Royals on the Farm 4/5

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 8, Albuquerque 3 (7/G1)

2B Aviles 3-4, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, 2 RS -- .375
3B Smith 2-3, HR, 2 RBI, K, RS -- .375
DH Hollins 1-2, BB, 2B, 2 RBI (4), RS -- .333
RF Costa 1-3, RBI, RS -- .429
CF Maier 0-4, RS -- .333
1B Shealy 0-3, K -- .286
LF Lubanski 0-2, BB, K, RS -- .333

Davies 3 IP, ER, 2 H, 4 BB, 3 K, WP -- ND, 3.00 ERA, 77 pitches in 3+ IP
Salmon 3 IP, K -- W, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, nice debut
Tsao IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 2 HRA -- 18.00 ERA, tough debut

*** The O-Royals slapped together 4 2-run innings and took the first of two Saturday with the Isotopes. Mitch Maier reached on an error to start the Omaha 1st and Mike Aviles tripled him home and scored on a groundout to quickly give the Royals a 2-0 lead. Kyle Davies ran into trouble in the 3rd but ended up allowing only 1 run in the inning, on 2 hits, a walk and wild pitch, thanks to a runner caught stealing by C Ken Huckaby. With 2 out and 2 on in the Omaha 3rd, Damon Hollins came through with a 2-run double and Omaha had a 4-1 lead. Jason Smith followed with a single but Hollins was nailed at the plate to end the inning. Davies walked the leadoff batter in the 4th and was pulled for Brad Salmon, who went on to pitch 3 hitless frames. Aviles hit a 2-out, 2-run double in the 4th and Smith cranked a 2-run homer in the 5th for his 1st of the season to make it 8-1 Royals. Chin-Hui Tsao came in to finish it for Omaha in the 7th and spaced his outs around 2 solo homers to close out the 8-3 win. Isotopes starter Gaby Hernandez took the loss with 8 R (6 ER) on 8 hits, 2 BB and 3 Ks in 5 IP to set a 10.80 ERA. Four separate Isotopes had a hit each, led by the homers from 3B Dallas McPherson (his 2nd in 2 games) and C John Baker.

Isotopes 6, O-Royals 3 (9/G2)

LF Lubanski 2-3, S, HR, RBI (2), RS -- .444
2B Aviles 2-5, 2B (2), RBI (4), K, RS -- .385
C Espino 2-3, S, K -- .667
1B Stodolka 2-3, HBP -- .667, AAA debut
3B Smith 1-5, RBI (3), K -- .308
CF Costa 1-5, 2B, K, RS -- .333
RF Hollins 0-2, 3 BB, OF assist at home -- .250, thought I'd note his walks
DH Shealy 0-4, BB, K -- .182, nice opening day, not so great day 2
*The Royals stranded 11.

Wright 4 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, BB, 3 K, HRA -- ND, 6.23 ERA
Peralta 3 2/3 IP, H, 3 BB, K -- 0.00 ERA
Giron IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 2 K, HRA -- L, 0-1, 27.00 ERA

*** 2-out rallies and a killer blow by a former Royal led to a split of the twinbill for Albuquerque in game 2. Omaha starter Matt Wright gave up a 2-out double and then a 2-run homer to Tagg Bozied in the 1st to spot the Isotopes a 2-0 lead. Mike Aviles doubled in the Omaha 1st and scored on a Jason Smith single to cut the lead in half. Omaha got it tied in the 3rd as Shane Costa led off with a double and scored on an Aviles single. Ryan Shealy hit into a double play to help thwart the rally, however. Omaha stranded 2 in the 4th and Wright gave up a 1-out RBI double in the 5th before getting pulled for Joel Peralta. Peralta walked 2 to load the bases but got DH John Gall to fly out to Hollins in right and Hollins nailed a runner trying to score from third to end the inning. Chris Lubanski retied it in the 6th with a 1-out solo homer for his 1st of the season and Omaha got 2 in scoring position with 2 outs before Aviles struck out in the clutch situation to end the inning. The situation repeated itself in the 8th and Aviles lined out hard to right to kill another would-be rally. Roberto Giron came in for the 9th and got the first 2 outs in quick succession before giving up a single, stolen base and then a hit batsman before former Royal LF Alexis Gomez hit a 3-run homer to make it 6-3 Isotopes. Former Royal Joe Nelson pitched a 1-2-3 9th to pick up his 2nd Albuquerque save. Reliever Brandon Villafuerte got the win with 2 1/3 scoreless IP as Isotopes SP Chris Seddon allowed 2 ER on 7 hits with 2 BB and 2 Ks over 4 IP. Gomez was 2-3 in the win with 2 walks, a double, HR and 3 RBI while Bozied was 2-4 with a HR and 2 RBI.

Omaha is 1-2 and in an early 3-way tie for the division lead. The series ended with a matinee today. Lefty Tyler Lumsden was the slated starter for the O-Royals. C Matt Tupman is on his way back to Omaha after being demoted with the activation of Miguel Olivo Saturday. No word on any accompanying roster move, if it was even needed.

AA - Northwest Arkansas: San Antonio 8, Naturals 2

SS Sanchez 1-4, RBI, 2 K, E (2) -- .154
DH Richardson 1-4, RBI (2), 2 K -- .462
CF Duarte 1-3, S, CS, OF assist at home -- .400, think that's 2 OF assists in 3 games
3B Lisson 0-4, 3 K -- .077
1B Kaaihue 1-4, K -- .231
2B Maddox 0-3, BB, K -- .182
* Geraldo Valentin had an error and SB while Irving Falu also had an error.

Hardy 3 2/3 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 9 H, 2 K -- L, 0-1, 9.82 ERA, AA rougher start than A-Advanced was
Fulchino 1 1/3 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 3 H, BB, 3 K -- 13.50 ERA, tough debut
De La Cruz 3 IP, 2 H -- 0.00 ERA, nice debut

*** Rowdy Hardy had a lead for only 3 batters as his first AA start left something to be desired. The Missions scored in the 1st on 2 hits and a hit batsman although CF Jose Duarte threw a runner out at the plate on the second hit. Hardy had an easier 2nd and got picked up by his teammates in the 3rd with 2 runs on RBI singles by Angel Sanchez and Juan Richardson. A Kila Kaaihue groundout stranded 2, and Hardy gave up a run on 2 doubles in the Missions 3rd to tie the game. The 4th was rougher as Hardy gave up 3 runs on 4 hits and a Geraldo Valentin error in right to bring Jeff Fulchino in as relief. The Missions' lead held at 5-2 in the 6th when another error, this time by LF Irving Falu, helped break it open. San Antonio scored 3 runs in the inning on a walk, 2 hits, a sac fly and Falu's error to make it 8-2. Julio De La Cruz finished the inning for NW Arkansas on the mound and ended up with 3 scoreless innings. The last 10 Naturals went down in a row as the Missions' pen hurled 4 scoreless innings. Missions SP Matt Buschmann got the win with 5 IP of 2 ER on 6 hits with 6 Ks to set a 3.60 ERA. LF Peter Ciofrone and C Jose Lobaton had 3-hit games with Ciofrone driving home 4 runs for San Antonio.

The Naturals are 1-2 but fortunately have the early lead in the division race. A 3-game set at the Corpus Christi Hooks (3-0, AA Astros) started today as Dan Cortes got the start and the Naturals took another loss. The Hooks' roster features 'Stros prospects righty Bud Norris, OF Mitch Einertson, righty Brad James and righty Sam Gervacio, among others.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Myrtle Beach 4, Blue Rocks 3

RF Dickerson 1-3, HBP, 3B, 2 RBI, SB, RS -- .125
3B Mertins 1-3, BB, RBI, K, SB -- .250
CF D. Robinson 1-4, picked off -- .125
SS McConnell 0-3, BB, SB -- .143
2B Bianchi 0-4, 2 K -- .000
1B D. Wood 1-4, K, RS, E -- .111
DH Seratelli 0-2, BB, HBP, RS -- .000
* LF Brett Bigler had an OF assist at home.

Kniginyzky 4 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K -- L, 0-1, 4.50 ERA
Nicoll 3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 5 K, HRA -- 6.00 ERA
Barrera 2 IP, H, 2 BB, 4 K -- 0.00 ERA

*** The Rocks made a comeback bid in the 9th but it wasn't enough as the Pelicans earned at least a split of the opening series. Starter Matt Kniginyzky stranded 2 in the 1st and the Blue Rocks struck first in the 2nd as Joe Dickerson took a 1-out HBP, stole second and scored on a Kurt Mertins single. Kniginyzky finally got into some trouble in the 4th as the first 2 batters reached and a 2-run triple by 1B Ernesto Mejia gave the Pelicans the lead. Brett Bigler threw out a runner at the plate later in the inning. The Blue Rocks stranded 2 in the 5th and reliever Chris Nicoll allowed a solo homer in the 6th to make it 3-1. Two hits plated another Pelican in the 7th. Wilmington left a runner at third in the 7th and RP Henry Barrera worked out of a jam in the 8th as the game went to the 9th at 4-1 Pelicans. With 1 out in the Wilmington 9th, David Wood singled, Anthony Seratelli was hit by a pitch and Dickerson came through with a 2-run triple to close the gap to 1. Myrtle Beach brought in RP Brett Butts, who got a Mertins grounder and the Pelicans threw out Dickerson trying to tie the game at the plate. Mertins stole second but Matt Morizio struck out to end the game as Butts got his 2nd save in as many games. Pelicans SP Deunte Heath got the win with 5 IP of an ER on 2 hits, 3 BB and 2 Ks to set a 1.80 ERA. Pelicans SS Brandon Hicks was 2-3 with his 1st homer and RBI and Mejia's 2 RBI were key.

Wilmington is 0-2. The series continued today with Greg Holland getting the start for Wilmington and helping the Rocks to their first win.

A - Burlington: Bees 5, Peoria 4 (11)

SS Moustakas 1-5, E (4) -- .231
C Eigsti 0-1, SF, RBI -- .125
2B Evangelho 0-2, BB, SF, RBI, RS -- .000
RF Tucker 2-4, BB, 2 K, RS, picked off -- .375
CF Ortiz 2-5 -- .462
C Balduf 2-3, 2B, picked off runner -- .667
1B C. Robinson 0-4, BB, RS -- .222
LF Lough 0-4, BB -- .167
3B Taylor 0-4, BB, K -- .100

Cegarra 6 IP, 3 H, 3 K -- ND, 0.00 ERA
Augustine 3 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 HRA -- BS, 1, 12.00 ERA
Arias 2 IP, K -- W, 1-0, 0.00 ERA

*** Ed Cegarra had a nice first start, Joe Augustine had a rough first appearance out of the pen and Henry Arias finished off the game as the Bees got an extra-inning win. Cegarra worked out of a 2-hit 1st and the Bees scored first in the 3rd as Shawn Hayes drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third on a single and scored on a Zach Evangelho sac fly to make it 1-0 Bees. Wilson Tucker singled and later scored on a Chiefs error in the 4th to make it 2-0 Burlington. Cegarra didn't get in serious trouble after the 1st and handed the ball to Augustine to start the 7th. In the 8th, Augustine started the inning by giving up a single and 2-run homer to Chiefs LF Dylan Johnston to tie the game. He walked 2 in the inning but escaped further damage. With 2 on and 2 out in the Rocks 8th, Antonio Jimenez scored on a Chiefs error on a pickoff attempt and a wild pitch on a walk scored Evangelho to regain a 2-run lead for Burlington. With 2 out and 1 on in Peoria's 9th, Augustine served up a game-tying 2-run homer to Johnston again and the game went to extras. The Bees stranded the bases full in the 10th and, after Arias finished his second perfect inning, Clint Robinson drew a leadoff walk in the 11th, advanced to third on yet another Chiefs error and Ryan Eigsti lifted a game-winning sac fly to left to end it. RP Dustin Sasser took the loss with 2 2/3 IP of an UER on 2 hits, 2 walks and 2 Ks as starter Chris Siegfried allowed 2 runs (1 ER) on 3 hits, 2 walks and a K to set a 1.80 ERA. Johnston was 2-4 for Peoria with his first 2 HR and 4 RBI to move to .300. The Chiefs made a whopping 8 errors in the game.

The Bees moved to 2-1. The series ended today as Alex Caldera got the start for the Bees and Peoria earned a split with a victory over Burlington.