Royals on the Farm 4/10

AAA - Omaha: rainout

The 5-2 O-Royals start a 4-game set at the second-place Memphis Redbirds (4-4, AAA Cards) tonight. Probable starters: Omaha RH Kyle Davies (0-0, 3.00) vs. Redbirds journeyman RH John Wasdin (1-0,. 1.50). Omaha's team BA of .305 is 3rd in the PCL. Both lefty Mike Maroth and OF Mitch Maier are now listed on Omaha's 7-day DL.

AA - NW Arkansas: San Antonio 7, Naturals 1

1B Kaaihue 1-3, BB, HR (2), RBI (7), RS -- .240
SS Sanchez 1-3, BB, K -- .192
3B Lisson 1-3, BB, SB -- .120
LF Valentin 1-4, picked off -- .462
CF Duarte 0-4, 2 K -- .227

Pimentel 3 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 3 K, HRA -- L, 0-2, 8.59 ERA
Hughes 3 1/3 IP, H, K -- 1.04 ERA, like to see him in rotation
M. Peterson IP, 2 K -- 3.38 ERA
Green IP, 3 ER, 5 H, K, HRA, WP -- 27.00 ERA

*** Only a 9th inning solo homer by Kila Kaaihue saved the Naturals from a futile shutout in their home opener at Arvest Ballpark. Starter Julio Pimentel gave up a run on 2 hits to start the 1st and the Naturals trailed from the second batter on. Angel Sanchez ran into an out at third in the NWA 1st and Pimentel gave up 2 more runs on 2 XBH and a walk in the 3rd. He gave up a solo homer to lead off the 4th and, with 2 outs, was pulled for Dusty Hughes. The Naturals were 1-hit by Missions starter Will Inman into the 6th when the game went to the SA pen but the results pretty much stayed the same. The Nats stranded 2 in the 6th and, after Hughes and Matt Peterson had effectively shut the Missions down for 4 1/3, RP Patrick Green ran into trouble in his '08 debut in the 9th. With 1 out, he gave up 2 singles, a 3-run homer, and 2 more singles and a wild pitch before stranding 2. Kaaihue cranked his homer with 2 out off RP Wilton Lopez but that was all she wrote as Lopez finished it. Inman got the win with 5 IP of a hit, 3 walks and 4 Ks to move to 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA. RP Greg Burke struck out 6 over his 3 IP. Missions RF Craig Cooper was 3-5 with a double, triple and RBI to move to .269 and SS Sean Kazmar was 1-4 with the 3-run homer for his 1st of the season to move to .130 but also had his 2nd error.

Northwest Arkansas is 2-5. The series continues tonight as Nats SP Rowdy Hardy (0-1, 9.82) makes his second AA start vs. Missions SP Matt Buschmann (1-0, 3.60), who got his win versus the Naturals his first time out. There was a DL shuffle as C Kiel Thibault hit the DL with back tightness and C Cody Clark was activated. P Jeff Fulchino was moved up to Omaha.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Blue Rocks 5, Salem 4

3B J. Johnson 3-4, 3B, 3 RBI (4), RS -- .417
CF D. Robinson 3-5, CS (2) -- .308
C Howell 2-4, RBI (2), K, PB -- .333
RF Dickerson 2-3, BB, 2 RS, 2 SB (5), E -- .407
DH W. Perez 0-4, RBI (2), K -- .222
SS McConnell 0-4, picked off -- .167
2B Bianchi 0-4 -- .042, yuck
1B Seratelli 0-2, 2 BB, RS, SB (2) -- .190
* LF Brett Bigler had an OF assist at second.

Kniginyzky 5 1/3 IP, H, 2 BB, 3 K, pickoff -- ND, 1.93 ERA, looking good
Haltiwanger 1 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, BB -- BS, 1, 4.15 ERA, not his fault KC gave up Jeff Keppinger for him
de la Vara 2 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, BB, K -- W, 1-2, 7.11 ERA

*** A day after blowing a 9th inning lead thanks to a position player having to pitch, the Rocks got some of their own 9th inning magic in rallying for 4 runs in the final frame to win. The Blue Rocks struck first in the 2nd with a run on a Josh Johnson RBI single but stranded runners at the corners. Starter Matt Kniginyzky pitched very well as he faced 1 over the minimum through 5. The Rocks stranded 2 in the 5th and Kniginyzky was pulled with 1 on and 1 out in the 6th. RP Russ Haltiwanger got out of the inning unscathed but hit the skids in the 7th as the Avalanche churned out 5 straight 2-out hits for 2 runs and a 2-1 lead, although Haltiwanger escaped with the bases loaded. RP Gilbert de la Vara came in for the 8th and was also nicked for 2 runs on 3 hits, a walk and passed ball, although LF Brett Bigler helped out by nailing a runner at second in the inning. Salem brought in RP Jason Dominguez to pitch the 9th with a 4-1 lead and the Rocks put runners at second and third with no outs. Wilver Perez reached on a fielding error by SS Wladimir Sutil that scored a run and Johnson came through with the big hit with a 2-run triple to tie the game. Jeff Howell followed with a single and the Rocks had a 5-4 lead. The Rocks stranded 2 but de la Vara came back out for the 9th and stranded a runner at second to get his 1st win. Dominguez took the loss with 4 R (3 ER) on 4 hits and a walk in an IP to drop to 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA. Salem SP Polin Trinidad worked 5 IP of an ER on 5 hits, a walk and 2 Ks to move his ERA to 2.45. Four Salem hitters had 2-hit games and C Koby Clemens was 1-4 with 2 RBI (5) to move to .333.

The Rocks are 2-5. A 3-game set at the Lynchburg Hillcats (2-4, A-Adv. Pirates) starts tonight as Rocks lefty Everett Teaford (0-0, 2.25) starts vs. Hillcats right-hander Jared Hughes (0-1, 3.60). The Hillcats' roster features Bucs' prospects lefty Daniel Moskos (high '07 draft pick, 0-0, 3.60 ERA), SS Brian Friday (.667 OPS in early going), lefty Tony Watson (0-2, 6.23) and Topeka native righty Blair Johnson (0-0, 0.00, 0.80 WHIP in 5 innings out of pen).

A - Burlington: rainout

*** The 2-5 Bees return home for the first of three with the Great Lakes Loons (4-3, A Dodgers) tonight. Bees SP Joe Augustine (0-0, 12.00) is set to start the opener vs. Kyle Smit (0-0, 0.00). The Loons roster features Dodgers' prospects OF Andrew Lambo (1.026 OPS so far), 3B Pedro Baez (.182 OPS thus far), and Don's son 2B Preston Mattingly (.599 OPS).