Royals on the Farm 4/29

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 12, Sacramento 4

RF Costa 3-5, HR (5), 3 RBI (17), 2 RS -- .337
SS Aviles 3-5, HBP, 2B (11), HR (5), 2 RBI (23), K, 3 RS, E -- .364, defense has come along as that's his 1st error of year.....how long can KC keep him at Omaha with the way he's playing????
3B Smith 3-4, SF, 2B (5), HR (6), 2 RBI (13), 3 RS -- .265
1B Shealy 2-4, BB, HR (7), 2 RBI (12), K, RS -- .217, finally back over Mendoza line
CF Maier 2-6, HR (2), RBI (4), 2 K, RS -- .296
DH Lubanski 1-4, BB, 2B (4), RBI (14) -- .247
C Huckaby 1-5, RBI, RS -- .154

Davies 5 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 4 BB, 6 K, WP -- W, 3-1, 1.80 ERA, not a great outing but with that run support....
Giron 3 IP, UER, H, 2 K, WP -- 4.42 ERA
Salmon IP, BB, K -- 5.74 ERA

*** Three multiple-run rallies helped Omaha swamp the RiverCats to even the series at a game each. Mitch Maier hit a leadoff homer in the first AB of the game for his 2nd of the season and Omaha added 2 more runs in the 1st on a Ryan Shealy RBI single and Jason Smith sac fly off RiverCats SP Danny Borrell. Kyle Davies was no sharper for Omaha as Sacramento scored 3 runs in the 1st on 4 hits, a walk and sac fly to tie the game. Mike Aviles put the O-Royals back on top with a solo homer in the 2nd (his 5th) and Omaha wouldn't trail. Chris Lubanski cracked an RBI double in the 3rd to make it 5-3 and Davies worked in and out of trouble in the 3rd to keep the lead at 2. Brad Knox replaced Borrell in the 5th and Shealy greeted him with a leadoff homer for his 7th of the season. Two batters later, Smith cranked his 6th homer of the season to make it 7-3. Omaha stranded 2 in the 6th but put the game away in the 7th with 5 runs on RBI singles by Ken Huckaby and Aviles and a 3-run homer by Costa (his 5th) as the first batter to face Sac'to RP Jesus Silva. An Aviles throwing error helped lead to a Sacramento run in the 8th but Roberto Giron and Brad Salmon faced no serious trouble in finishing out the victory for Davies. Borrell took the loss for the RiverCats with 4 IP of 5 ER on 7 H, 2 BB and 2 K to drop to 2-1 with a 4.24 ERA. LF Danny Putnam was 2-4 with his 3rd double and 11th RBI to move to .329.

Omaha is 14-9 and 3.5 games up on first. Game 3 of the set is a matinee today. Probable starters: Omaha southpaw Tyler Lumsden (1-1, 9.56) vs. RiverCats LH Lenny DiNardo (0-0, 0.00), although currently the team site lists Sacramento's SP as TBA.

AA - NW Arkansas: Springfield 5, Naturals 4

DH Kaaihue 1-3, BB, HR (7), 3 RBI (22), RS -- .230
CF Duarte 1-4, 2B, K, RS -- .217
SS Sanchez 0-3, BB, RS -- .181
LF Valentin 1-2, BB, HBP, RS, picked off, OF assist at third -- .352
* RF Brian McFall had an OF assist at first and Ovandy Suero stole his 15th base.

B. Johnson 5 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, K -- 5.40 ERA
De La Cruz 3 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 2 K, HRA -- 2.55 ERA
Plummer 2/3 IP, ER, H -- L, 0-1, 3.38 ERA

*** The Naturals led going into the bottom of the 7th but watched the game slip away. Starter Blake Johnson got out to a rough start as the Cardinals scored twice in the 1st on 3 hits and a walk before stranding 2. Johnson stranded 2 more in scoring position in the 2nd and Springfield starter P.J. Walters took a perfect game 2 outs into the 5th. Geraldo Valentin broke it up with a single and, after an Ed Lucas single, Valentin scored thanks to 2 Walters wild pitches to cut the lead to 2-1. Springfield got the run back in the bottom of the 5th but Valentin helped cut the rally short by nailing a runner at third via relay man Mario Lisson. With 2 out and 2 on in the NWA 6th, Kila Kaaihue turned the game on one pitch as a 3-run homer (his 7th) made it 4-3 Naturals. Julio De La Cruz came in for Johnson to start the 6th and lost the lead in the 7th with a leadoff homer. The Naturals stranded 2 in the 9th and Jarod Plummer was brought in to start the bottom of the 9th on the mound. A leadoff double and sac bunt put the winning run at third for Springfield and a sac fly brought the runner home to end the game. Walters took a no decision despite 8 2/3 IP of 4 ER on 4 hits, 2 walks and 9 Ks to move his ERA to 3.25. RP Fernando Salas got the win with 1/3 IP to move to 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA.

The Naturals are 10-15 and 2 games back. Game 2 is a day game today as Carlos Rosa (2-2, 1.61) squares off with whoever Springfield sends out. The team site has it as P.J. Walters, but since he pitched Tuesday, I doubt that's correct. The Morning News site has Cory Rauschenberger (0-1 10.61) as the Springfield starter.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Frederick 6, Blue Rocks 1 (7/G1)

CF D. Robinson 3-4, RS, SB (11) -- .247
RF Dickerson 2-4, RBI (12) -- .333
2B Mertins 1-2, 2 BB, 2B (7), K -- .338
SS McConnell 0-3, S -- .212
C Howell 0-3, K -- .340
3B J. Johnson 1-2, BB, K -- .282, .500 OBP (!!) in 39 ABs
* LF Jarrod Dyson had an OF assist at home. The Rocks stranded 10.

Kniginyzky 3 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 3 K -- L, 0-2, 4.12 ERA
Haltiwanger 2 2/3 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K -- 3.77 ERA
Barrera IP, ER, 4 H -- 3.27 ERA

*** Frederick got started in the 3rd and rolled past Wilmington to take the first of two with the Rocks Tuesday. The Rocks left the bases loaded in the 1st and the Keys finally pounced on Matt Kniginyzky in the 3rd as they got a 2-out, 2-run double from CF Chris Amador to take the lead. A Joe Dickerson RBI groundout cut the lead in half in the bottom of the 3rd but Frederick poured on 3 runs in the 4th on 2 hits, 2 walks and a hit batsman by Kniginyzky before Russ Haltiwanger was brought in and walked in a run credited to Kniginyzky to make it 5-1. The Rocks stranded 2 in both the 5th and 6th and Henry Barrera allowed a Keys insurance run on 4 hits in the 7th. The Rocks loaded the bases in the bottom of the 7th in the truncated twinbill game but left them that way. Keys starter Jacob Renshaw got the win with 5 2/3 IP of an ER on 6 hits, 3 walks and 4 Ks to improve to 3-2 with a 4.88 ERA. RP J.P. Martinez notched his 2nd save. 3B Billy Rowell was 2-4 with his 1st double, 4th RBI and a RS to move to .250, Amador was 1-4 with his 5th double and 2 RBI (11) to move to .272 and C Matt Wieters was 1-4 to drop to .375. RF Brandon Tripp also had 2 hits and his 3rd SB for the Keys.

Keys 3, Rocks 2 (7/G2)

CF D. Robinson 2-4, 2B (4), SB (12), 2 RS -- .259
SS McConnell 1-3, SF, RBI (6) -- .217
RF Dickerson 1-2, BB, 2 SB (15) -- .338
2B Mertins 0-3 -- .324
* 3B Wilver Perez made his first 2 errors of the season.

Godin 5 1/3 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 6 H, 2 BB, 6 K, 2 WP -- L, 1-1, 4.94 ERA
de la Vara 1 2/3 IP, H, 2 K -- 5.09 ERA

*** It was deja vu. For the second time this season, the Keys swept a doubleheader from the Blue Rocks as a 6th inning run made the difference in the nightcap. Derrick Robinson singled and scored on a wild pitch in the 1st to give the Rocks a 1-0 lead and Chris McConnell, who had singled to follow Robinson, was thrown out on a fielder's choice at the plate to keep the Rocks' lead at 1. The Keys took the lead off Jason Godin in the 2nd with 2 runs on 3 hits, a walk and wild pitch with 2 outs. Robinson doubled to lead off the Rocks 3rd, stole third and scored on a McConnell sac fly and the game was tied at 2. The game stayed tied into the 6th when a Wilver Perez error started the Keys' rally. Gilbert de la Vara replaced Godin with 1 out and 2 in scoring position and the Rocks got the second out with a fielder's choice at the plate before CF Daniel Figueroa came through with the gamebreaking RBI single. The Rocks stranded the tying run at third in the 6th and Keys RP Jason Burch had a 1-2-3 9th for his 5th save. RP Ryan Rodriguez got the win with 2 2/3 scoreless IP to move to 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA. Starter Chad Thall went 2 1/3 IP and allowed 2 ER on 4 hits with 2 Ks to move his ERA to 4.63. LF Robert Andrews was 3-3 with 2 RS to move to .214 and DH Wieters was 0-4 with 2 Ks to drop to .353.

Wilmington is 10-14 and 6.5 games back. The series with Frederick wraps this afternoon. Probable starters: Rocks right-hander Blake Wood (1-1, 4.56) and Frederick righty Jake Arrieta (2-0, 2.81).

A - Burlington: Cedar Rapids 7, Bees 5 (14)

RF Walton 3-6, 2B (3), RBI (7), E -- .180
SS Moustakas 0-6, BB, K, picked off -- .190, game to forget
2B Evangelho 3-6, 2 2B, RBI (3), K, RS -- .147
DH A. Perez 2-6, 2B (2), RBI (4), RS -- .151
C Eigsti 1-5, HBP, RBI (7), K, PB (3) -- .150
CF Lough 0-5, BB, SF, RBI (9), 2 K, RS -- .262
LF Ortiz 1-6, BB, CS (2), OF assist at second -- .350, 11-game hit streak
3B Taylor 1-5, 2 BB, 2B (2), 2 K, RS -- .237
* The Bees stranded 12.

Mitchell 4 2/3 IP, 5 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 3 K, HRA, WP, pickoff -- ND, 4.74 ERA
Augustine 6 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 10 K -- 2.74 ERA, kept Bees in game
Arias 3 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 K, HRA -- L, 2-1, 3.77 ERA

*** Five late Bees runs forced extras but it wasn't until the 14th that either team broke the stalemate as the Kernels secured a series victory. Starter Matt Mitchell allowed 3 runs in the 2nd on a single, RBI double and 2-run homer and the Bees were down early. Burlington stranded 2 in the 2nd and the Kernels scored another run in the 3rd on 3 doubles and a walk. Two more doubles made the hole deeper in the 5th as the Kernels pushed the lead to 5-0. Mitchell gave up 6 doubles in the game. Joe Augustine finished the 5th and would provide 6 solid innings of relief. Zach Evangelho led off the Bees 6th with a double and scored on a David Lough sac fly to get Burlington on the scoreboard. Alwin Perez hit a 2-out RBI double and Evangelho added an RBI single in the 7th to cut the lead to 5-3. Burlington had 2 on with 2 out in the 8th when Jamar Walton singled home a run and Ryan Eigsti took a bases-loaded HBP to tie the game at 5. Evangelho struck out with the bases loaded, however, to kill the rally. Burlington stranded 2 in the 10th and Henry Arias relieved Augustine in the 11th and stranded 2 inherited Kernels. A 1-out solo homer by Kernels CF Clay Fuller finally broke the tie in the 14th and Arias allowed another run in the frame on a hit batsman and double. Mike Moustakas walked with 1 out in the Bees 14th but was picked off and a Jason Taylor double went for naught as RP Esmerlin Jimenez got the win with 4 IP of 3 hits, a walk and 4 Ks to improve to 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA. Starter Mason Tobin went 7 IP of 3 ER on 5 hits, 3 walks and 2 Ks to move his ERA to 1.23. Three Kernels had 3 hit games led by C Anel De Los Santos, who was 3-6 with his 2nd homer, 2 RBI (10) and a RS to move to .232.

Burlington is 10-14 and 8 games back. The series ends tonight as Bees' SP Alex Caldera (1-2, 2.31) takes the hill vs. Cedar Rapids SP Trevor Reckling (2-0, 3.57).