Royals on the Farm 5/12

AAA - Omaha: Tacoma 6, O-Royals 4

CF Maier 1-3, BB, SF, HR (4), 3 RBI (12), 2 RS -- .377, 16-game hit streak is longest currently in PCL
RF Costa 2-4, RBI (25), K -- .314
2B Aviles 2-5 -- .368, 20 multi-hit games out of 36
1B Stodolka 2-4, 2 RS -- .264
C Tupman 2-4, K, picked off -- .278
SS Berroa 0-4 -- .301
* Omaha turned 4 double plays.

Fulchino 4 IP, 5 ER, 10 H, BB, 4 K, HRA -- L, 1-1, 4.07 ERA
Colon 4 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, K, HRA -- 1.29 ERA
Lowery IP, H -- 0.87 ERA

*** Jeff Fulchino got hammered and Tacoma held on to set up a potential sweep today. Tacoma scored a run on 2 hits in the 1st and three more hits led to 2 runs in the 2nd. A 2-run homer in the 3rd off Fulchino made it 5-0 Tacoma but Omaha got on the board with a Mitch Maier sac fly in the bottom of the 3rd. Both teams stranded 2 in the 4th and Roman Colon was nailed for a leadoff homer in the 5th on the first batter he faced. Shane Costa hit an RBI single in the 5th but Omaha again stranded 2. A Maier 2-run homer in the 7th was his 4th of the season and cut the lead to 6-4 but Omaha didn't threaten again. Tacoma knuckleballer R.A. Dickey got the win with 6 2/3 IP of 4 runs (3 ER) on 10 hits, a walk and 4 Ks to improve to 2-4 with a 3.38 ERA. RP Roy Corcoran went 1 1/3 IP for his 3rd save. RF Victor Diaz was 2-4 with 2 HR (3) and 3 RBI (10) to move to .298 and SS Oswaldo Navarro was 3-3 with a walk and his 10th RBI to move to .326. Two other Rainiers had 2-hit games.

Omaha dropped to 17-19. Today's series finale has already been played and the Rainiers got the sweep. Starters were Tacoma RH Robert Rohrbaugh (3-2, 6.44) and O-Royals RH Brandon Duckworth (2-1, 6.04). Neal Musser took the loss. I assume Carlos Rosa will make his AAA debut Friday vs. Albuquerque, as Omaha's starter is currently listed as TBA for that day.

AA - NW Arkansas: Tulsa 7, Naturals 3

DH Richardson 2-4, 2B (6), RBI (18), K, RS -- .279
2B Maddox 2-4, RBI (4) -- .230
RF McFall 1-3, BB, HR (7), RBI (23), RS -- .250
SS Sanchez 2-5, RS -- .205, over Mendoza line
CF Duarte 1-5 -- .254
LF Valentin 1-5 -- .324

Pimentel 6 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 4 BB, K, 2 HRA -- L, 2-3, 3.72 ERA
Crist IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, K, HRA, WP -- 4.80 ERA
C. Hayes IP, H -- 1.35 ERA

*** A 4-run Tulsa 7th pretty much put the game away for the Drillers in the series opener. NWA stranded 2 in the 1st and Tulsa got to Julio Pimentel quickly for 2 runs on a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 1st. Brian McFall hit a solo homer in the 2nd for his 7th of the season to cut the lead in half and Juan Richardson tied it in the 3rd with an RBI single. The Naturals left 2 in scoring position and Tulsa moved back ahead with a run in the bottom of the inning on a 2-out solo homer. The score stayed 3-2 into the 7th when Pimentel apparently tired and Tulsa scored 4 runs off him and Kyle Crist on a 3-run homer off Crist and a triple and sac fly, also off Crist. Marc Maddox hit a 2-out RBI single in the 8th but the Naturals again stranded 2. The Naturals went down in order in the 9th to end it. Starter Brandon Hynick went 7 IP and allowed 2 ER on 8 hits, a walk and 2 Ks to improve to 2-2 with a 4.89 ERA. Three Drillers had 2-hit games and SS Chris Nelson and C Neil Wilson had 3 RBI each.

NWA is 19-18 and 2 games up on first. Game 2 is tonight. Probable starters: Naturals' Rowdy Hardy (0-3, 6.16) vs. Tulsa's Ching Lung Lo (1-5, 7.20). Kila Kaaihue left Monday's game in the 2nd inning.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Kinston 3, Blue Rocks 1

3B J. Johnson 3-4, 2B (3), CS (5) -- .314
2B Bianchi 1-4, RBI (3), K -- .121
CF D. Robinson 0-4, 2 K -- .263
SS McConnell 0-4, K -- .254
DH Mertins 0-3, BB -- .287
RF Dickerson 1-2, 2 BB, K, CS (7) -- .305
C Howell 0-4, RS -- .316

B. Wood 7 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, BB, 7 K, HRA -- L, 1-2, 3.38 ERA, no run support
Chambliss IP, 2 K -- 0.92 ERA

*** Blake Wood made only a couple mistakes but paid for them as the Rocks outhit the Tribe, 5-3, but lost on the scoreboard. Wood was perfect through 4 1/3 IP and the Rocks scored first in the 5th with a run on a 2-out RBI single by Jeff Bianchi. The Rocks left the bases loaded and Wood lost his perfecto on a 1-out solo homer by LF Nick Weglarz in the 5th. The Rocks left the bases full again in the 6th and Wood had 1 on with 2 out in the 7th when a walk and killer 2-run single broke the tie. Josh Johnson doubled with 2 out in the 9th but Miguel Vega struck out to end the game as Luis Perdomo kept his perfect ERA and notched his 8th save. RP Mike Pontius went 2 IP with 3 walks and 3 Ks to get the win and improve to 1-0 with a 10.13 ERA. Starter Josh Tomlin went 4 2/3 IP and allowed an ER on 2 hits and 3 Ks to move his ERA to 2.10. SS Carlos Rivero was 1-3 with 2 RBI (15) to move to .260. Topeka native Jerad Head was 0-3 to drop to .209.

Wilmington dropped to 16-20. The series continued today and Wilmington got a comeback win. Starters were Rocks right-hander Mario Santiago (2-3, 4.21) and Kinston righty Steven Wright (1-2, 2.51).

A - Burlington: Bees 1, Wisconsin 0 (10)

SS Moustakas 2-5, K -- .230
2B A. Perez 2-4 -- .200
LF Ortiz 1-5, 3 K, RS, SB (14) -- .320
3B Taylor 0-3, 2 BB, CS (6) -- .225
C Eigsti 1-3, BB, 2B (6), K -- .183
* 11 Bees were stranded.

Caldera 7 IP, 4 H, BB, 9 K -- 2.76 ERA, tough no-decision
C. Chavez 3 IP, 2 H, 4 K, WP, E -- W, 3-0, 1.54 ERA

*** Alex Caldera and Chris Chavez combined for a 10-inning shutout as the Bees won a pitchers' duel in the opener with the Rattlers. Caldera stranded 2 in the 2nd and the Bees left 2 in scoring position in the 3rd. Two more Bees were stranded in the 4th and also in the 7th as the game stayed scoreless. Caldera didn't get in any more trouble but Chavez left the bases loaded in the 9th as an error and wild pitch on his part helped get him in a jam. Adrian Ortiz hit a 1-out single in the 10th and, after a David Lough walk, stole third and scored on a 2-out wild pitch to break the stalemate. C Ryan Eigsti threw out a runner trying to steal second in the bottom of the inning to end the game. Only 1 of 4 would-be base thieves got it done versus Eigsti Monday. RP Walter Suriel took the loss with 3 IP of an ER on 2 hits, 4 walks and 4 Ks to fall to 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA. Starter Nathan Adcock allowed only 4 hits and 2 walks with 9 Ks over 6 2/3 IP to drop his ERA to 2.90. RF Joseph Dunigan was 2-4 with his 10th double and 8th steal to improve to .224.

Burlington is 15-20 and 11 games out. The series continues tonight as Bees SP Zach Peterson (1-2, 4.50) takes on Wisconsin's Donald Hume (4-0, 1.78).