Royals on the Farm 4/9 -- Burlington O gets shut down

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 4, Round Rock 3

SS Berroa 3-4, HR, 2 RBI (4), K, RS, CS -- .423, he just won't go away
3B Smith 2-4, K, RS, E (2) -- .407
DH Stodolka 2-2, BB, 2B (2) -- .500
2B Aviles 0-3, SF, RBI (7), 2 K -- .310
LF Lubanski 0-3, SF, RBI (5), 2 K -- .227
CF Costa 1-3, S, 2B (4), SB (2) -- .286
1B Shealy 1-4, 2B, K, RS -- .185
C Tupman 1-4, K, RS, E, picked off runner -- .231

Hochevar 5 2/3 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 2 H, 2 BB, 6 K, 2 WP, balk -- ND, 3.97 ERA, middling start
Peralta 2 1/3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, K -- W, 1-0, 0.00 ERA
Musser IP, nothing -- SV, 2, 2.70 ERA

*** It was a sloppy start for Luke Hochevar but Omaha pulled out a victory to set up a chance at a sweep of the Express. Round Rock scored in both of the first 2 innings as they put together a walk, steal, balk and RBI fielder's choice to score a run without a hit in the 1st. The situation repeated itself in the 2nd, although this time it was walk, Jason Smith error and run scoring wild pitch to make it 2-0 Express without the benefit of actually getting a hit. Omaha got in business in the 3rd as Matt Tupman led off with a single and Mike Stodolka doubled before Mike Aviles lifted a 1-out sac fly to score Tupman and cut the lead in half. Omaha surged ahead with 2 runs in the 4th on an Angel Berroa RBI single and Chris Lubanski sac fly. Hochevar came up with 3 perfect innings through 5 and Omaha stranded 2 in the 5th to keep it 3-2 O-Royals. Hochevar fell back into trouble in the 6th with a leadoff single (breaking up a peculiar would-be no-no), 1-out steal and wild pitch and 2-out RBI single to give up the lead and bring in Joel Peralta, who loaded the bases before getting a forceout to end the rally. The tie lasted 2 batters as Berroa mashed his 1st homer of the year for a solo shot in the 6th, and that proved to be the margin of victory as Peralta and Neal Musser faced the minimum over the last 3 innings thanks to a DP and pickoff by Tupman. Express RP Stephen Randolph took the loss with 2 IP of an ER on a hit and 3 Ks to drop to 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA. Starter Jared Gothreaux allowed 3 ER on 8 hits with 2 Ks over 4 IP and left with an apparent arm injury in the 5th. Four Round Rock batters had 1 hit each.

Omaha is 5-2 and a game up on the division lead. Today's series finale has already been washed away, and Runelvys was gonna start for the Express versus Kyle Davies. It will be made up as part of a July 20 double dip. The Royals move on to a 4-game set at Memphis Friday with an early chance to gain ground in the division race.

AA - NW Arkansas: off day

The Naturals crack the seal on Arvest Ballpark tonight with the first of 3 versus the San Antonio Missions (3-3, AA Padres). The Nats were 1-2 versus the Missions in the season opening set. Missions SP Will Inman (1-0, 0.00) takes on Naturals righty Julio Pimentel (0-1, 7.36). George Brett, the Glasses and Subway poster boy Jared Fogle are among those expected to be on hand for the game. With severe weather predicted for the state of Arkansas today, the game may be moved to a Friday doubleheader.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Salem 8, Blue Rocks 7

RF Dickerson 3-4, HR, 2 RBI (5), 2 RS -- .375
1B Seratelli 1-2, BB, SF, 3B, 2 RBI (3), RS, picked off -- .211, slow to adjust to high-A
C Howell 2-4, 2B (2), RBI, K, RS, picked off -- .273
CF D. Robinson 2-4, RBI, RS -- .238
2B Mertins 0-3, SF, RBI (3) -- .286
SS McConnell 1-4, 2B (3), K, RS -- .200

B. Wood 4 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, BB, 7 K, 2 WP -- ND, 2.70 ERA, K rate still nice....little wild, tho
Barrera 3 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, BB, 5 K -- 3.38 ERA
W. Perez 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, WP -- BS, 1, L, 0-1, 40.50 ERA, really? they needed to bring in a position player to pitch there? NOBODY ELSE was available?

*** An odd pitching decision led to a 4-run Salem 9th as the Blue Rocks found a new way to lose in the early going. The offenses were relatively quiet going into the Salem 3rd when the Avalanche scored 2 runs on 3 hits, a walk and 2 wild pitches, including one on a strike 3 pitch. Wood stranded 2 in the inning and Joe Dickerson picked him up in the 4th with a 1-out, 2-run blast to right to tie the game for his 1st of the season. Wilmington took the lead in the 5th as Jeff Howell hit an RBI double and Derrick Robinson hit a 2-out RBI single to make it 4-2 Rocks. Salem got 1 run back off Wood in the 5th and he was pulled with 2 outs. The Blue Rocks scored twice more in the 6th as Anthony Seratelli hit an RBI triple and scored on a Kurt Mertins sac fly to make it 6-3. Reliever Henry Barrera gave up a run in the 6th to keep Salem close but Wilmington got the run back in the 8th on a Seratelli sac fly to make it 7-4. That was the score entering the bottom of the 9th and, after a leadoff single, Barrera was pulled in favor of IF Wilver Perez, who allowed a single, wild pitch, RBI groundout, RBI double, RBI double, pop out and walkoff RBI double to end it. The team site says the bullpen was "depleted" in the 14-inning game Tuesday, but only 3 relievers were used then. There had to be another option than Perez there. Salem RP Chris Salamida got the win with 3 IP of an ER on a hit and 2 K to move to 1-0 with a 7.50 ERA. Starter David Qualben went 6 IP and allowed 6 ER on 8 hits, 2 walks and a K to make his ERA 9.00. Salem 3B Jhon Florentino was 3-4 with his 2nd triple and 3 RS and three other Avs had 2 hits each.

Wilmington is 1-5. The series ends tonight as Rocks righty Matt Kniginyzky (0-1, 4.50) takes on Salem southpaw Polin Trinidad (1-0, 3.00).

A - Burlington: Kane County 1, Bees 0 (10/G1)

CF Lough 3-4, BB -- .292
SS Moustakas 1-4, K -- .200
3B Taylor 1-4, 2 K -- .167
LF Ortiz 1-5 -- .400, that's all the Rocks hits in those 4 guys
1B C. Robinson 0-4 -- .300
* The Bees left 9 on base.

Gutierrez 6 IP, 3 H, BB, 5 K -- ND, 0.00 ERA, another nice start
Bradley 3 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K -- 0.00 ERA
Lopez 1/3 IP, ER, H, 3 BB -- L, 0-1, 3.00 ERA

*** A pitchers' duel came down to a 10th inning rally as Kane County took the first of two with the Bees Wednesday. The Bees had 2 hits in the 1st but only 4 hits thereafter as they loaded the bases with no outs in the opening frame but squandered the chance at a big inning. Starter Dan Gutierrez stranded 2 Cougars in the 1st, the Bees stranded 2 more in the 3rd and again in the 4th and 5th and Kane County also stranded 2 in the 5th. The Cougars stranded 2 again in the 9th, but Yensi Lopez came in to pitch the 10th for Burlington and gave up a leadoff walk, double, intentional walk to load the bases and then a 1-out walkoff walk to end the game, rather appropriately, without a winning hit. Cougars RP Scott Moore got the win with a perfect 10th to keep a clean ERA after SP Scott Hodsdon lasted only 3 1/3 IP and allowed 4 hits, a walk and 3 Ks but also kept his ERA at 0.00. Six different Cougars had 1 hit each, although Kane County had the only 2 XBHs of the game.

Cougars 3, Bees 0 (7/no-hitter, G2)

DH Moustakas 0-2, K -- .185, ejected in 5th after a K looking
CF Ortiz 0-3, K -- .357
LF Lough 0-3, K, OF assist at third -- .259
3B Taylor 0-2, K -- .150
1B C. Robinson 0-2 -- .270

Paulino 5 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, BB, 8 K -- L, 0-2, 7.71 ERA, not awful line but not good enough when your team is no-hit
Mitchell IP, K -- 0.00 ERA

*** Things were even worse in game 2 for the Bees as they were a hit batsman away from a combined perfect game from 2 Cougar pitchers. The Cougars churned out a run in the 2nd on 2 hits, a walk and sac fly off Eduardo Paulino. Kane County starter Craig Italiano struck out the side in the 4th and Paulino gave up a 2-out, 2-run double to 3B Christian Vitters in the 4th. Antonio Jimenez was hit by an Italiano pitch in the 6th and that was the Bees' only baserunner. The Bees went down quietly in the 7th as Cougars RP Branden Dewing finished out the no-no for his 1st save. Italiano had no walks and 9 Ks over 5 2/3 IP to move to 1-0 with a 2.79 ERA. Vitters was 1-1 with a SF, double and 3 RBI to move to .238 and RF Toddric Johnson was 2-3 with a RS to move to .400.

Burlington is 2-5. Today's game has been rained out and a makeup date is being worked out. The Bees get back into action at home Friday versus the Great Lakes Loons.