Royals on the Farm 7/31

AAA -- Omaha: Colorado Springs 11, O-Royals 6

1B Shealy 3-4, BB, 2B (4), HR (3), 2 RBI (8), RS -- .255, starting to pick it up
DH Brazell 3-5, 2 2B (22), RBI (60), RS -- .314, been ill lately, which put a serious cramp in his 50-HR chase
3B Lewis 3-5, 2 2B (11), RBI (30), K, RS -- .243
C Tupman 2-4, BB, RS -- .298
CF Maier 1-5, RBI (48), RS -- .293
SS Aviles 0-4, SF, RBI (64) -- .309
RF Costa 1-4, BB -- .363
LF Huber 1-5, RS -- .270
*Omaha left 12 on base.

Hochevar 4 1/3 IP, 9 ER, 8 H, 3 BB, 3 K, 3 HRA -- L, 1-2, 7.08 ERA, ahhhhhh, crap
Markray 3 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K -- 5.40 ERA

Omaha actually outhit the Sky Sox but Luke Hochevar served up 3 longballs and former Royal Bobby Keppel was solid in helping Colorado Springs to the split of the 4-game set. Hochevar gave up a 2-run homer in the 2nd to Sky Sox 3B Ian Stewart but Craig Brazell singled in a run in the 3rd before Omaha stranded 2. The Sky Sox really got to Hochevar in the 3rd with 5 runs on 3 hits, a sac fly, a hit batsman and a 3-run homer by LF Joe Gaetti for a 7-1 lead. Mike Aviles hit a sac fly in the 5th but Omaha stranded 2 more in scoring position. Hochevar was pulled in the 5th after giving up another Stewart 2-run blast to make it 9-2. The Royals left 2 more in scoring position in the 6th but rallied in the 7th off RP Josh Newman. Ryan Shealy cranked a 2-run homer for his 3rd of the season for Omaha and Richie Lewis and Mitch Maier hit RBI singles to cut it to 9-6 before Omaha stranded runners at the corners. The Sky Sox padded the lead with 2 runs on 4 hits off Thad Markray in the 8th and Sky Sox RP Ryan Speier pitched a perfect 9th for his 28th save. Stewart was 2-3 for the Sky Sox with his 23rd error, 2 HR (15), and 4 RBI (64) to move to .313, SS Omar Quintanilla was 3-4 with 2 doubles (18), his 3rd triple and 29th RBI to move to .306 and Keppel got the win with 6 IP of 2 runs (1 ER) on 8 hits and 2 walks to move to 7-7 with a 6.01 ERA.

Omaha is 54-57. They return home to take on the Las Vegas 51s (53-57, AAA Dodgers) in a 4-game set starting tonight. Probable starters: Vegas RH Spike Lundberg (6-4, 5.46) vs. Omaha LH Tyler Lumsden (7-5, 6.25). The 51s roster features LA prospects IF Tony Abreu (.347 BA/.900 OPS, 6 E in 39 games), IF Chin-Lung Hu (.348/.902, 3 E in 16 games) (both of them were in rumors for a Dotel deal), IF Andy LaRoche (.317/1.006, 15 HR, more walks than Ks in 61 games) and former Royals farmhands IF Wilson Valdez (.335/.827) and OF Wilkin Ruan (.299/.726). Their problem is pitching as the 51s have a PCL-worst 5.21 team ERA. Omaha is middle-of-the-pack at 4.59. In other news, P Leo Nunez is likely headed back to Omaha due to KC's acquisition of P Kyle Davies. Nunez embarrassed the organization with 2 solid starts in 2 chances. That's sarcasm, there. OF Joey Gathright is also reportedly heading back to KC as the batter formerly known as Reggie Sanders has another problem with his crepe-paper hamstring. Thanks again, Allard. Angel Berroa is also day-to-day with a strained quad and has missed the last 7 games. Can't say I really noticed.

AA -- Wichita: Wranglers 9, Tulsa 5

3B Nettles 3-5, 3 RBI (22) -- .245
DH Kaaihue 1-5, HR (5), 3 RBI (20), K, RS -- .231
1B Stodolka 1-3, 2 BB, 2B (21), 3 RS -- .297
CF Greenberg 2-5, 2 K, RS -- .266
2B Valentin 2-5, RS -- .298
LF Padilla 1-2, 2 BB, HBP, K, 3 RS, SB (4) -- .363

D. Hughes 5 IP, 4 ER, 9 H, 4 K, HRA, 2 pickoffs -- W, 3-2, 3.58 ERA, not good night statistically, other than W
DeHoyos 3 IP, 3 H, 3 K -- 0.53 ERA
Plummer IP, ER, 2 H, K -- 3.13 ERA

A 5-run 1st got Wichita started as they outlasted the Drillers to take the series opener. Tulsa miscues helped Wichita's cause as Adam Greenberg scored on an error to break the ice in the 1st, Geraldo Valentin scored on a wild pitch for the second run, and Kila Kaaihue smoked a 3-run homer for his 5th at Wichita this season to make it 5-0. Starter Dusty Hughes found the going rough on his part as he gave up a run on 4 hits in the 1st but picked off a runner to minimize the damage. Wichita left the bases loaded in the 2nd off SP Sam Deduno and Tulsa narrowed the gap with a 3-run 2nd on a 3-run homer by 2B Corey Wimberly. Both starters settled down until Wichita scored 2 in the 5th on a Wimberly error that scored Mike Stodolka and a Jeff Nettles RBI ground out off RP Matt Daley. RP Gabe DeHoyos stranded 2 Drillers in the 6th but pitched well in the 7th and 8th. Nettles hit a 2-run single in the 9th to make it 9-4. RP Jarod Plummer allowed a run on 2 hits before closing it out in the 9th. Wimberly was 3-5 for Tulsa with 2 errors (15), his 4th homer and 4 RBI (28) to move to .263 and Deduno took the loss with 4 IP of 7 runs (5 ER) on 5 hits, 4 walks and 5 Ks to drop to 4-6 with a 5.26 ERA.

Wichita is 15-22 and 7 games out. The series continues tonight. Probable starters: Wichita righty D.J. Mattox (0-4, 6.11) vs. Tulsa lefty (and short-time O-Royal) Sean Thompson (0-1, 8.68 in 2 starts).

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: Blue Rocks 7, Potomac 3

1B Vega 2-5, 2 RBI (37), 3 K, RS -- .224
RF McFall 3-3, 2 BB, RBI (51), RS -- .263, still getting it done
CF Duarte 3-6, 2B (18), RBI (29), SB (28), CS (8) -- .283
C Clark 2-5, RBI (11) -- .261
SS McConnell 2-4, BB, 3B (2), RBI (13), K -- .256
3B Lisson 2-4, BB, 2B (22), K, RS -- .263
LF Bigler 2-4, BB, K, 2 RS -- .236
*The Rocks stranded 12.

Pimentel 7 IP, ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 K, HRA -- W, 8-4, 2.72 ERA, another good outing
D'Amico IP, 3 K -- 4.14 ERA
Barnes IP, 2 ER, 2 H, BB, HRA -- 3.81 ERA

Julio Pimentel helped the Rocks coast to a win Tuesday to extend the division lead. The Rocks stranded 2 in the 1st but scored in the 2nd on a Jose Duarte RBI single. They added 4 in the 3rd on a 2-run Miguel Vega single, Cody Clark RBI base hit and double-play ball that scored Vega to make it 5-0. Brian McFall continued his great play of late with an RBI single in the 4th. Pimentel retired 10 of 11 going into the 7th with the only hiccup being a solo homer. The Blue Rocks got the run back in the 7th with a Chris McConnell RBI triple that made it 7-1. Yovany D'Amico struck out the side in the 8th but Justin Barnes gave up a 2-run homer in the 9th before stranding 2. Nats DH Michael Daniel was 2-4 with his 2nd homer and 2 RBI (24) to move to .335 and SP Marco Estrada took the loss with 3 IP of 5 ER on 9 hits, 2 walks and 3 Ks to drop to 1-2 with a 7.57 ERA.

Wilmington is 24-14 and 5 games up on first. The series concludes tonight. Probable starters: Rocks right-hander Tyler Chambliss (3-2, 4.94) vs. Nationals lefty Cory VanAllen (1-5, 8.07).

A -- Burlington: Kane County 4, Bees 2

3B Thompson 1-3, HR (18), 2 RBI (51), RS -- .232
CF Robinson 1-4, K, picked off -- .244
SS Bianchi 1-4, SB (9) -- .220
LF Dickerson 0-3, HBP, K, picked off -- .298
2B Mertins 1-3, RS -- .261
1B Castillo 0-3 -- .244

Gutierrez 3 1/3 IP, ER, H, 3 BB, 2 K -- L, 0-1, 2.70 ERA
DiPietro 4 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 HRA, WP -- 5.13 ERA
Biddle IP, H -- 0.00 ERA, Bees debut

A triple play highlighted the Bees' night but couldn't propel the Bees to a win. The triple play came after a Cougars RBI single the 3rd when a lineout to 3B Mike Thompson became a 5-4-3 triple killing to get SP Dan Gutierrez out of a jam in his Burlington debut. Ryan DiPietro gave up back-to-back homers for 3 runs in the 5th to make it 4-0 KC. The Bees were being shut out on 2 hits by Kane County SP James Heuser entering the 8th before Kurt Mertins singled and Thompson clubbed a 2-run homer for his 18th of the season to make it 4-2. The next 6 Bees went down in order to give Heuser the complete-game win. Cougars LF Toddric Johnson was 2-4 with his 2nd homer and 2 RBI (25) to move to .231 and Heuser moved to 8-6 with a 4.14 ERA after giving up 2 ER on 4 hits, a walk and 5 Ks.

Burlington is 18-19 and 5 games back. The series shifts to Kane County tonight for 2 more. Probable starters: Bees RH Blake Wood (0-1, 7.45) vs. Kane County RH Jason Fernandez (6-1, 2.75). The triple play oddly came a year to the day after the Bees' last one in 2006.

Rookie -- Idaho Falls: Chukars 4, Ogden 0 (3-hitter)

1B Robinson 1-3, HR (7), 3 RBI (35), RS -- .338
CF Ortiz 0-2, K, RS, SB (8) -- .307, pinch-hit-for in the 5th
RF Gonzalez 1-3, RS -- .310
DH Seratelli 0-3, K -- .338
2B Evangelho 0-3, K -- .333

Peterson 6 IP, 2 H, BB, 4 K -- W, 4-2, 3.26 ERA
Baldwin 3 IP, H, 4 K, E (1) -- SV, 1, 2.67 ERA

In a game that only took 98 minutes to play, Zach Peterson and Burke Baldwin combined for a 3-hit, 8-strikeout shutout of the Raptors. Peterson retired 15 of the first 17 and all 4 Chukar runs came in the 4th on a passed ball that scored Adrian Ortiz and a 3-run homer by Clint Robinson for his 7th pro roundtripper. Baldwin struck out the side with an error behind him mixed in in the 8th and then stranded 1 in the 9th for his 1st save. Three batters had a hit each for Ogden while SP Kris Krise took the loss with 4 runs (3 ER) on 3 hits, a walk and 6 Ks over 7 IP to drop to 1-3 with an 8.42 ERA.

IF is 2-0 and a game up on first. The series concludes tonight and no starters have been announced on the team site.

Rookie -- Burlington: Bristol 6, B-Royals 4

2B A. Perez 3-4, 2 HR (4), 3 RBI (17), K, 2 RS -- .289
C Graterol 1-4, RBI (5), RS -- .164
LF Severino 2-4 -- .265
RF Tucker 0-4, CS -- .275
CF Lough 0-4, K -- .313
DH Lane 0-2, 2 HBP, 2 K -- .291, he's a HBP magnet
1B Amyx 0-3, HBP, K, RS -- .239

Arias 3 IP, 6 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 HRA, 2 balks -- L, 2-3, 7.12 ERA
Hastry 3 1/3 IP, 4 H, 3 K -- 1.69 ERA
Gjeldum 1 2/3 IP, BB, 3 K -- 4.19 ERA

Bristol turned on the offense for 2 innings and got its first win over the Royals this season. Alwin Perez led off the game with his 3rd homer of the season for Burlington and then singled home a run in the 2nd to make it 2-0 B-Royals. Starter Henry Arias gave up 2 runs on 2 hits and a balk in the 2nd and then got beat around for 4 runs on 2 homers, a triple, 2 singles, 2 walks and a balk in the 3rd. RP Bobby Hastry stranded 2 in the 4th and Perez went solo for his 4th homer of the season in the 5th to cut it to 6-3. Juan Graterol hit a 2-out RBI single in the 6th to make it a 2-run game but the next 10 Royals went down in order to end it without a threat. Sox CF Kent Gerst was 3-5 with his 12th SB to move to .278 and RP Onarkys Paniagua got the win with 6 IP of 2 runs (1 ER) on 3 hits and 6 Ks to move to 1-5 with a 6.29 ERA. RP Daniel Albritton got his 3rd save.

Burlington is 22-17 and 5 games back. The series ends tonight and no starters have been announced on the team site.

Rookie -- AZL: off day

The Royals are 3-1 and tied for first. They are set to play the 0-3 Rangers tonight.