Royals on the Farm 5/22

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 8, Iowa 3

1B Smith 1-4, 3B (5), 2 RBI (31), K, RS -- .252
2B Berroa 1-3, HBP, RBI (20), 2 RS -- .303
SS Aviles 1-4, BB, RBI (35), RS -- .340
CF Maier 1-3, 2 BB, RBI (15), RS -- .333
DH Buchanan 1-3, BB, RBI (14), K, RS -- .311
3B Matranga 1-2, S, BB, 2 RBI (8) -- .245
RF Costa 0-5, 3 K -- .297, wonder if Royals have worn down his mental game, he's not raking AAA pitching like last couple years
LF Hollins 0-4, 2 K -- .167, days have to be numbered

Rosa 7 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 2 K, HRA -- W, 1-1, 7.20 ERA, first AAA win and quality start, to boot
Colon 2 IP, H, K -- SV, 1, 5.25 ERA

*** Carlos Rosa notched a career milestone with his 1st AAA victory and the Royals salvaged a series split with the Cubs. Rosa got nice run support with a 4-run Omaha 1st as Brian Buchanan hit an RBI single and Jason Smith ripped a 2-run triple before Angel Berroa brought home a run with a fielder's choice to make it 4-0. Iowa got a run back off Rosa in the 2nd but Omaha stretched the lead back to 4 with a Dave Matranga RBI single in the 4th as Cubs SP Sean Marshall left the game with a hamstring injury. Rosa gave up a solo homer in the 5th and a run on 2 hits in the 6th but pitched well overall through 7. The Royals put it away with 3 runs in the 8th on bases-loaded walks to Matranga, Mitch Maier and Mike Aviles off RP Jim Henderson. Roman Colon pitched a perfect 9th for his 1st save. Marshall took the loss with 3 2/3 IP of 5 ER on 6 hits with 3 Ks to fall to 0-1 with a 4.02 ERA. Three Cubs had 2-hit games.

Omaha is 21-24 and 2.5 games back. A 4-game set at the Round Rock Express (19-27, AAA 'Stros) starts tonight. Probable starters: Omaha RH Matt Wright (0-2, 5.59) vs. Express RH Chad Reineke (2-5, 6.69). Omaha is 3-0 versus Round Rock this season.

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 10, Midland 7

SS Sanchez 2-4, BB, 2B (5), 3 RBI (14), K, RS -- .227
DH Kaaihue 2-4, 2B (2), 2 RBI (31) -- .257, back from injury
CF Duarte 2-5, 2B (5), RBI (18), K, 2 RS -- .253
3B Lisson 2-3, BB, 3B, K, RS, CS -- .223
LF Suero 2-4, RS, 2 SB (20), picked off -- .282
RF McFall 1-3, BB, RBI (26), 2 K, 2 RS -- .244
C Donachie 1-2, 2 BB, 2B (3), RBI (8) -- .227
2B Maddox 0-3, BB, K, RS, SB (8) -- .237

Mildren 5 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, BB, 3 K -- W, 2-3, 5.60 ERA
Plummer 2 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 4 K, 2 HRA -- 4.86 ERA
C. Hayes 1 1/3 IP, ER, 2 H, K -- SV, 2, 2.08 ERA

*** A 5-run 2nd helped give the Naturals enough steam to hold on to win another one from the RockHounds. With 2 out in the NWA 1st, Brian McFall walked and Kila Kaaihue singled as the play brought McFall home after a Midland throwing error. Starter Paul Mildren gave up 2 runs in the 2nd on 2 doubles and 2 singles before stranding 2. Mario Lisson led off the Naturals 2nd with a triple to kickstart the 5-run rally as he came home on a wild pitch, Adam Donachie hit a 1-out RBI double, McFall hit a 2-out RBI single and Kaaihue doubled home 2 runs but was thrown out at third on the play to end the inning. The Naturals added 2 runs in the 4th on a 2-run single by Angel Sanchez that was preceded by a double by Jose Duarte. Jarod Plummer came in to pitch the 6th and had a rough outing as 3 hits brought home a run in the 6th, he served up a 2-run homer in the 7th and then gave up a solo homer in the 8th. Sanchez hit an RBI double in the 6th and the game went to the bottom of the 8th at 9-6 NWA. Duarte hit an RBI forceout for a run in the 8th and Chris Hayes allowed a run in the 9th but got a handy double play and K to end the game for his 2nd save. Midland SP Henry Rodriguez took the loss with 4 IP of 8 runs (7 ER) on 8 hits and 5 walks with 4 Ks to fall to 1-5 with an 8.89 ERA. 1B Tommy Everidge was 3-4 with his 9th homer and 2 RBI (31) to move to .235 and C Anthony Recker was also 3-4 with his 11th double to move to .284. Two other Hounds had 2-hit games.

NWA is 25-21 and 2 games up on first. The Naturals go for the sweep in tonight's finale. Probable starters: NWA's Julio Pimentel (2-4, 4.19) vs. Midland's Vincent Mazzaro (5-2, 2.05).

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Potomac 10, Blue Rocks 3

DH Bianchi 1-4, 2B (8), 3 RBI (9) -- .205
CF D. Robinson 2-2, 2 SB (23) -- .273, pulled in 6th
1B Seratelli 2-4 -- .153
SS McConnell 0-2, K -- .243, pinch-hit for in 6th
RF Dickerson 1-3, BB, K, RS -- .292
3B-SS J. Johnson 0-3, BB, 3 K, picked off -- .305

Godin 3 IP, 6 ER, 7 H, BB, 2 K -- L, 2-4, 5.21 ERA
Nicoll 2 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, BB, 4 K, 2 HRA -- 3.14 ERA
Swaggerty 2 IP, 2 BB, 2 K -- 0.00 ERA, Wilmington debut
Barrera IP, BB -- 2.95 ERA
Chambliss IP, ER, 2 H, K, HRA -- 1.17 ERA

*** Jason Godin got shelled and Potomac took the rubber game of the series. The Nationals pounced for 4 runs in the 1st on 4 hits and a hit batsman and then added 2 runs in the 2nd on 3 hits and a sac fly to make it 6-0. Chris Nicoll came in for the 4th and gave up a solo homer in that inning and a 2-run shot in the 5th to make it 9-0. The Rocks stranded 2 in the 1st but didn't challenge again until the 6th when they scored 3 runs on a 1-out bases-loaded double by Jeff Bianchi that scored all 3 baserunners. Ben Swaggerty stranded 2 Nats in the 7th and Tyler Chambliss gave up a homer in the 9th to make it 10-3. Nats SP Adrian Alaniz got the win with 5 1/3 IP of 3 ER on 3 hits and 4 walks with 4 Ks to move to 6-0 with a 2.85 ERA. DH Marvin Lowrance was 2-5 with his 9th double and 3 RBI (18) to move to .254, RF Edgardo Baez was 3-4 with a walk, his 11th double and 26th RBI, and 2 other Nationals had 2-hit games.

Wilmington is 21-24 and 7.5 games out. The Rocks start a 3-game home set versus the Lynchburg Hillcats (18-28, A-Adv. Buccos) tonight. Probable starters: Rocks ace Blake Wood (2-2, 2.98) vs. Hillcats righty Jared Hughes (1-6, 5.06). The Rocks are 1-2 versus Lynchburg.

A - Burlington: Kane County 4, Bees 2

DH Taylor 2-3, BB, picked off twice -- .228
SS Moustakas 1-4, RBI (17), K -- .244, BA inching upward
LF Walton 1-3, BB, HR (3), RBI (13), K, RS, SB (4) -- .217
CF Ortiz 1-4, RS, SB (17) -- .297

Caldera 5 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 2 K, WP -- L, 3-3, 2.87 ERA
Arias 2 IP, 2 H, 2 K -- 4.38 ERA
C. Chavez IP, BB -- 1.08 ERA
Bradley IP, ER, 2 H -- 0.89 ERA

*** The Bees fell in the series finale with Kane County to end a homestand. Starter Alex Caldera gave up a 2-out, 2-run double in the 1st and that set the tone for the game. The Bees had 2 on with 0 out in the 2nd but Jason Taylor got picked off second and the inning proved fruitless. Caldera stranded 2 in the 4th and gave up a run in the 5th on 2 hits and a sac fly. Henry Arias stranded 2 in the 6th and the Bees got on the board with a 2-out RBI single by Mike Moustakas to cut it to 3-1. The Bees stranded 2, tho, and a Jamar Walton leadoff homer in the 7th for his 3rd of the season cut it to 3-2 Cougars. The Bees stranded 2 in the 8th and RP Tony Bradley allowed a run on 2 hits in the 9th to give Kane County some insurance. A double play ended it in the 9th as RP Nick Walters picked up his 2nd save. SP Scott Hodsdon got the win with 7 IP of 2 ER on 6 hits and a walk with 6 Ks to improve to 2-4 with a 3.80 ERA. LF Michael Lissman was 3-4 with 2 doubles (5) and a RS to move to .238 and C Jon Johnston was 2-4 with a walk, 3/4 SB (10) and 2 RS to move to .239. 2B Larry Cobb had 3 RBI.

Burlington is 19-27. A 4-day, 5-game set at the Beloit Snappers (24-22, A Twins) starts tonight. Probable starters: Bees SP Sam Runion (0-1, 1.50) vs. Beloit's David Bromberg (2-2, 4.69). The Bees are 0-3 versus the Snappers.