Royals on the Farm 8/30 and 8/31

AAA -- Omaha: Nashville 6, O-Royals 2 (Thu.)

RF Huber 1-4, HR (18), RBI (65), K, RS -- .279
CF Maier 1-4, HR (14), RBI (62), K, RS -- .281

Lumsden 6 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 8 H, BB, 4 K, 2 WP -- L, 9-6, 5.88 ERA
Plummer 2 IP, 3 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, HRA -- 13.50 ERA, Omaha debut

I'm cutting these somewhat short since I'm rolling 2 days into 1. Nashville took command in the 4th and Tyler Lumsden didn't get a lot of run support in taking his 6th loss. Mitch Maier led off the game with his 14th homer for his 3rd leadoff homer in the last 7 games. Nashville tied it in the 3rd on a hit, 2 wild pitches and a Paul Phillips error but Justin Huber cracked a 2-out solo shot in the 4th for his 18th of the season to regain the lead for Omaha. Lumsden gave up 2 runs in the bottom of the 4th, however, as the Sounds rapped out 4 hits in the inning. Jarod Plummer made his AAA debut in the 7th after getting the call from Omaha and gave up a single, walk and 3-run homer right off the bat before finishing off 2 innings without further problems. Former Royals farmhand Steve Bray pitched 2 innings to finish it for Nashville. Sounds RF Vinny Rottino was 2-3 with his 17th double, 12th homer and 3 RBI (53) to move to .289 and SP Adam Pettyjohn got the win with 7 IP of 2 ER on 5 hits, a walk and 7 Ks to move to 12-4 with a 3.87 ERA. He left in the 8th with a leg injury.

Iowa 8, O-Royals 0 (Fri.; 2-hitter)

RF Huber 1-3 -- .280
C Phillips 1-2 -- .232

Mildren 3 IP, 8 ER, 9 H, 3 BB, 3 K, HRA -- L, 6-8, 6.28 ERA
Atencio 4 IP, 3 H, BB, 4 K, WP, E (1) -- 4.85 ERA, best AAA outing yet
Lewis IP, K -- 6.00 ERA, don't know why he's been pitching lately

The Royals got drubbed by Iowa in the opener of the final series of the season. Omaha's hits came in the 2nd and 8th with only 2 walks in between. The Cubs scored 2 in both the 1st and 2nd off Paul Mildren and then scored 4 off Mildren and Greg Atencio in the 4th to take an 8-0 lead that stood. Iowa DH Geovany Soto was 3-5 with his 26th homer and 3 RBI (109) to move to .353 and SP Cory Bailey got the win with 6 IP of a hit, walk and K to move to 5-3 with a 2.86 ERA.

Omaha is 70-71 with 3 games left. Game 2 with the I-Cubs (79-62) is Saturday night. Probable starters: Omaha RH Matt Wright (9-5, 4.15) vs. Cubs LH J.R. Mathes (10-7, 5.38). Mike Sweeney was activated from the KC DL.

AA -- Wichita: Springfield 8, Wranglers 0 (Thu.; 2-hitter)

2B Valentin 1-4, E (10) -- .295, trouble defensively lately
DH Arce 1-3, SB (2) -- .220

Connolly 7 IP, 3 UER, 4 H, BB, 5 K, HRA -- L, 4-7, 5.22 ERA
de la Vara IP, 5 ER, 5 H, BB, 2 K, HRA -- 5.74 ERA

Springfield starter Mitch Boggs shut down the Wranglers to knock them officially out of the playoff race. Wichita's hits came in the 3rd and 8th as the Cardinals scored 3 in the 3rd on 3 hits after a Geraldo Valentin error kept the inning alive. The Cardinals held the 3-run lead into the 8th before knocking Gilbert de la Vara around for 5 runs that inning on 5 hits and an intentional pass. Cards SS Jose Martinez was 2-4 with his 10th homer and 2 RBI (45) to move to .307 and Boggs got the win with 8 IP of 2 hits, 3 walks and 5 Ks to improve to 11-7 with a 3.84 ERA.

Wranglers 2, Springfield 0 (Fri.; 4-hitter)

1B Kaaihue 1-2, 2 BB, HR (11), RBI (39), RS -- .248
RF Valentin 1-5, 2B (19), RBI (54), K -- .293
CF Greenberg 2-3, 2 BB, K, RS -- .267
DH Gaffney 2-3, S -- .240
*Wichita stranded 10.

DeHoyos 5 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K -- W, 6-0, 1.64 ERA, maybe thinking Gabe as SP in '08?
Cromer 3 IP, 2 H, 2 K -- 5.19 ERA
Foster IP, 2 BB, 2 K -- SV, 1, 2.89 ERA

Gabe DeHoyos had a solid start as Wichita ended the season series versus the Cards with a 4-hit shutout. Kila Kaaihue led off the 2nd with his 11th homer and Geraldo Valentin doubled in a run in the 8th. DeHoyos got a bases-loaded double play to escape the 5th and John Foster stranded 2 in the 9th for his 1st save for the Wranglers. Cards SP P.J. Walters took the loss with 7 1/3 IP of 2 ER on 4 hits, 4 walks and 6 Ks to fall to 3-4 with a 2.37 ERA.

Wichita is 31-36 and out of the race. The final series of the season -- a 3-gamer at the Tulsa Drillers (31-34, AA Rockies) starts Saturday night. P Jason Shiell got called up to KC.

A-Adv. -- Wilmington: Salem 3, Blue Rocks 2 (Thu.)

SS McConnell 2-4, 2B (9), RBI (20), 2 K, RS -- .241
2B Maddox 0-3, SF, RBI (43) -- .258

Hardy 8 IP, 3 ER, 10 H, BB, K -- L, 15-5, 2.48 ERA, tough way to end great regular season
Green IP, 2 BB, K -- 3.94 ERA

Rowdy Hardy gave up a game-breaking 8th inning run to lose his 5th game of the season. Chris McConnell hit a 2-out RBI double in the 2nd but Salem took the lead with single runs in the 3rd and 4th off Hardy. Marc Maddox tied the game with a 5th inning sac fly but Hardy gave up 2 doubles in the 8th to make it 3-2 and the Rocks stranded 2 in the 8th as Raymar Diaz picked up his 2nd save for the Avalanche. Salem 3B Billy Hart was 3-4 with his 28th double and 19th error to move to .308 and P Chris Salamida got the win with 1 2/3 IP of a hit and 2 Ks to move to 8-8 with a 5.69 ERA.

Blue Rocks 4, Salem 0 (Fri.; 4-hitter)

LF Bigler 2-3, BB, 2B (13), 2 RBI (29), K, RS -- .260
2B Johnson 3-4, RBI (31) -- .258
CF Duarte 3-4, 2B (25), RS, CS -- .293

Pimentel 7 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 K -- W, 12-4, 2.65 ERA
Oliveros and Santos 2 hitless IP

Julio Pimentel made his last '07 regular season start a great one by shutting down the Avalanche to clinch a playoff berth for Wilmington. The Rocks threw out a runner at home in the 4th and took the lead in the 6th on a double by Jose Duarte that he scored on after a Salem error. The Rocks finished it off with 3 in the 8th on a 2-out, 2-run double by Brett Bigler and a Josh Johnson RBI single. Salem SP Polin Trinidad took the loss with 6 IP of an UER on 7 hits and 5 Ks to drop to 2-1 with a 2.81 ERA.

The Rocks are 43-23 and have clinched the second-half division title. They finish the regular season with 3 home games versus the Potomac Nationals (39-27) starting Saturday night. Probable starters: Rocks right-hander Blake Johnson (8-6, 3.44) vs. P-Nats lefty Ross Detwiler (2-2, 4.22). The Rocks will play first-half champ Frederick in the first round of the Carolina League playoffs starting Wednesday.

A -- Burlington: Cedar Rapids 10, Bees 3 (Thu.)

RF Peralta 3-4, RBI (11), K -- .265
C Howell 1-3, SF, RBI (20), RS -- .240
SS Mertins 2-4, K, RS, E (22) -- .249
DH Everett 2-4, 2B (30), K, RS -- .272
LF Pennell 1-3, K, SB (1) -- .333, first Burlington start

Godin 3 2/3 IP, 7 R (6 ER), 7 H, 3 BB -- L, 5-6, 3.46 ERA
Wladyka 2 1/3 IP, 3 H, BB, 3 K -- 6.38 ERA
DiPietro 2 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 K -- 5.84 ERA

The Kernels racked up the runs to take the opener and rout Jason Godin and the Bees. Cedar Rapids took a 1-0 lead in the 1st but Burlington tied it in the 2nd on a Felix Peralta RBI single. The Kernels regained the lead in the 3rd but the Bees tied it in the 4th on a Jeff Howell sac fly. Godin gave up the lead for good in the bottom of the 4th as Cedar Rapids scored 5 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks off Godin and Jim Wladyka. Kurt Mertins scored on a passed ball in the 8th but the Kernels scored 3 in the 8th off Ryan DiPietro to polish it off. Kernels 1B Mark Trumbo was 3-4 with 4 RBI (75) to move to .275 and SP Trevor Bell got the win with 7 IP of 2 ER on 8 hits and 4 Ks to improve to 8-4 with a 4.14 ERA.

Cedar Rapids 7, Bees 1 (Fri.; 4-hitter)

SS Bianchi 1-4, RBI (33), K -- .240
2B Angel 1-3, 2 K -- .333, first Bees start
RF Craze 1-2, BB, RS, SB (1) -- .500, first Bees start

Santiago IP, UER, H -- 3.74 ERA, took ball off head in 2nd and left game
Hayes 3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K -- 3.10 ERA
Barrera 2 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 2 K -- L, 2-2, 4.53 ERA
A. Morales 2 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 3 K, 2 HRA -- 2.48 ERA

The Kernels broke a tie for good in the 5th to sweep the 2-game set with the Bees. Mario Santiago took a liner off his head from the bat of Kernels C Hank Conger in the 2nd and had to leave the game as the Kernels took a 1-0 lead that inning. No further reports on his status on the team site yet. Jeff Bianchi singled in the Bees' lone run in the 3rd before P Henry Barrera coughed up the lead in the 5th on 2 2-out hits. Barrera allowed 2 runs in the 6th, P Angelo Morales gave up a solo homer in the 7th and then allowed a 2-run homer in the 8th to make the game a laugher for Cedar Rapids. Kernels 2B Ryan Mount was 2-5 with his 7th homer and 4 RBI (36) to move to .258 and SP David Herndon got the win with 8 IP of an ER on 4 hits, a walk and 4 Ks to improve to 13-8 with a 4.02 ERA.

Burlington is 30-36 and out of the race. The season ends with a 3-game set at the Clinton LumberKings (27-40, A Rangers) starting Saturday night.

Rookie -- Idaho Falls: Casper 4, Chukars 0 (Thu.; 5-hitter)

SS Moustakas 0-3, HBP, K -- .333
3B Van De Keere 2-3, 3B (2) -- .279
RF Tucker 1-4, CS -- .318
1B Seratelli 1-4 -- .331
DH Robinson 1-4, K -- .338
CF Ortiz 0-4 -- .308
LF Norris 0-3, K -- .000, IF debut

Norton 6 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, BB, 7 K, HRA -- L, 1-5, 3.93 ERA
Phillips 3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, BB, 4 K, WP -- 4.26 ERA

Four Casper pitchers combined to shut out the Chukars in the opener. Starter Ben Norton gave up a triple and 2-run homer in the 1st and Casper scored 2 in the 7th off Justin Phillips on 2 hits and a wild pitch. The Chukars never really threatened. Casper 1B Jeff Cunningham was 1-4 with his 7th homer and 2 RBI (25) to move to .253 and SP Parker Frazier got the win with 6 IP of 4 hits to move to 3-4 with a 9.29 ERA.

Casper 5, Chukars 4 (Fri.)

SS Moustakas 2-4, 2B (2), RBI (4), K, RS, E (1, missed catch) -- .375, four games, 3 2-hit games
1B Robinson 2-4, 2 RBI (61), E (7) -- .341
LF Tucker 2-4, 2 2B (8), RBI (8), RS -- .333
CF Ortiz 2-4, BB, 2B (7), 2 RS, OF assist at third -- .311

Chavez 4 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, BB, 5 K -- 3.22 ERA
Secott 2 1/3 IP, 2 UER, H, 2 BB, 4 K -- L, 4-1, 0.84 ERA
Jensen and Cassa 2 2/3 IP hitless relief

Two errors in the 7th, including the first pro miscue by Mike Moustakas, made the difference as the Rockies got a narrow win. Casper took the lead with 2 hits and a walk in the 1st but IF answered with 2 runs in the 1st on a Moustakas RBI double and Clint Robinson RBI single. Casper tied the game in the 2nd off SP Chris Chavez but the Chukars scored 2 in the 3rd on a Wilson Tucker RBI double and Robinson RBI ground out. Casper tightened the game to 1 run in the 4th with a run on 2 hits and the score stayed 4-3 Chukars into the 7th. A Moustakas error put 2 on with none out with P Dane Secott on the mound and a Robinson error loaded the bases with 1 out. Secott gave up an RBI single and walked in a run to make it 5-4 Casper before Matt Jensen got out of the inning. IF stranded 2 in the 8th and went down in order in the 9th as RP Isaiah Froneberger picked up his 1st save for Casper. Rockies SS Warren Schaeffer was 1-4 with his 3rd double and 2 RBI (11) to move to .217 and P Jonnathan Aristil got the win with 1 1/3 IP of a hit, walk and K to improve to 1-3 with a 5.63 ERA.

IF is 20-11 and 4 games up on first. They finish the set with the Rockies Saturday night.

Rookie -- Burlington: done at 38-30
Rookie -- AZL: done at 28-28