Royals on the Farm 8/14

NOTE: The Mike Moustakas watch is down to less than 10 hours as Royals fans await to see if the team will sign its #2 overall pick or let him go to USC and take the #3 pick (at worst) in next year's draft. I hate to say it, but maybe it's time to draft the best non-Scott Boras client for the top organizational pick from now on.

AAA -- Omaha: O-Royals 2, Iowa 0

C Phillips 3-4 -- .235
RF Huber 2-4, 2 2B (11), K -- .278
SS Berroa 2-4, K -- .300
CF Maier 1-4, RBI (54), RS -- .282
2B Aviles 0-4, RBI (72) -- .306
1B Brazell 1-4 -- .313
DH Shealy 0-3, BB -- .247
LF Lubanski 1-4, K, RS -- .225

Buckner 7 IP, 3 H, BB, 4 K -- W, 9-7, 3.82 ERA, another good start outta BillyBuck
Ray 1/3 IP, 2 H, K -- 4.15 ERA
Musser 1 2/3 IP, H, 3 K -- SV, 7, 0.19 ERA

Omaha pitchers held the Cubs to threats in only 2 innings as a 2-run O-Royals rally helped the team to a win in the opener. The Royals stranded 2 in the 2nd and Billy Buckner got out of a bases-loaded jam in the 4th. Omaha slapped together its rally in the 5th as Mitch Maier hit an RBI single and Mike Aviles reached on an error to bring home another run. Buckner and Ken Ray retired 10 in a row before Neal Musser stranded 2 inherited runners in the 8th. The Royals left the bases full in the 8th but Musser got a double play behind him in the 9th to notch his 7th save. Iowa C Geovany Soto was 2-4 to improve to .359 and SP Cory Bailey took the loss with 7 IP of 2 ER on 8 hits and 2 Ks to fall to 4-3 with a 3.28 ERA.

Omaha is 63-61. Game 2 of the set is tonight. Probable starters: Cubs RH Kevin Hart (2-1, 3.55) vs. rehabbing Royals RH Brandon Duckworth. OF Shane Costa has missed a few games with a heel injury. Ben Hendrickson will piggyback Duckworth for tonight's game.

AA -- Wichita: off day

The Wranglers start a 3-game home set versus the Midland RockHounds (19-29, AA Athletics) tonight. They are 1-8 versus Midland this season. Probable starters: Wichita righty Carlos Rosa (5-6, 4.64) vs. Midland lefty Dan Borrell (3-0, 2.18, 1.04 WHIP in 45 1/3 IP).

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: Potomac 5, Blue Rocks 2

DH Vega 3-4, 2B (18), 2 RBI (40) -- .224
2B Maddox 2-5, 2B (13), K, RS -- .254
3B Lisson 2-5 -- .277
RF Bigler 2-2, 2 BB -- .253 (team-leading .390 OBP is very nice, tho)
CF Duarte 1-5, RS -- .287
SS McConnell 0-4, K -- .228, struggling at level
*The Rocks stranded 11.

Hardy 6 IP, 5 ER, 7 H, 5 K, 2 HRA -- L, 14-4, 2.58 ERA, fatigue setting in???
Green 2 IP, H, 3 K -- 4.15 ERA

Nats starter Shairon Martis outdueled Rowdy Hardy as Potomac pulled a game closer to Wilmington in the standings. That didn't look to be the case in the 1st as the Rocks scored both of their runs on a 2-out, bases-loaded single by Miguel Vega. The Rocks stranded 2 in the 4th and, after facing the minimum through 3 1/3, Hardy faltered with a solo homer by CF Justin Maxwell. Hardy gave up a game-tying solo shot to lead off the 5th and Wilmington stranded 2 again in the 6th. Perhaps Rowdy was left in an inning (or at least a few batters) too long as he pitched the 6th only to give up 3 runs on 4 hits. Wilmington left the bases full in the 8th and then left a runner at third in the 9th as Clint Everts got his 2nd save for the Nats. Potomac 1B Matt Rogelstad was 2-3 with his 4th homer and 2 RBI (43) to improve to .293 and Martis got the win with 7 IP of 2 ER on 8 hits with a walk and 5 Ks to move to 12-7 with a 4.49 ERA.

Wilmington is 30-20 and 3 games up on the closing Nats. Game 3 of the set is today. Starters: Rocks' Michael Penn (2-2, 4.10), vs. Potomac lefty (and Nats No. 6 overall pick...and Missouri State guy) Ross Detwiler (0-1, 3.86). The loss marked Rowdy's first loss this season to a team not named the Kinston Indians.

A -- Burlington: Dayton 5, Bees 3

DH Everett 1-4, HR (9), 3 RBI (42), K, RS -- .278
CF Robinson 3-5, 2 K -- .251
LF Dickerson 3-5, CS, OF assist at third -- .292
3B Thompson 2-4 -- .229
C Morizio 2-4, K -- .248
1B Turner 2-4, 2B (8), K -- .220
RF Walton 0-4, RS -- .285

Godin 4 2/3 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 7 H, 4 BB, WP, E (1) -- L, 4-4, 3.16 ERA, sloppy line, there
Hartsock 2 1/3 IP, 4 H, K, E (4) -- 2.71 ERA
DiPietro 2 IP, H, BB, 4 K -- 5.44 ERA

The Bees churned out 13 hits to the Dragons' 12 but sputtered to create scoring offense after the 1st as Dayton averted the sweep. Brady Everett had the big blast with a 2-out, 3-run homer in the 1st for his 9th of the season as the Bees surged to an early lead. Jason Godin gave 1 run back in the 2nd on 2 hits, a wild pitch and walk and then allowed another run in the 3rd on 2 hits and 2 walks before Joe Dickerson threw out a runner at third to kill the threat. Godin's struggles continued in the 4th as he got 2 outs but then allowed 2 runs on a walk and 2 hits to make it 4-3 Dragons. The Bees left 2 in scoring position in the 4th and Godin was pulled with 2 out and 1 on in the 5th before Aaron Hartsock made an error and gave up 2 singles and a run before escaping the inning. Burlington stranded 2 in the 5th and 8th as Ramon Geronimo came on in the 9th for his 11th save. Reds prospect and Dayton CF Drew Stubbs was 4-5 with his 25th double, 32nd RBI and 2 RS to move to .263 and starter Dan Guerrero got the win with 6 IP of 3 ER on 10 hits and 6 Ks to improve to 3-3 with a 4.07 ERA.

Burlington is 26-24 and 6 games out. They have today off. OF Felix Peralta was put on the DL after hurting his hamstring Monday.

Rookie -- Idaho Falls: Great Falls 4, Chukars 3 (10)

CF Ortiz 2-5, RBI (15), K, RS, SB (14), CS (4), E (3) -- .315
SS Juan 1-4, BB, RBI (19), 2 K, E (10) -- .191
DH Robinson 1-4, RBI (45) -- .319
3B Van De Keere 2-4, BB -- .285
1B Seratelli 1-3, 2B (14) -- .323, ejected in 6th

Norton 4 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, BB, 3 K -- 3.32 ERA
Phillips 3 IP, 2 H -- 3.31 ERA
Jensen 2 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 K, WP -- BS, 1, L, 1-3, 3.05 ERA

Idaho Falls blew a slim lead in the 8th and then lost it in 10. Starter Ben Norton stranded 2 Sox in the 3rd and Anthony Seratelli was thrown out trying to stretch a double into a triple to end the IF 4th. Norton gave up 4 straight singles for 2 runs to start the 4th before getting out of the inning and the Chukars got it tied in the 5th with 2-out RBI singles from Adrian Ortiz and Manni Juan. Clint Robinson singled in the go-ahead run in the 6th and Seratelli was ejected after grounding out. The 3-2 lead held into the 8th when Matt Jensen came in for the Chukars. Jensen allowed a run on 2 hits to mark his 1st blown save before stranding a runner. Jensen had 1 on with 2 outs in the 10th when a wild pitch moved the runner to 2nd and a double by DH Josh Morgan ended it. Great Falls LF Jim Gallagher was 3-5 with his 18th double and 34th RBI to move to .337 and RP Henry Mabee got the win with 2/3 IP to move to 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA.

IF is 9-6 and a game up on first. The series wraps in Great Falls tonight before they shift back to Idaho Falls for 4 more. Probable starters: Chukars' Chris Chavez (2-2, 2.93) vs. White Sox first-rounder Aaron Poreda (1-0, 1.37).

Rookie -- Burlington: Danville 7, B-Royals 4 (7/G1)

RF Tucker 2-4, 2 2B (14), 3 RBI (38), K -- .294
2B A. Perez 2-4, K, 2 RS, E (10) -- .289
SS Molina 2-3 -- .229
CF Norris 0-4, 2 K, RS -- .272
1B Lane 0-2, BB, HBP, K, RS, CS -- .307
DH Amyx 0-3, BB, 2 K -- .268

Gausman 4 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 5 K -- 3.02 ERA
Rollins IP, 2 ER, 3 BB, K -- L, 2-2, 5.84 ERA
J. Diaz 1 2/3 IP, ER, H, HRA -- 6.38 ERA

Danville stopped Brian Gausman's shutout dead in its tracks in the 5th as the Braves scored 7 late runs to take the first of two with the Royals Tuesday. A Braves error scored Alwin Perez with 2 outs in the 1st as Burlington took a 1-0 lead. Gausman escaped a bases-loaded jam in the 3rd and the Royals supported him with a 3-run 3rd on a 2-out, bases-loaded double by Wilson Tucker that brought all the runners home. The Braves stranded 2 in the 4th and the Royals' 4-0 lead held into the 5th when Gausman gave up back-to-back doubles to kickstart a Danville rally. Two more hits helped bring 3 more runs home to tie the game and bring in Jimmy Rollins to pitch. Rollins got out without further damage but Jose Diaz gave up a 3-run homer in the 6th to make it 7-4. The Royals stranded 2 in the 6th and went down without much fight in the 7th to end it. Nick Fellman picked up his 14th save for Danville. Danville LF Cody Johnson was 1-4 with his 10th homer and 4 RBI (41) to move to .271 and RP Casey Beck got the win with 1 1/3 IP of a hit, 2 walks and 2 Ks to improve to 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA.

B-Royals 5, Danville 0 (7/G2; 2-hitter)

CF Norris 2-3, BB, 2B (5), RBI (11), 2 SB (24), RS -- .278
RF Tucker 2-4, RBI (39) -- .298
C Doscher 1-2, BB, RBI (16), RS -- .221
SS Martin 2-3, 2 2B (14), K, E (10) -- .235
DH Lane 1-4, 2 K -- .306
1B Amyx 0-2, BB, RS -- .264

Caldera CG, 2 H, BB, 7 K -- W, 1-1, 3.41 ERA, great start, best yet as a pro

Royals starter Alex Caldera threw a stellar complete game and the Royals split the twinbill. The Royals jumped ahead early with a 2-run 1st on a wild pitch that scored Patrick Norris and an error that scored Brett Amyx. Caldera never ran into any trouble and the Royals scored 3 in the 4th on RBI singles by Nick Doscher and Wilson Tucker and an RBI double by Patrick Norris. From there, it was all Caldera. Braves 3B Adam Coe was 2-3 to move to .266 and SP William Ramirez took the loss with 5 IP of 5 runs (4 ER) on 10 hits, 2 walks and 2 Ks to fall to 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA.

Burlington is 29-24 and 9 games back. The series wraps tonight and no starters have been announced on the team site.

Rookie -- AZL: Royals 12, Brewers 2

2B Angel 2-4, S, HR (2), 4 RBI (22), 2 RS -- .270
1B Wood 2-5, BB, 2 RBI (28), K -- .318
DH D. Cruz 2-6, 2B (8), 2 RBI (29), 2 RS -- .312
SS Jose 2-2, 4 BB, RBI (15), 3 RS, SB (6) -- .223
LF Craze 2-6, 2B (4), RBI (18), K, 2 RS, SB (8), E (2) -- .255
CF Richardson 0-6, RBI (14), 3 K, RS -- .221
3B Donovan 2-4, HBP, 2B (10), K, RS -- .275
RF Pennell 0-5, BB, 3 K -- .301
*The Royals stranded 12.

Duffy 5 IP, ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 9 K, WP -- 0.66 ERA
Lehmann 3 IP, UER, 2 H, BB, 2 K -- BS, 1, W, 4-1, 3.31 ERA
Mieles IP, K -- 6.17 ERA

The Royals cranked out 9 runs in the 8th to turn a nail-biter into a laugher. The Brewers manufactured a run off starter Dan Duffy in the 1st but the 3rd rounder allowed only a hit and 2 walks thereafter in his 5 IP. Ian Craze tied it with an RBI single in the 2nd and the Royals took the lead in the 5th on a Diego Cruz RBI single. Mike Lehmann came in for the 6th and allowed the tying run on 2 hits and an error to blow the save. David Wood singled home a run in the 7th to bring the lead back to the Royals and the 9-run explosion came in the 8th on a Ryan Angel RBI single, run-scoring Brewer error, Lifete Jose bases-loaded walk, run-scoring passed ball, RBI force outs by Wood and Cruz and a 3-run homer by Angel for his 2nd of the season and 2nd, 3rd and 4th RBI of the inning. Lehmann and Ed Mieles mopped up from there. Brewers CF Charles Iacono was 2-3 with 2 RS to move to .218 and P Luis Jimenez took the loss with 3 IP of 2 ER on 3 hits, 2 walks and 3 Ks to drop to 1-2 with a 7.52 ERA. The Brew Crew committed 5 errors for 4 UER in the loss.

The Royals are 12-4 and 3 games up on first. They are off tonight.