Royals on the Farm 7/29

AAA -- Omaha: O-Royals 9, Colorado Springs 0 (4-hitter)

DH Costa 4-5, 2B (14), RS -- .375
LF Huber 2-5, HR (9), 2 RBI (42), 2 RS -- .267
SS Aviles 1-5, 2 RBI (62) -- .310
3B Lewis 3-4, RBI (29), CS -- .236
2B Wathan 2-4, RBI (15), 2 RS -- .269
CF Gathright 2-4, BB, RBI (24), SB (25), 2 RS -- .342
RF Maier 1-5, 2B (22), RS -- .294
1B Shealy 0-5 -- .209

Hendrickson 7 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 2 K -- W, 9-5, 5.49 ERA, second straight good outing
Giron 2 IP, BB, 4 K -- 4.24 ERA

Ben Hendrickson split the Sky Sox's 4 hits between 2 innings and, with the help of Roberto Giron, shut Colorado Springs out. Omaha took a 4-0 lead in the 2nd as Shane Costa scored on an error and Derek Wathan, Richie Lewis and Joey Gathright hit RBI singles. Hendrickson gave up 2 hits to put runners at the corners with none out in the 2nd but got a liner double play and pop out to escape the jam. Omaha took advantage of a Sky Sox error in the 4th to score 2 runs and, after Hendrickson stranded 2 on walks in the 4th, the O-Royals scored 2 in the 6th on a 2-run single by Mike Aviles to make it 8-0. Justin Huber finished off the scoring with his 9th homer for a solo shot in the 7th. Hendrickson gave up the other 2 Sky Sox hits in the 7th but, again, stranded 2. Roberto Giron allowed a walk in 2 innings pitched to close out the shutout. Colorado Springs 1B Doug Bernier was 2-2 with 2 walks to move to .318 and SP Kevin Walker took the loss with 4 IP of 6 runs (3 ER) on 9 hits to drop to 4-4 with a 5.40 ERA.

Omaha is 53-56. Omaha won game 3 today behind SP Nate Hoelscher, who was making a spot start. The O-Royals will have a silent auction for the Mike Coolbaugh Memorial Fund the weekend of Aug. 17 to 19. He finished up his playing career last year with Omaha. I assume P Jason Shiell will be back in Omaha after getting his contract picked up by KC then being designated for assignment without taking the mound.

AA -- Wichita: Wranglers 1, Springfield 0 (6/finished early - rain)

C Donachie 1-2, HR (7), RBI (27), K, RS -- .201
CF Greenberg 1-2, BB, OF assist at home -- .264
RF Valentin 0-3 -- .297
LF Stodolka 0-1, BB -- .297
DH Padilla 0-1, BB, K -- .361

Christensen 6 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 6 K -- W, 3-11, 5.73 ERA, best start in while out of Dan

Dan Christensen and P.J. Walters were locked in a pitchers' duel and rain helped Christensen get the win and a 3-hit shutout to split the series with the Cards. The Wranglers loaded the bases in the 1st but Kila Kaaihue flew into a double play as Adam Greenberg was nailed at the plate to end the inning. Adam Donachie hit his 7th homer with 2 out in the 2nd to give Wichita the lead. Christensen was perfect through 3 IP and had a no-no through 4 2/3 IP after stranding 2 in the 4th on walks. The Cards got 2 singles to start the 6th and Greenberg turned the tables by throwing out a runner at the plate as Christensen averted the threat. The skies opened up with 2 out in the bottom of the 6th when the game was called. Wichita RF Sean Danielson was 1-2 with his 12th SB and the OF assist to nail Greenberg to move to .299 and Walters took the tough loss with 5 2/3 IP of an ER on 2 hits, 3 walks and 4 Ks to drop to 0-2 with a 4.09 ERA.

Wichita is 14-22 and 7 games back. They have today off before starting a road trip.

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: Kinston 2, Blue Rocks 0 (4-hitter)

CF Duarte 0-4 -- .277
3B Lisson 0-4, K -- .261
SS McConnell 1-3 -- .248

Hardy 8 IP, ER, 6 H, 5 K, HRA -- L, 13-3, 2.22 ERA, tough loss, all 3 Ls versus the Tribe
Haltiwanger IP, ER, H, BB, K, WP -- 3.74 ERA

The Rocks didn't have a hit after the 3rd as Kinston SP James Deters and two relievers shut Wilmington down and out as Rowdy Hardy took his 3rd loss. Hardy allowed his only run on a homer by C Armando Camacaro for his 4th of the season and the series in the 3rd. Three singles to start the 3rd loaded the bases for Wilmington but Kiel Thibault was thrown out at home on a fly out double play and Marc Maddox struck out to end the inning. Deters retired 14 in a row before handing the ball to the pen in the 8th. Hardy didn't really cruise but was never really in trouble either and Russ Haltiwanger gave up an insurance run in the 9th. RP Scott Roehl pitched a perfect 9th for his 18th save. Rocks 1B Matt Whitney was 2-4 with his 6th double to move to .305 and Deters got the win with 7 IP of 4 hits and 6 Ks to improve to 7-3 with a 2.21 ERA.

Wilmington is 22-14 and 3 games up on first. A 3-game set at the Potomac Nationals (19-17) starts tonight. The Rocks are 7-3 versus the Nats. Starters: Rocks right-hander Michael Penn (2-1, 3.76) vs. Potomac righty Craig Stammen (7-6, 4.57). P Blake Johnson has been activated from the DL.

A -- Burlington: Quad Cities 3, Bees 0

CF Robinson 1-4, K -- .243
LF Dickerson 1-4 -- .298
DH Everett 1-4 -- .297
RF Walton 1-4, K -- .310, 18-game hit streak ties MWL's longest streak this season

Godin 7 IP, 3 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 4 K, WP -- L, 4-2, 2.37 ERA
Hayes and Wladyka 2 scoreless IP

Three Swing pitchers continued the shutout trend among Royals' minor league games Sunday. The Bees stranded 2 in the 2nd and starter Jason Godin allowed a Swing run on 2 hits in the 3rd. The Swing pushed across 2 more runs on 3 hits, a walk and wild pitch off Godin in the 5th. Derrick Robinson hit a 2-out single in the 5th and Jeff Howell got thrown out at the plate to kill the Bees' best chance at scoring. The Swing pen retired 9 of 10 Bees to polish off the shutout as RP Kenneth Maiques picked up save #24. Swing CF Antonio DeJesus was 2-3 with his 9th RBI to move to .340 and starter Tyler Herron got the win with 6 IP of 6 hits and 4 Ks to improve to 9-5 with a 3.50 ERA.

Burlington is 17-18 and 5 games back. The Bees start a split 4-game home-and-home set with the Kane County Cougars (15-19, A A's) tonight. Bees RH Mario Santiago (1-2, 5.61) will start the opener. The Bees are 9-3 vs. the Cougs. The Bees' pitcher woes continued as Matt Campbell and Aaron Hartsock were put on the DL. It marks Campbell's second trip this season as his surgically repaired shoulder flared up again. Hartsock has a strained neck, so at least it's not an arm problem. Pitchers George Biddle and Dan Gutierrez were called up from the rookie leagues.

Rookie -- Idaho Falls: Orem 5, Chukars 2

SS Evangelho 2-4, CS -- .344
1B Robinson 1-4, 2B (10), RBI (32), K, E (5) -- .338
RF Gonzalez 1-3, BB, 3B (2), RBI (21), K, RS -- .319
3B Van De Keere 1-4, BB, 2B (11), 3 K, RS -- .291
CF Ortiz 1-5, K -- .311
DH Seratelli 1-5, K, SB (16) -- .338
*IF stranded 10.

Norton 3 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 7 K, WP -- L, 1-3, 3.03 ERA
Phillips 3 1/3 IP, 2 H, BB, K, WP -- 2.89 ERA
Cassa IP, ER, H, 2 K, HRA -- 4.80 ERA
Holland IP, ER, 2 H, K, balk -- 2.00 ERA

Orem scored 4 unanswered runs to take the finale with IF. The Chukars left the bases loaded in the 2nd and Orem scored first on a bases-loaded hit batsman by SP Ben Norton in the 3rd. Idaho Falls scored 2 in the 3rd on an O.D. Gonzalez RBI triple and a Clint Robinson RBI ground out. Justin Phillips came in with 2 on and 2 out in the 4th and gave up a 2-run double to make it 3-2 Orem. Idaho Falls stranded the bases full in the 5th, Pat Cassa allowed a homer to the first batter he faced in the 8th and Greg Holland allowed a run in the 9th as the Chukar offense sputtered. Orem RP Christopher Armstrong picked up his 1st save with a 4 1/3 IP outing. Owlz SS Andrew Romine was 1-3 with his 6th SB, 1st double and 2 RBI (20) to move to .357 and RP Jordan Towns got the win with 2 2/3 IP of 2 ER on 4 hits, a walk and 3 Ks to move to 2-3 with a 3.54 ERA.

IF finished the first half 23-15 to take the PL South title for the half. The second half starts with a 3-game home set with the Ogden Raptors (17-20 in first half, Rookie Dodgers) tonight. No announced starters on the team site. IF was 4-2 versus Ogden in the first half.

Rookie -- Burlington: B-Royals 8, Kingsport 2

RF Tucker 2-4, 2B (9), RBI (24) -- .277
2B A. Perez 1-3, 2 BB, HR (2), 2 RBI (14), 2 RS -- .277
DH Amyx 1-3, BB, RBI (17) -- .247
1B Lane 0-3, 2 BB, RBI (25), K, 3 RS -- .308
LF Norris 0-5, 4 K -- .290
CF Lough 1-4, BB, K, RS, SB (2) -- .327

Paulino 6 IP, UER, 2 H, BB, 6 K -- W, 3-1, 3.46 ERA
Lopez 3 IP, ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K -- SV, 1, 5.09 ERA

A 4-run 7th secured the victory for Burlington. Brett Amyx hit an RBI ground out in the 2nd and Wilson Tucker hit an RBI double in the 4th to make it 2-0 Royals. Starter Eduardo Paulino gave up a run in the 5th but Alwin Perez hit a 2-out, 2-run homer in the bottom of the 5th for his 2nd of the season to make it 4-1 Burlington. Yensi Lopez allowed a run in the 7th but the Royals put it away with a 4-run inning on a bases-loaded walk by Jake Lane, a 2-run Mets error on a ball hit by Tucker and a wild pitch that scored Lane to make it 8-2. Lopez stranded 1 in the 9th to pick up the 3-inning save. Kingsport LF Jeremy Hambrice was 2-3 with his 3rd double and 4th SB to move to .187 and SP Pedro P. Martinez took the loss with 6 IP of 4 runs (3 ER) on 5 hits, 2 walks and 5 Ks to drop to 2-1 with a 4.05 ERA.

Burlington is 21-16 and 5 games back of first. The Royals were set for a unique day-night doubleheader today with the finale with the Mets in the morning and a game against the Danville Braves (25-10) tonight. The Mets took the day game.

Rookie -- AZL: Royals 5, Mariners 4 (17)

CF Richardson 2-5, HR (3), 2 RBI (10), K, RS, picked off -- .218
2B Donovan 2-7, BB, RBI (14), K, RS -- .308
PH-LF Angel 1-2, S, BB, 2B (7), RBI (11) -- .222
DH Wood 3-6, 2B (13), K, RS -- .359, ejected in 14th
1B D. Cruz 3-7, BB, 2 K -- .288
LF Pennell 1-5, 2 BB, HBP, 2 K, RS, CS -- .329
3B F. Cruz 1-7, BB, K, E (9) -- .218
*The Royals stranded 20 (!).

Mitchell 4 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K, WP -- 2.30 ERA
Farinas 4 IP, ER, 3 H, 2 BB, K, WP -- 2.79 ERA
Rada 2 1/3 IP, 2 H, 3 K -- 3.86 ERA
Van Slyke 2 2/3 IP, UER, 3 H, 6 K, E (1) -- 0.66 ERA
Santerre 3 IP, 3 K -- 3.38 ERA
Mieles IP, H, 2 K -- W, 1-0, 6.52 ERA

The Royals fended off the M's in the 13th and then won it in 17. Royals SP Matt Mitchell allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and a Salvador Perez error in the 1st and stranded 2 in both the 2nd and 3rd. Hilton Richardson tied the game with a 2-run homer in the 3rd for his 3rd pro shot and Dennis Donovan singled in a run in the 4th to make it 3-2 Royals. The Royals stranded 2 in the 6th and P Williams Farinas allowed the tying run to score in the 7th on a wild pitch before stranding 2 Mariners. Lifete Jose got thrown out at third to end the Royals 10th and RP Eric Van Slyke stranded 2 in the 11th. The Royals left 2 in scoring position in the 12th and the Mariners took the lead with a run on 2 hits and a Van Slyke error in the 13th. With 1 on and none out in the bottom of the 13th, David Wood singled and Vinny Pennell scored on 2 errors by M's CF Dan Carroll. Wood was thrown out at home to end the inning and was ejected after arguing the call. The Royals left 2 in scoring position again in the 14th and left the bases full in the 16th. RP Gregory Moviel came in to pitch the 17th for the M's and walked 4 straight to end the game. Ryan Angel drew the winning walk. Carroll was 3-8 with 2 E (5) and 3 OF assists to move to .355 and Moviel took the loss to drop to 0-2 with a 22.50 ERA. The Mariners had 14 hits -- all singles.

The Royals are 3-0 and 1/2 a game up on first. They played the 1-1 Angels tonight.