Royals on the Farm 7/4

AAA -- Omaha: Round Rock 9, O-Royals 8

CF Maier 4-5, 2 2B (18), 2 RBI (38), RS -- .296
3B Brewer 2-4, RBI (5), K, RS -- .255
RF McCarthy 2-5, HR (4), RBI (9), 2 RS -- .254
SS Aviles 2-5, RBI (40), 2 K, RS -- .309
DH Padilla 2-5, RBI (20), RS, picked off -- .289
1B Brazell 1-5, RBI (46), 2 K -- .322
LF Lubanski 1-3, BB, K, RS -- .200

Lumsden 1 1/3 IP, 6 ER, 6 H, BB, K, HRA -- 6.17 ERA, on wrong end of some Round Rock fireworks
Giron 3 2/3 IP, ER, 2 H, 5 K, WP -- 5.22 ERA
Ray 3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, BB, 2 K, WP -- L, 2-3, 4.36 ERA

Both starters got lit up like the 4th of July night sky Wednesday and the game was decided in late innings as Round Rock took the series opener. Omaha started the game with 4 straight singles off Phil Barzilla, including RBI base hits from Mike Aviles and Craig Brazell, and Jorge Padilla drove Aviles home with a force out to give the Royals a 3-0 lead. Unfortunately, Tyler Lumsden gave up a sac fly and 2-run homer in the bottom of the 1st to tie the game. Omaha notched 3 more singles to start the 2nd and a wild pitch brought Chris Lubanski home to make it 4-3. Lumsden gave up 3 singles and a double with 1 out in the 2nd to score 2 runs and earn the hook in favor of Roberto Giron, who allowed a sac fly before getting out of the inning with a 6-4 deficit. With 2 out and 2 on in the 5th, Omaha struck again as Jace Brewer hit an RBI single and Mitch Maier followed with a 2-run double to knock Barzilla out of the game and give Omaha a 7-6 lead. The lead lasted 2 outs into the bottom of the inning as Giron gave up an RBI single to 3B Cody Ransom to tie it. RP Ken Ray came in for the 6th and allowed 2 runs in the 8th on a solo homer by C Humberto Quintero and an RBI double. Bill McCarthy hit his 4th Omaha homer with nobody on and 1 out in the 9th but the next two batters grounded out to end it as RP Stephen Randolph picked up his 4th save. Ransom was 2-4 for the Express with his 13th homer and 3 RBI (53) to move to .266, 2B Brooks Conrad was 3-4 with 2 doubles (21), his 42nd RBI and 2 RS to move to .211 and RP Chad Reineke got the win with 3 1/3 IP of 2 hits and 6 Ks to improve to 5-4 with a 5.14 ERA.

Omaha is 40-47 and 11 1/2 games back. The series continues tonight. Probable starters: Omaha RH Ben Hendrickson (7-4, 5.31) will take the mound versus an undetermined Express SP.

AA -- Wichita: rainout

The rainout sets up doubleheaders both today and Friday with Corpus Christi. Wichita righty Luke Hochevar (3-6, 4.40, 88 K in 90 IP) and Hooks righty Felipe Paulino (3-5, 3.59) were set to square off in game 1 today, but the rainout may change the rotation.

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: Blue Rocks 10, Kinston 2

1B Vega 2-4, BB, 2 HR (4), 3 RBI (31), 3 RS -- .232
CF Duarte 3-5, BB, 2 RBI (22), RS -- .292
LF Bigler 3-4, BB, RBI (19), 2 RS, SB (9) -- .231
SS Johnson 2-4, BB, RBI (17), 2 RS, SB (3) -- .230
2B Maddox 2-5, RBI (26), K, picked off -- .267
3B Lisson 1-4, RBI (41) -- .264

Pimentel 6 1/3 IP, ER, 5 H, 4 BB, K -- W, 5-3, 2.58 ERA, very solid other than K/BB
Barnes 1 2/3 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 2 K -- 3.79 ERA
Santos IP, nothing -- 6.75 ERA

The Rocks broke out the bats for 14 hits and 10 runs in routing the K-Tribe. Miguel Vega hit a solo homer in the 2nd for his 3rd of the season and Marc Maddox hit an RBI single in the 3rd that brought home 2 runs thanks to a Kinston error to make it 3-0 Rocks. Brett Bigler hit an RBI single and Jose Duarte came through with a 2-out, 2-run single in the 4th to make it 6-0. Starter Julio Pimentel had some trouble with walks but gave up no hits until the 4th. Vega hit a 2-run homer in the 5th for his 2nd of the game and 4th of the season to make it 8-0. Pimentel allowed his only run on 2 hits in the 5th but Wilmington got it back in the 6th on a 2-out RBI single by Mario Lisson. RP Justin Barnes loaded the bases with 1 out in the 8th and gave up a sac fly before he and Arthur Santos retired the last 4 Indian batters. Josh Johnson hit an RBI single in the 9th to make the final score 10-2. Kinston RF Stephen Head was 2-4 to move to .254 and SP Steven Wright took the loss with 4 IP of 6 runs (4 ER) on 7 hits, 2 walks and a K to drop to 0-1 with a 10.13 ERA.

Wilmington is 10-4 and 3 games up on first. The series concludes tonight. Probable starters: Rocks right-hander Tyler Chambliss (1-0, 5.40) vs. Kinston right-hander Frank Herrmann (6-2, 3.58).

A -- Burlington: Bees 5, Beloit 1

RF Walton 1-4, 2 RBI (3) -- .207
LF Dickerson 2-3, BB, RBI (30) -- .293
C Howell 2-4, 2 2B (6), K, 2 RS -- .270
2B Soto 2-4, K, RS -- .172
SS Mertins 2-4, RS -- .260
3B Thompson 1-4, RBI (43) -- .227
CF Robinson 0-4, BB, RS -- .255
DH Bianchi 0-3, BB -- .215

Kniginyzky 6 IP, ER, 4 H, 6 K, HRA -- W, 1-0, 1.50 ERA, great '07 Bees debut
Cribb, Hartsock, Hayes 3 IP, 1 hit, 5 Ks combined

Matt Kniginyzky made a triumphant return to Burlington to shut down the Snappers as the Bees evened the series at 1 game each. With 2 out in the Bees 2nd, Jeff Howell doubled and scored on a Beloit error and Jamar Walton hit an RBI single to stake Burlington to a 2-0 lead. Kniginyzky's only damage came on a 5th-inning solo homer but Joe Dickerson and Mike Thompson hit RBI singles in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-1 Bees. Howell led off the 6th with another double and scored on a Walton ground out to make it 5-1 and the bullpen took care of the rest by facing the minimum over the last 3 innings. Snappers 1B Dan Berg was 2-4 to move to .219, C Allan de San Miguel was 1-3 with his 3rd homer and 19th RBI to move to .205 and SP Brian Kirwan took the loss with 5 1/3 IP of 5 runs (4 ER) on 8 hits, walk and K to drop to 2-2 with a 3.29 ERA.

Burlington is 8-6 and in a 4-way tie for first. Game 3 of the 4-gamer is tonight. Probable starters: Bees RH Ed Cegarra (1-0, 3.93) vs. Beloit RH Cole Devries (6-3, 3.17).

Rookie -- Idaho Falls: Casper 5, Chukars 4

DH Robinson 3-4, 2B (3), RBI (11) -- .389
CF Ortiz 2-5, K -- .293
2B Evangelho 2-4, RS, SB (1) -- .316
3B Van De Keere 1-4, BB -- .288
1B Seratelli 1-4 -- .365
LF Gonzalez 1-3, 2 BB, K, 2 RS, SB (2), picked off -- .328

Snipes 5 IP, 3 R (1 ER), 4 H, 5 K, HRA, WP, E (2) -- L, 0-1, 6.35 ERA
Denton 2 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, BB, 3 K -- 7.00 ERA
Cassa and Holland 2 scoreless IP

Casper finally got a win on the Chukars in the 7th try this season. Starter Clegg Snipes gave up a 2-run homer to 1B Jeff Cunningham in the Casper 1st to put the Chukars down early. Another run on 2 hits in the 4th made it 3-0 before IF got on the board with a Clint Robinson RBI single in the bottom of the 4th. The Chukars loaded the bases with none out in the 5th but didn't score. They did add a run in the 6th on a Nick Van Stratten double play ball that scored O.D. Gonzalez but RP Chris Denton gave up 2 runs on 2 doubles and a walk in the 7th to make it 5-2 Casper. A wild pitch scored a Chukar run in the 7th and Zach Evangelho came home on a balk to cut it to 5-4 but Adrian Ortiz was thrown out trying to score on the next play and Devery Van De Keere was left at third when Gonzalez was picked off to end the inning. Robinson led off the 8th with a double but was left there and the Chukars stranded 2 in the 9th as Casper RP Randall Taylor got his 3rd save. Cunningham was 3-4 for the Rockies with his 4th double, 4th homer and 2 RBI (11) along with 2 RS to move to .517, 3B Jordan Pacheco was 3-4 with his 5th RBI to move to .238 and SP Jhoulys Chacin got the win with 6 IP of 2 ER on 8 hits, a walk and 3 Ks to improve to 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA.

Idaho Falls is 11-5 and 2 games up on first. The series continues tonight. Probable starters: IF's John Leonard (0-1, 6.00) vs. Casper's Juan Nicasio (0-0, 5.79 ERA).

Rookie -- Burlington: B-Royals 7, Princeton 4

3B Jimenez 1-4, HR (2), 3 RBI (9), K, RS -- .232
RF Tucker 2-4, RBI (12), K, RS -- .333
1B Lane 2-4, RS -- .378
CF Norris 2-4, 2 K, RS, CS -- .189
LF Severino 2-4, 2B (2), K, RS -- .289
DH Graterol 1-4, RBI (2), K -- .238
SS Martin 0-4, 2 K -- .217

Caldera 4 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 5 H, 2 K, HRA -- 6.43 ERA
Gausman 4 IP, ER, 4 H, BB, K -- W, 1-1, 2.45 ERA
Woods IP, H, K -- SV, 4, 2.53 ERA

A 6-run 4th got the job done for Burlington as the Royals swept the Rays. Starter Alex Caldera gave up 2 runs on 3 hits and a passed ball in the 1st then gave up a solo homer in the 2nd to spot Princeton a 3-0 lead. Burlington broke the ice in a big way in the 4th as Wilson Tucker hit an RBI single, Antonio Jimenez hit a 3-run homer for his 2nd of the season, Juan Graterol hit an RBI single and a passed ball scored another run to make it 6-3. RP Brian Gausman allowed only a run in the 7th and a Rays error that scored Neder Severino in the 8th helped put it on ice as Ryan Woods picked up his 4th save. Princeton 2B Mike Ross was 3-5 with his 4th triple and 4th SB to move to .353, C Mayobanex Acosta was 2-4 with his 2nd double, 1st homer and 2 RBI (10) to move to .297 and starter Frank De Los Santos took the loss with 3 1/3 IP of 6 runs (5 ER) on 7 hits, a walk and 2 Ks to drop to 1-1 with a 4.70 ERA.

The B-Royals are 9-6 and 1/2 a game back. They have today and Friday off.

Rookie -- AZL: Padres 13, Royals 0 (1-hitter)

LF Pennell 1-3, K -- .294
CF Richardson 0-3, BB, E (1) -- .139
DH Wood 0-4 -- .324
3B F. Cruz 0-3, K -- .143

Farinas 4 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K, HRA -- L, 0-1, 2.45 ERA
Biddle IP, 4 R (3 ER), 4 H, BB, HRA, WP -- 12.00 ERA
J. Sanchez 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 5 H, K, WP -- 34.71 ERA, not good when 2 of your pitchers in the game have a plus-10 ERA
Rada 2 2/3 IP, ER, 4 H, BB, K -- 5.00 ERA

From the 4th to the 7th, it was all Padres crossing home plate as 4 Pads pitchers 1-hit the Royals. The Royals' only hit came to lead off the 3rd and was wiped out on a double play by the next batter. Starter Williams Farinas gave up a 3-run homer in the 4th and the Padres scored 4, 5 and 1 in the next 3 frames off three different pitchers. Pads 2B Keoni Ruth was 3-5 with his 1st homer and 3 RBI (8) to move to .486, DH Jose Mayi was 2-4 with 3 RBI (7) to move to .222 and SP Tyler Mead got the win by stifling the Royals over 6 IP of 1 hit, 3 walks and 2 Ks to improve to 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA.

The Royals are 3-8 and 6 games back. They were set to play the 3-7 Brewers today.