Royals on the Farm 5/20

AAA - Omaha: Iowa 8, O-Royals 2

RF Costa 2-4, RBI (29) -- .307
CF Maier 2-4, 2B (8), K -- .343
1B Stodolka 1-4, HR (2), RBI (10), K, RS -- .242
SS Aviles 1-3, BB, RS -- .337
C Tupman 1-3, BB, PB (4) -- .280
LF Lubanski 0-4, K -- .245

Duckworth 6 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 3 HRA, WP -- L, 2-2, 4.93 ERA
Lowery 2 IP, 5 R (1 ER), 3 H, 3 BB, K, E -- 1.26 ERA, worst AAA outing to date
Giron IP, K -- 6.66 ERA, that's a mopup ERA

*** Both teams had 9 hits but a 5-run 7th helped Iowa put the game away. Felix Pie hit a solo homer off Brandon Duckworth in the 1st to make it 1-0 I-Cubs. Both teams stranded 2 in the 1st and Duckworth gave up a 2-out solo homer in the 2nd. Shane Costa singled home a run in the 3rd to cut it to 2-1 but Duckworth gave up a 3rd solo homer in the 6th to make it 3-1. Devon Lowery came on for the 7th and his inning went double, RBI single, sac bunt with no out because of Lowery error, SB, groundout, IBB, sac fly, SB, IBB, 3-run double, popout. The damage was done at 8-1. Mike Stodolka hit his 2nd homer of the season for a solo shot in the bottom of the 7th and the Royals managed a couple more doubles but no more runs to fall, 8-2. Iowa SP Randy Wells improved to 3-1 with a 3.08 ERA after going 5 IP of an ER on 5 hits and 2 walks with 5 Ks. Three Cubs had 2-hit games, including 3B Casey McGehee, who was 2-4 with his 9th double, 5th homer and 4 RBI (25) to improve to .241.

Omaha is 19-24 and 2 1/2 games out. Game 3 is tonight. Probable starters: Iowa RH Justin Berg (0-2, 11.81) vs. Omaha RH Kyle Davies (5-2, 2.09). With Tupman back in the fold, C Cody Clark was sent back to AA.

AA - NW Arkansas: off day

*** The Naturals start a 3-game home set with the Midland RockHounds (23-21, AA Athletics) tonight. Probable starters: NWA's Dan Cortes (0-1, 2.00) vs. Midland's Ryan Webb (2-2, 4.78). Midland's roster features A's prospects righties James Simmons (2-2, 2.93, 1.13 WHIP in 8 starts, currently on DL) and Henry Rodriguez (1-4, 7.66, 2.42 WHIP in 6 starts (yikes)), OF Aaron Cunningham (.833 OPS in 17 games) and SS Cliff Pennington (.684 OPS, 8 E, 18/19 SB in 43 games), among others.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Potomac 5, Blue Rocks 2

DH Mertins 1-4, HR, RBI (13), 2 K, 2 RS -- .276
CF D. Robinson 0-3, BB, K, 2 SB (20) -- .263
SS McConnell 0-2, 2 BB, SB (13) -- .243
2B Bianchi 1-4, 2B (7), 3 K -- .210
3B J. Johnson 1-3, BB, 2 K -- .322

Holland 7 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 5 K, HRA, WP -- L, 3-3, 4.10 ERA
Teaford 2 IP, ER, 2 H, 3 K, HRA -- 2.90 ERA

*** Missouri State product SP Ross Detwiler combined with 4 other Nationals pitchers to hold the Rocks to 4 hits in the first of a 3-game series. The first 2 Rocks batters walked and Derrick Robinson and Chris McConnell pulled a double steal to put 2 in scoring position with 1 out but Wilmington blew the scoring chance. Greg Holland got touched up in the 3rd for 3 runs on 2 doubles, a hit batsman, a wild pitch and walk as Potomac surged ahead. A solo homer off Holland in the 5th made it 4-0 Nats. Kurt Mertins finally got the Rocks on the board with his 1st homer of the season in the 6th but Everett Teaford took over for Holland in the 8th and served up a solo homer of his own to put the lead back at 4. Mertins struck out for the third out in the 8th but made it to first on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a Jeff Bianchi double and scored on a passed ball to cut it to 5-2. The Rocks threatened no more therafter as RP Adam Carr notched his 4th save for Potomac. Detwiler allowed a hit and 4 walks with 9 Ks over 4 IP to drop his ERA to 4.12. RP Jack Spradlin pitched a scoreless inning to get the win and move to 3-0 with a 3.79 ERA. Nats top prospect 1B Chris Marrero was 2-3 with a walk, his 6th homer and 19th RBI with 2 RS to move to .236 and LF Marvin Lowrance had 2 RBI.

Wilmington is 20-23 and 7 1/2 games out. Game 2 of the set is tonight. Probable starters: Rocks right-hander Matt Kniginyzky (1-4, 4.11) vs. Potomac's Craig Stammen (0-1, 2.25). The Rocks only have 11 total HR this season, which is worst in the Carolina League. That does include, however, a homer in each of the last 3 games.

A - Burlington: Bees 4, Kane County 2 (7/G1)

SS Moustakas 2-3, 2B (6), RBI (15) -- .247
RF Tucker 1-3, 3B (2), RBI (9), RS -- .150, signs of life lately
1B Jimenez 0-2, RBI (9) -- .159
CF Lough 1-3, 3B (3), RBI (14), K, RS -- .268
LF Ortiz 1-3, RS -- .300
3B Taylor 0-3, 2 K -- .212
2B Martin 0-3, 2 K -- .250

Paulino 6 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 7 K, HRA -- W, 2-2, 5.06 ERA, solid start
Bradley IP, H -- SV, 1, 0.47 ERA

*** Eduardo Paulino kept the Cougars in check and the Bees offense did enough to take the first of two with Kane County Tuesday. Alwin Perez led off the Bees 2nd with a double and scored on a Wilson Tucker triple and an Antonio Jimenez fielder's choice brought Tucker home to make it 2-0 Bees. Three singles off Paulino in the 3rd scored a run to cut the lead in half but he stranded 2 that inning. He served up a solo homer in the 4th to tie the game but the Bees regained the lead in the 5th on a 2-out Adrian Ortiz single, a David Lough RBI triple and Mike Moustakas RBI double to make it 4-2. Anthony Bradley pitched the 7th for his 1st save for the Bees in the shortened game. Cougars SP Jamie Richmond went the distance but took the loss with 6 IP of 4 ER on 6 hits and 5 Ks to drop to 4-3 with a 3.42 ERA. 2B Larry Cobb and SS Matt Ray had 2-hit games for the Cougars.

Bees 5, Kane County 3 (7/G2)

RF Tucker 3-3, 2B (6), HR (2), 2 RBI (11), SB (2), 2 RS -- .172, nice day all in all
3B Taylor 1-3, HR (6), 2 RBI (20), RS, E (8) -- .214
DH Moustakas 0-2, SF, RBI (16), 2 K -- .244
CF Ortiz 1-4, 2 RS, SB (16), OF assist at home -- .299
SS Martin 1-2, BB -- .286

Cegarra 6 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, BB, 4 K, HRA -- W, 2-4, 2.67 ERA
C. Chavez IP, H -- SV, 2, 1.15 ERA

*** The Bees picked up where they left off in game 1 and got a 3-run 1st to propel them to sweep the twinbill from Kane County. Mike Moustakas started the scoring with a sac fly in the 1st and Jason Taylor followed with a 2-run homer for his 6th of the season to make it 3-0 Bees. The Bees stranded 2 and SP Ed Cegarra served up a 2-run homer in the 2nd to cut the lead to 1. Wilson Tucker doubled home a run in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-2. CF Adrian Ortiz cut down a runner at the plate in the 5th but Cegarra did allow 1 run in the inning but stranded 2 to keep the lead. Tucker got the run back with a solo homer (his 2nd) to lead off the bottom of the 5th and keep the lead at 2. The Bees stranded 2 in the 6th but Chris Chavez pitched a solid 7th for his 2nd save. Cougars SP Brent Lysander took the loss with 2 IP of 4 runs (3 ER) on 5 hits, a walk and 3 Ks to fall to 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA. 3B Carlos Arrieche was 2-3 to move to .258 and LF Mike Lissman was 2-3 with his 2nd homer and 2 RBI (12) to move to .221.

Burlington is 18-26. The series continues tonight as Bees SP Matt Mitchell (0-4, 4.80) is set to take on Cougars SP Scott Moore (1-2, 3.98).