Royals on the Farm 4/17

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 6, Nashville 5

CF Costa 3-5, 2B (9), HR (2), 2 RBI (5), RS -- .362, triple shy of cycle
3B Smith 2-5, HR (5), RBI (11), RS -- .304
C Tupman 2-4, 2B (2), RBI (3), RS, PB (3) -- .281
SS Berroa 2-4, RS -- .373
2B Aviles 1-5, RBI (14), K -- .305
LF Lubanski 1-4, RBI (7), K, RS -- .213, 19 Ks in 47 ABs, so he's hitting .357 when he actually puts the ball in play
1B Shealy 1-5, 2B (2), 2 K -- .182, 16 Ks in 55 ABs

Lumsden 5 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 5 K, HRA -- W, 1-1, 6.39 ERA, 85 pitches
Duckworth 2 IP, UER, H, 2 K -- 5.11 ERA
Fulchino 2 IP, BB, 2 K -- SV, 1, 0.00 ERA

*** Tyler Lumsden pitched just well enough to hold down his 1st victory of the season as Omaha earned at least a split of the set with the Sounds. Shane Costa led off the game with a double but was thrown out at third on a ball hit to the shortstop by Mike Aviles and the Royals' would-be rally fizzled. In the 2nd, with 2 on and 1 out, Chris Lubanski singled home a run and Costa and Aviles did the same to make it 3-0 Omaha off Nashville SP Lindsay Gulin. For the second time in 2 innings, tho, the Royals stranded 2. Matt Tupman hit a 2-out RBI double in the 3rd to extend the lead and Costa led off the 4th with his 2nd homer of the season to make it 5-0. Lumsden made his way through the Sounds' order the first time fairly easily, but with 2 out in the 4th, back-to-back doubles got Nashville a run. With 2 out and 2 on in the 6th, Lumsden served up a 3-run homer to Sounds CF Laynce Nix, who's having a good series, and the lead was cut to 5-4 O-Royals. Jason Smith got Omaha some insurance in the 7th with his 5th homer of the season (this one off former O-Royal Jason Shiell) but RP Brandon Duckworth allowed a run in the bottom of the frame thanks in part to Matt Tupman's 3rd passed ball of the season. Jeff Fulchino came in for the 8th and allowed only a walk over his 2 IP to lock down his 1st save for the O-Royals. Gulin took the loss with 5 IP of 5 ER on 9 hits, a walk and 4 Ks to drop to 0-2 with a 3.95 ERA. Nix was 2-4 with his 3rd homer and 3 RBI (11) to move to .286.

Omaha is 9-5 and 2.5 games up on first. The series wraps tonight as Omaha righty Matt Wright (0-0, 5.40) is set to take on Nashville RH Nic Ungs (1-1, 3.72). Reliever Joel Peralta was called up to KC as John Bale went on the DL with a tired shoulder. Speculation is out there that Luke Hochevar may get the call to start Sunday for KC.

AA - NW Arkansas: Arkansas 7, Naturals 5

3B Lisson 2-3, HBP, HR, RBI (4), 2 RS, E -- .149
CF Duarte 2-4, BB, K, E -- .214
1B Valentin 1-4, RBI (5) -- .354
RF McFall 1-4, 2B (2), RBI (5), RS, OF assist at home -- .167
C Donachie 1-4, RBI (2), K -- .179
LF Suero 0-3, S, RBI (4), K -- .241
SS Sanchez 0-4, K, E (3) -- .195

Hardy 5 1/3 IP, 6 R (4 ER), 11 H, BB, 3 K, HRA -- L, 0-2, 7.07 ERA, 71 pitches, isn't fooling many in AA
Mildren 2 2/3 IP, ER, H, BB, HRA -- 3.12 ERA

*** Rowdy Hardy had 2 rough innings and the Naturals lost the series opener with the Travelers. The game was fairly quiet going into the bottom of the 4th still 0-0 but Hardy allowed a leadoff homer to Travs 1B Michael Collins to change that. Another run scored in the frame on a single, Angel Sanchez error, IBB and double steal of home and second to make it 2-0 as 3B Corey Smith pulled off the swipe at the plate. Another run would have scored on an ensuing single but Brian McFall nailed the runner at the dish to end the inning. Arkansas SP Brok Butcher 2-hit the Naturals through 6 and the Travs broke the game open in the bottom of the 6th. A Collins leadoff single was augmented by a Jose Duarte error in center, then an RBI double, single, RBI single, and 1-out RBI single chased Hardy with 1 out and 2 on. Paul Mildren came in and, after a Mario Lisson error loaded the bases, walked in a run to make it 6-0 before he escaped the jam. Lisson broke up Butcher's shutout with a 1-out solo homer in the 7th for his 1st of the season and the Naturals stranded 2 in the 8th. Mildren allowed a solo homer to 2B Nate Sutton in the 8th to make it 7-1 but the Naturals would rally in the 9th. A fielding error allowed Lisson to score and McFall doubled in a run to cut the lead to 7-3 with still nobody out. Geraldo Valentin was cut down on a fielder's choice at the plate for a big first out before Adam Donachie singled in a run and Ovandy Suero squeeze bunted a run home to cut it to 7-5 with 2 out. The rally died there, however, as Duarte grounded out to end the game. Butcher got the win with 7 IP of an ER on 4 hits and a K to improve to 1-0 with a 2.16 ERA. Sutton was 3-4 for the Travs with his 1st homer and 2 RBI (4) to move to .311 and Collins was 2-4 with his 2nd error, 2nd homer, 9th RBI and 2 RS to move to .395.

NWA is 4-9 and in a three way tie for second, a game back of Tulsa. The "Diamond Series" as it's being called, continues tonight. Probable starters: Naturals' ace Dan Cortes (0-0, 1.08) vs. Travelers SP Anthony Ortega (1-1, 2.45). The Naturals are looking to up the ante in the rivalry by calling the Travelers the "North Little Rock Travelers" in a challenge to the right to include the word "Arkansas" in the team name.

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

1B Seratelli 1-4, BB, HR, 2 RBI (5), K, RS, CS (2) -- .167
CF D. Robinson 1-4, BB, 2 RBI (3), 2 K, SB (5) -- .224
PH-RF Dickerson 0-0, SF, RBI (7) -- .347
C Howell 2-4, K, 2 RS -- .379
SS McConnell 1-4, BB, RS, SB (6) -- .125
DH Bianchi 1-5, 3 K -- .119
2B Mertins 1-4, K, picked off -- .317
3B J. Johnson 1-1, 2 BB, S, RS, SB -- .300

Godin 5 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 3 K, WP, balk -- ND, 5.40 ERA
de la Vara 2 1/3 IP, K -- W, 2-2, 7.30 ERA
Chambliss IP, K -- SV, 2, 1.69 ERA

*** Two late rallies helped the Blue Rocks snap Potomac's 10-game win streak. Wilmington struck against P-Nats starter Ross Detwiler in the 2nd as the Rocks loaded the bases with 2 outs and Derrick Robinson singled in 2 runs. Jeff Bianchi struck out with the bases loaded to end the threat. Potomac finally got to Rocks starter Jason Godin in the 3rd with back-to-back doubles and an RBI groundout driving in 2 runs to tie the game. The Rocks stranded 2 in the 4th and Potomac surged ahead in the 5th with, again, back-to-back doubles and an RBI groundout plating 2 to make it 4-2. Gilbert de la Vara replaced Godin with 2 on and 2 out in the 6th and got a rally-killing pop out to preserve the 2-run deficit. With Chris McConnell at second and 2 out in the 7th, Anthony Seratelli stepped up and drilled a 2-run homer to right to tie the game at 4. Joe Dickerson pinch hit for Jarrod Dyson with runners at second and third and 1 out in the 8th and came through with a sac fly to give Wilmington a 5-4 lead. de la Vara and Tyler Chambliss combined for perfect 8th and 9th innings to finish out the 1-run win as Chambliss picked up save No. 2 on the season. Reliever Adam Carr took the loss with 2 IP of an ER on a hit, walk and 3 Ks to drop to 1-2 with a 6.00 ERA. Detwiler went 4 IP and allowed 2 ER on 4 hits, 5 walks and 4 Ks to bump his ERA to 4.05. P-Nats C Brian Peacock was 1-3 with his 2nd double and 8th RBI to move to .353 and 2B Matt Rogelstad was 1-4 with his 6th double and 6th RBI to move to .333.

Wilmington is 6-8 and 4.5 games back of the Nationals. The series goes to game 2 tonight. Probable starters: Rocks SP Mario Santiago (0-0, 11.81) vs. Nats right-hander Jordan Zimmermann (1-0, 0.93). Wilmington is on a break-neck pace to steal 380 bases this season.

A - Burlington: off day

*** The Bees start a 3-game set at the West Michigan Whitecaps (7-6, A Tigers) tonight. Probable starters: Bees SP Alex Caldera (0-1, 1.74) vs. WM's Emmanuel Miguelez (0-0, 10.50). The Whitecaps' roster features Motor City Kitties prospects righty Noah Krol (0-0, 2.70 in 4 relief appearances), IF Kody Kaiser (.750 OPS) and a rehabbing Curtis Granderson.