Royals on the Farm 7/6

AAA -- Omaha: Round Rock 3, O-Royals 1

DH McCarthy 2-3, HBP, RS -- .278
LF Lubanski 1-2, SF, 2B (1), RBI (3) -- .240
CF Maier 0-3, BB -- .297
2B Aviles 0-3, BB, K, CS, E (15) -- .305, slumping little bit
1B Brazell 1-4, K -- .318

Buckner 6 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 3 K, HRA -- L, 7-4, 4.04 ERA, not bad start
Bale IP, ER, 3 H -- 3.09 ERA
Braun IP, H, K -- 1.59 ERA

Round Rock's Troy Patton had a successful AAA debut with only 4 hits allowed over 7 IP as Omaha dropped a third straight to the Express. The game was scoreless entering the 4th when Billy Buckner gave up a solo leadoff homer to 2B Brooks Conrad to give the Express a 1-0 lead. Chris Lubanski hit a sac fly in the 5th to even the score but Buckner gave up a run on 3 hits in the 6th and John Bale gave up 3 singles and a sac fly in the 7th to make it 3-1. Omaha got the tying run on base in the 9th but Mike Aviles was caught stealing third to end the game. Conrad was 2-4 with his 12th homer and 44th RBI to move to .218, DH Tim Raines Jr. was 2-4 with his 18th RBI to move to .356 and Patton moved to 1-0 with an ER on 4 hits and 2 Ks over 7 innings to make his ERA 1.29. RP Travis Driskill picked up his 6th save.

Omaha is 40-49. Game 4 of the set is tonight. Probable starters: Omaha RH Leo Nunez (0-1, 3.27) vs. Express RH Chan Ho Park (5-6, 5.13, faced the Royals a couple times this season with New Orleans).

AA -- Wichita: Corpus Christi 6, Wranglers 4 (7/G1)

3B Nettles 2-3, RBI (2) -- .455
1B Kaaihue 2-4, RBI (9), RS -- .263
2B Gaffney 2-3, RBI (8), E (3) -- .286
RF Valentin 1-4, K, OF assist at home -- .307

Rosa 3 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 4 K -- L, 3-6, 5.43 ERA
Cedeno 3 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 BB -- 5.23 ERA

The Wranglers' offense didn't get started until it was too late as the Hooks took a third straight game from Wichita. The Hooks got out early off SP Carlos Rosa as they scored 2 in the 1st on 2 walks, a double and a steal of home by 3B Drew Sutton. The Hooks scored another run on 2 hits in the 2nd but Wichita scored 2 in the 4th on RBI singles by Jeff Nettles and Mike Gaffney to cut it to 3-2. Juan Cedeno came in for the 4th and allowed 2 runs on 2 hits and 2 walks to increase the lead back to 3. RBI singles by Geraldo Valentin and Kila Kaaihue cut it back to 1 at 5-4. Cedeno gave up another run on 3 hits in the 5th and the Wranglers had only 1 more base runner in the last 2 innings. Hooks SS Thomas Manzella was 2-2 with his 2nd RBI and 2nd SB to improve to .346, DH J.R. Towles was 1-4 with 2 RBI (24) to move to .325 and RP Ryan Thompson went 1 2/3 IP of a hit and K to pick up the win and move to 3-3 with a 3.66 ERA. RP Kyle Middleton picked up his 13th save.

Corpus Christi 1, Wranglers 0 (7/G2, 3-hitter)

RF Valentin 1-3, K -- .307
2B Falu 1-3 -- .245
LF Joseph 1-2, K, SB (8) -- .220
1B Kaaihue 0-3, K -- .250
3B Nettles 0-3, K -- .357

Christensen 5 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K -- 5.16 ERA, negatory run support
Cromer IP, ER, 2 H -- L, 2-6, 5.64 ERA

Hooks starter German Melendez held the Wranglers down as the Hooks swept the 4-game set from Wichita. Wichita got a runner to third in the 4th but didn't get him home and the Hooks did the same in the 5th. Jason Cromer came on in the 6th for Wichita and allowed a run on 2 singles to make it 1-0. Middleton picked up his 14th save in the 9th for Corpus Christi. Hooks 1B Neil Sellers was 3-3 with his 31st RBI to move to .288 and Melendez picked up the win with 6 IP of 2 hits and 4 Ks to improve to 4-1 with a 4.22 ERA.

Wichita is 6-9 and 4 games back. A 3-game set at the San Antonio Missions (8-6, AA Pads) starts tonight. The Wranglers are 6-3 versus the Missions. Probable starters: Wranglers lefty Dusty Hughes (1-2, 3.66, 27 BB, 29 K in 46 IP) vs. Missions righty Mike Ekstrom (3-5, 4.73).

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: Blue Rocks 5, Myrtle Beach 3 (11)

SS McConnell 3-5, HR (2), 2 RBI (7), K, RS -- .273
1B McCann 2-5, HBP, 2B (2), 2 RBI (8) -- .244
RF McFall 2-5, SF, RBI (27), 2 K -- .240, nice day to have "Mc" in your name in the Rocks lineup
3B Maddox 3-6, K, 2 RS, SB (6) -- .274
C Thibault 2-5, BB, K, RS -- .258
2B J. Johnson 2-4, 2B (7) -- .236
CF Duarte 0-6, K -- .285
*The Rocks stranded 13.

B. Johnson 3 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 K -- 4.05 ERA
Oliveros 2 1/3 IP, 2 H, BB, 4 K, E (1) -- 2.57 ERA
Humen 2 IP, BB, 2 K, WP -- 3.25 ERA
Haltiwanger 2 IP, ER, H, BB, 3 K, WP -- BS, 3, W, 4-3, 3.55 ERA
Santos IP, BB -- SV, 2, 5.40 ERA

Russ Haltiwanger couldn't hold the lead in the 9th but Arthur Santos got it done in the 11th as Wilmington won the opener with the Pelicans. Brian McFall hit a sac fly in the 1st to give the Rocks the first run of the game but Kiel Thibault was thrown out at third on the play to kill the rally. Blake Johnson gave up a run on 2 hits in the 2nd to tie the game but Chris McConnell hit a 2-out, 2-run homer in the 4th for his 2nd at Wilmington for a 3-1 Rocks lead. RP Rayner Oliveros came in with 2 out and 1 on in the 4th and allowed a game-tying single, although much like the Rocks in the 1st, LF Brett Bigler nailed a runner at third on the play to end the threat. The Rocks stranded 2 in the 5th, 8th and 9th but took the 3-2 lead into the 9th. Haltiwanger gave up a leadoff triple to RF Matt Young and then a wild pitch brought Young home to tie the game. With 2 on and 1 out in the 11th, Brad McCann broke it open with a 2-run double and all Santos allowed was a 2-out walk in the bottom of the frame as he got his 2nd save. Pelicans C Jose Camarena was 2-4 with 2 RBI (28) to move to .250, CF Jordan Schafer was 2-5 with his 15th double and 10th SB to move to .290 and RP Kevin Gunderson took the loss with an IP of 2 runs (1 ER) on a hit, walk and K to drop to 2-4 with a 3.38 ERA.

Wilmington is 12-4 and 4 games up on first. Game 2 is tonight. Probable starters: Rocks right-hander Dan Cortes (1-5, 4.23) vs. MB southpaw Johnny Venters (1-3, 3.36).

A -- Burlington: Bees 7, Beloit 4

2B Mertins 3-5, 3B (5), 2 RBI (31) -- .265
CF Robinson 2-5, 2 RBI (13), K, 2 RS -- .258
RF Walton 1-3, 2B (2), 2 RBI (5), K -- .229
DH Everett 2-4, RBI (26), K -- .300
LF Dickerson 2-5, 2 K -- .297
SS Bianchi 1-3, BB, RS, E (8) -- .216

Godin 7 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 6 K -- 1.87 ERA
Hartsock 2 IP, ER, 2 H, K -- W, 5-2, 2.58 ERA

The Bees pieced together a great 8th inning rally with Derrick Robinson providing the key hit in a comeback win. Brady Everett hit an RBI single in the 1st but the Bees stranded 2 in the inning. The first two Beloit batters reached in the 2nd off SP Jason Godin but Godin worked out of the jam. He wasn't so lucky in the 4th as the Snappers scored 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk to take a 3-1 lead. Jamar Walton tied the game with a 2-out, 2-run double in the 4th and tried to score on an error on the play but was thrown out at the plate. The Bees stranded runners at the corners in the 5th and 7th. RP Aaron Hartsock came in for the 8th and gave up a run on 2 hits and 3B Mike Thompson's 13th error to give the Snappers a 4-3 lead. Dan Leatherman came in for Beloit to pitch the 8th and also ran into trouble along with RP Jose Lugo. The Bees had the bases loaded with 2 out when Robinson hit a 2-run infield single and Kurt Mertins followed with a 2-run triple to make it 7-4. Hartsock pitched a 1-2-3 9th to wrap it up. Beloit 1B Dan Berg was 2-4 with his 8th double to move to .220 and Leatherman took the loss with 1/3 IP of 2 ER on a hit and walk to drop to 5-3 with a 3.18 ERA.

Burlington is 9-7 and in a 4-way tie for first. The Bees move on to a 3-game home set versus the Clinton LumberKings (6-9, A Rangers) tonight. Probable starters: Bees LH Ryan DiPietro (4-4, 4.45) vs. Clinton RH Jeremiah Haar (2-0, 1.82). The Bees are 3-5 versus Clinton.

Rookie -- Idaho Falls: Chukars 13, Casper 3

DH Robinson 3-5, 2 2B (5), HR (2), 5 RBI (16), 2 RS -- .419, best game yet for Clint
3B Van De Keere 3-5, HR (2), 2 RBI (10), K, 3 RS -- .307
RF Van Stratten 3-5, 2B (2), 3B (3), RBI (7), K, RS -- .268
2B Evangelho 3-5, 2 2B (2), 2 RS -- .349
CF Ortiz 2-5, BB, RBI (5), RS -- .300
LF Gonzalez 2-4, SF, RBI (8), RS -- .338
SS Juan 0-3, BB, SF, RBI (9), K, RS, E (4) -- .231
C Billick 1-3, BB, HBP, RBI (2), K, RS -- .094
1B Seratelli 0-5, K, RS -- .324

Norton 5 IP, ER, 4 H, BB, 3 K, E (1) -- W, 1-0, 0.55 ERA
Phillips 3 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, BB, 5 K, WP -- 3.21 ERA
Jensen IP, H, 3 K -- 5.79 ERA

A 7-run 5th got the Chukars started as they motored to a 10-run victory. The Chukars stranded 2 in the 3rd but Ben Norton held Casper in check until the Rockies scored a run on 2 doubles in the 5th to take a 1-0 lead. IF loaded the bases with none out in the 5th and the rally began as Adrian Ortiz singled home a run, Joe Billick scored on a wild pitch, Devery Van De Keere singled home a run, O.D. Gonzalez hit a sac fly, Clint Robinson doubled home 2 runs and Nick Van Stratten tripled home Robinson to make it 7-1 Chukars. Manni Juan added a sac fly in the 6th and Van De Keere followed with his 2nd homer of the season to make it 9-1. Robinson led off the 7th with his 2nd homer and Billick singled home a run to make the lead double digits at 11-1. The Rockies struck for 2 runs off Justin Phillips in the 8th but the Chukars got them right back on a 2-run Robinson double to finish the scoring. Casper 2B Zack Murry was 3-5 with his 4th double to move to .383 and starter Jose Campos took the loss with 4 IP of 5 runs (4 ER) on 4 hits, 3 walks and 2 Ks to drop to 1-3 with a 5.14 ERA.

Idaho Falls is 13-5 and 3 games up on first. A 3-game set at the Ogden Raptors (10-8, Rookie Dodgers) starts tonight. No announced starters on the team site. IF is 2-1 versus Ogden.

Rookie -- Burlington: off day

The B-Royals start a 2-game set at the Greeneville Astros (3-13) tonight. They are 2-0 versus the 'Stros this season. No announced starters on the team site.

Rookie -- AZL: off day

The Royals are 4-8 and were set to play the league-leading 10-2 Angels today.