Royals on the Farm 4/13

AAA - Omaha: Memphis 7, O-Royals 5

2B Aviles 2-4, 2B (5), 2 RBI (11) -- .333
1B Shealy 1-4, HR (3), RBI (7), 2 K, RS -- .184
3B Matranga 1-3, HBP, 3B, 2 RBI, RS, E -- .333, nice Omaha debut other than E
CF Costa 1-3, 2 BB, 2B (6), RS, SB (3) -- .350
DH Buchanan 0-4, K -- .000, first Omaha start
LF Lubanski 0-3, BB, K, RS -- .182, make that a 1-21 slump
* SS Jason Smith made his 4th error.

Wright 4 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 2 K, WP -- ND, 5.40 ERA
Duckworth 4 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 5 H, BB, K, HRA -- L, 1-1, 6.10 ERA

*** Omaha and reliever Brandon Duckworth let the game slip away in the 8th and can do no better than a split with the Redbirds. Starter Matt Wright allowed a run in the 1st on a walk, single, wild pitch and sac fly but a 2-out error opened an opportunity for Omaha in the 2nd and, with 2 on, one of the newest O-Royals, 3B Dave Matranga (played in Texas organization last year), tripled to make it 2-1 Omaha. Wright stranded 2 in the 3rd but gave up a run on 3 hits in the 4th to tie the game. With 2 out in the Omaha 5th, Shane Costa walked, stole second and scored on a Mike Aviles double to get the lead back for the O-Royals. Duckworth came on for the 5th and lost the lead with a leadoff homer by Memphis RF Nick Stavinoha in the 6th. Omaha again reclaimed the lead with a 2-out rally in the 7th as Aviles singled home Matranga. Ryan Shealy led off the 8th with his 3rd homer of the season and Omaha was up, 5-3. Duckworth loaded the bases with 3 singles to start the Memphis 8th and a 1-out double by Redbirds LF Cody Haerther cleared the bases and gave Memphis the lead. Haerther scored on Jason Smith's 4th error of the season to give Memphis the 7-5 lead and Chris Perez pitched a perfect 9th for his 3rd save for Memphis. Starter Joe Rogers lasted only 4 2/3 IP and allowed 3 R (1 ER) on 3 hits, 2 walks and 2 Ks to make his ERA 5.73. Reliever Cliff Politte got the win with an ER in an IP to move his ERA to 1.69. Haerther was 2-4 with a double and 3 RBI (4) to move to .300.

Omaha is 6-4 and now only 1/2 a game up on first. The series concludes tonight with a pivotal game 4. Probable starters: Omaha LH Jorge de la Rosa (0-0, 1.93) vs. Memphis RH Mike Parisi (1-0, 2.53).

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 7, Corpus Christi 0

1B Kaaihue 2-4, 2 HR (5), 4 RBI (16), 2 RS -- .294, may have finally figured out AA pitching
CF Suero 1-3, SF, 2 RBI (3), K, picked off (2nd CS) -- .292
C Donachie 2-3, 2B, RBI -- .150, had been off to dismal start
DH Richardson 2-4, K, RS -- .225
SS Sanchez 0-2, 2 BB, RS -- .188
LF Valentin 1-4, K -- .405
RF McFall 1-4, 2B, RS -- .160

B. Johnson 6 IP, 5 H, 5 K -- W, 1-0, 5.23 ERA
D. Hughes 2 IP, 2 H, 3 K -- 0.84 ERA
M. Peterson and Lowery combined IP, H, 2 K

*** The Naturals had one of their all-around best games to date and clubbed the Hooks in the series opener. Brian McFall started a rally with a leadoff double in the 3rd and scored on an Ovandy Suero sac fly, although NWA stranded 2 in the inning. Naturals starter Blake Johnson stranded 2 in the 4th and Juan Richardson was thrown out at home trying to pad the Naturals lead in their half of the inning. Adam Donachie doubled home Irving Falu in the 5th and scored on a Suero single to make it 3-0 NW Arkansas. With 1 out and 1 on in the 6th, Kila Kaaihue slammed his 4th homer of the season to further extend the lead and he clubbed a 2-out, 2-run homer in the 8th for his 5th of the season to make it 7-0. Three relievers led by Dusty Hughes polished off the win for the Naturals. Hooks SP Sean Walker took the loss with 5 IP of 3 ER on 5 hits and 2 walks to drop to 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA. C Jose Lopez and 3B Richard Paz each had 2 hits in the loss.

NW Arkansas is 4-6 and tied atop the TL North. The series continues tonight in a matchup of aces as CC's Brad James (0-1, 2.45) takes on NWA's Carlos Rosa (1-0, 1.80).

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Lynchburg 14, Blue Rocks 2

C Howell 2-3, 2 2B (4), RBI (3), E -- .389
2B Bianchi 2-4, 2B, 2 K -- .111
CF D. Robinson 2-4, K -- .270
3B Mertins 1-3, BB, 2B (2), RBI (4), RS, E (3) -- .258
RF Dickerson 1-4, 2B (3), RS, SB (6) -- .395
SS McConnell 0-4 -- .129

Santiago 1 1/3 IP, 6 R (5 ER), 7 H, BB, WP -- L, 0-1, 11.81 ERA
de la Vara 3 2/3 IP, 5 ER, 5 H, BB, 2 K -- 9.00 ERA
Haltiwanger 1 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, BB, K -- 6.35 ERA
Chambliss 1 2/3 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, K -- 2.08 ERA

*** All 4 Rocks pitchers got touched up as Lynchburg routed Wilmington to take 2 of 3 in the series. It was that kind of day from the start as starter Mario Santiago allowed 3 runs in the 1st on 4 hits, including 3 doubles, and LF Brett Bigler's 1st error of the season. Wilmington appeared prepared to keep pace with 2 in the 3rd on RBI doubles by Kurt Mertins and Jeff Howell. They didn't keep pace, however, as the Hillcats poured on 3 more runs in the 2nd on 3 hits, a walk, wild pitch and Howell error as RP Gilbert de la Vara finally got the Rocks out of the inning. de la Vara pitched a solid 3rd but got hit for 2 runs in the 4th on a walk and 2 hits. The Hillcats piled on 3 more off de la Vara in the 5th and another off Russ Haltiwanger in the 6th, then 2 off Haltiwanger and Tyler Chambliss in the 7th to make it 14-2. The Rocks had no more than 1 baserunner in any inning until the 8th and then only had 2 then. Starter Daniel Moskos got the win for Lynchburg with 5 IP of 2 ER on 5 hits, a walk and 4 Ks to improve to 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA. Topeka native Blair Johnson pitched 2 innings of 1 hit, 1 walk and 1 K in relief to keep his ERA spotless. 1B Kent Sakamoto led a healthy Hillcat offense with a 4-5 night with 3 doubles (7) and 4 RBI (9) to move to .378. Three others had 3-hit games.

Wilmington is 3-7. The Rocks return home for the first of 3 versus the Kinston Indians (1-5, A-Adv. Tribe) starting tonight. Probable starters: Rocks Blake Wood (0-0, 2.70) vs. K-Tribe's Carlton Smith (0-0, 9.00). The K-Tribe's roster includes Indians top prospects 1B Beau Mills (1.119 OPS in early going), IF Jared Goedert (.852 OPS), OF John Drennen (.636 OPS), OF Nick Weglarz (.669 OPS) and Topeka native OF Jerad Head (.905 OPS).

A - Burlington: Great Lakes 1, Bees 0

Moustakas DNP (second straight day out with hammy twinge, maybe a precaution in cold temps?)
1B C. Robinson 1-4, 2 K -- .250
3B Taylor 1-4, K -- .133
LF Ortiz 1-4 -- .333
2B A. Perez 1-3, BB -- .143, team only had 4 hits
CF Lough 0-3, BB, OF assist at first -- .250

Abreu 6 IP, ER, 6 H, 4 K -- L, 0-1, 5.00 ERA
Z. Peterson 3 IP, K -- 12.00 ERA, nice combined outing with Abreu but negatory run support

*** Juan Abreu and Zach Peterson combined to hold the Loons to 6 hits and a run but the Bees managed only 4 in a shutout loss as Great Lakes averted the sweep. The lone run came on 3 hits in the 3rd and Abreu stranded 2 in the 6th. The Bees stranded 2 in the 7th and left the tying run at second in the 9th as RP Miguel Ramirez picked up his 3rd save. Loons starter Daigoro Rondon went 6 IP and allowed 2 hits, a walk and 5 Ks to improve to 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA. CF Jovanny Rosario was 2-4 with his 2nd triple and 2nd RBI to move to .342 and SS Joe Becker was 2-3 with a RS to move to .192.

The Bees are 4-6. The Bees now play host to the Lansing Lugnuts (7-3, A Blue Jays) for 3 games starting tonight. Game 1 starter for Burlington is Danny Gutierrez. The Lugnuts roster features Jays' top prospects 3B Kevin Ahrens (.768 OPS thus far), 2B John Tolisano (.794), SS Justin Jackson (.738), righty Trystan Magnuson (0-1, 3.38, 1.13 WHIP in 2 starts) and OF Johermyn Chavez (.932). Moustakas was expected back in the Bees' lineup today.