-3, 2B (4), 2 K -- .316

Paukovits 5 IP, ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 5 K -- 5.91 ERA
Bernat IP, UER, 2 H -- L, 3-1, 2.45 ERA

A 6th inning run broke a 1-1 tie to give Bluefield the win and a sweep of the 1-day, 2-game series. Brett Amyx hit a sac fly in the 1st as the Royals took a 1-0 lead but O's SP Brandon Cooney retired 15 of 16 batters after giving up 2 hits to start the game. SP Bryan Paukovits gave up 2 hits with 2 outs in the 2nd as Bluefield tied the game. Paukovits stranded 2 in the 4th and the game went to the bullpens in the 6th tied at 1. The Royals stranded a runner in the 6th while David Bernat allowed the go-ahead run in the bottom of the inning on 2 hits and an Alwin Perez error in left field. Neder Severino led off the Royals 7th with a double and, with 2 out, tried to score on a Juan Graterol single to right only to get nailed at the plate to end the game. Four Orioles had 1 hit each and RP Adolfito Garcia got the win with 2 IP of 3 hits and a K to move to 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA. Cooney allowed an ER on 3 hits and 4 Ks over 5 IP to drop his ERA to 6.75.

Burlington is 17-10 and 1/2 a game back. A big 2-game home set versus the Danville Braves (17-9) starts tonight with the division lead on the line for the Royals. The Royals are 1-1 versus the Braves. No announced starters on the team site.

Rookie -- AZL: Rangers 9, Royals 4

2B Donovan 2-5, 2 RBI (11) -- .329
DH Wood 1-4, 2B (6), 2 RBI (13) -- .321
CF Richardson 1-4, BB, 2B (1), K, 2 RS, 2 E (3) -- .169
3B F. Cruz 0-4 -- .148
C McCauley 1-4, K -- .293

Runion 5 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 4 H, BB, 4 K, WP, E (1) -- 4.85 ERA
Biddle 2 IP, 2 UER, H, 3 K, E (1) -- L, 0-2, 4.66 ERA
Hodgson 1 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 WP -- 6.94 ERA, strike zone MIA?
Mieles 1/3 IP, BB -- 8.10 ERA

Six runs in the final 3 frames got the Rangers the victory. RBI ground outs by Dennis Donovan and David Wood in the 1st gave the Royals a 2-0 lead but the Rangers got a run off Sam Runion in the 2nd thanks in part to a Hilton Richardson error and a wild pitch. The Rangers added 2 more runs in the 3rd on 3 hits and a Runion error to take a 3-2 lead. Wood doubled home a run in the 3rd to tie it and the game stayed tied at 3 until the 7th. With 2 out and 1 on that inning, RP George Biddle fell victim to a 2-run Richardson error as the Rangers broke open a 5-3 lead. Donovan hit an RBI single in the bottom of the inning but the Royals stranded 2. RP Ivor Hodgson got hit for 2 ER in the 8th as the Rangers padded the lead and Hodgson then gave up 2 more runs in the 9th to all but put it out of reach. The Royals stranded 2 in the 9th. Rangers 3B Matt West was 2-5 with his 5th RBI and 3 RS to move to .317 and P Dan Hoben got the win with 3 1/3 IP of 2 hits and 3 Ks to improve to 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA.

The Royals are 9-13 and 7 games back. They play the 11-11 Cubs today.