Royals on the Farm 7/1

AAA - Omaha: Iowa 10, O-Royals 4

C B. Pena 2-3, BB, 2 2B (5), RBI (5), K -- .327
SS Sanchez 2-4, 2B (2), K, RS -- .278
CF Maier 2-4, BB, 2B (18), RBI (32), RS -- .305
RF Costa 0-4, RBI (40) -- .299
3B Dawkins 1-4, HR (3), RBI (13), K, RS -- .269
1B Shealy 1-3, K -- .257
LF Lubanski 0-4, K, RS -- .240

Wright 3 IP, 8 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 5 K, 2 HRA, WP -- L, 3-5, 6.06 ERA
Lumsden 5 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, BB, 4 K -- 7.09 ERA, both gas cans in one game, great....

*** The Cubs poured it on in the 4th as Matt Wright and Tyler Lumsden combined to give up 10 earned and Iowa pushed the Royals another game back in the divisional race. The Cubs got solo homers off Wright in the 2nd and 3rd and then knocked him out of the game with 4 hits and a walk in the 4th. Lumsden came in with 3 runs already in and the bases full of I-Cubs and gave up 3 more hits to bring in 4 more runs to make it 9-0 Iowa. Mitch Maier hit an RBI double in the 5th but the Cubs got the run back in the 6th. Omaha scored 3 in the 7th on Gookie Dawkins' 3rd homer for a solo shot, a Shane Costa RBI groundout and an RBI double by Brayan Pena to cut it to 10-4. The next 7 Royals went down, tho, to end it as RP Mike Burns got the win. Two Cubs had 3-hit games.

Omaha is 41-42 and 8 games back. Game 3 of the set is tonight as Omaha sends Roman Colon (2-2, 4.85) to the mound vs. Iowa's Justin Berg (3-4, 6.49). With June now in the books, journeyman IF Jason Smith still leads the team in OPS at .845 as well as HR with 18 and RBI with 53. He has 20 BB and 91 Ks in 81 games and also has 16 2B and 6 3B on the season in 301 ABs. Next is OF Shane Costa with an .839 OPS including 19 2B, 10 HR, 40 RBI, 24 BB/36 K and 9/10 SB in 264 ABs. Third is C Brayan Pena at an .809 OPS in only 13 games. Ryan Shealy has crept up to a .799 OPS with a solid late June. CF Mitch Maier is 5th with a .782 OPS including 18 doubles and 16 BB/27 K in 262 ABs. Chris Lubanski has also pulled his numbers up to a .736 OPS in 221 ABs. Dusty Hughes is sporting an 0.86 WHIP in his first 11 2/3 IP at AAA with Carlos Rosa next at 1.03 with a 3.60 ERA in 30 IP. Rosa also has 28 Ks compared to only 5 BB in 6 starts. The WHIP numbers jump from there to 1.30 for Devon Lowery in 29 1/3 IP but Lowery leads the team with a 1.84 ERA. His K/BB isn't as impressive at 21/14. Neal Musser has a 1.32 WHIP in 47 IP with 58 Ks and 25 BB and Brandon Duckworth and Colon both sport 1.38 WHIPs. Wright's WHIP is 1.58 and Lumsden's is a horrible 1.92.

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 6, Corpus Christi 5

SS Lisson 1-3, HBP, SF, HR (8), 4 RBI (35), RS -- .222
LF Suero 2-3, BB, S, RS, SB (33), CS (12), OF assist at home -- .285
CF-RF Falu 2-4, K, RS, CS (4) -- .250
DH Lucas 1-4, RBI (7) -- .260
1B Kaaihue 1-2, 2 BB, K -- .282
* RF Geraldo Valentin also had an OF assist at second.

B. Wood 4 IP, 3 ER, 8 H, 2 K, WP -- 6.39 ERA
Atencio 3 IP, 3 H, 3 K -- W, 2-2, 4.28 ERA
Plummer 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, BB, HRA, E -- 5.03 ERA
Crist 1 2/3 IP, H, BB, K -- SV, 5, 3.68 ERA

*** The Naturals scrapped out the win over the Hooks to sweep the 3-game series. Starter Blake Wood got touched up for 3 runs in the 2nd on 5 singles although LF Ovandy Suero helped nail another runner trying to score to end the rally. Mario Lisson tied it with one swing of the bat in the 4th as he cranked his 8th homer for a 3-run shot. Lisson came back up in the 5th and gave the Nats the lead with a sac fly to make it 4-3. Ed Lucas singled in a run in the 6th and a Geraldo Valentin double play ball scored another run to make it 6-3 Nats. Jarod Plummer gave up a 2-run homer in the 8th but Kyle Crist finished the game for his 5th save. Hooks starter Chance Douglass took the loss but CF Eli Iorg was 4-4 for Corpus Christi with his 9th homer to move to .255.

NWA is 5-7 and 1.5 games out. The Naturals have today off. Kila Kaaihue is raking for the Nats to the tune of a .997 OPS, even tho he's only hitting .282 at the plate. He's getting on base at a .437 clip and slugging .560, which is great to see. He's on the fast track for AAA with the way Mike Stodolka is hitting in Omaha (unfortunately). Of Kaaihue's 22 XBH, 18 are homers. He leads the team with 48 RBI and has 57 BB with only 30 Ks in 209 ABs. OF Brian McFall is next with an .828 OPS and has 11 2B, 10 HR, 34 RBI and 32 BB/58 Ks in 200 ABs. Juan Richardson has a .773 OPS with 16 2B, 6 HR, 36 RBI, 32 BB and 59 Ks in 278 ABs. Ovandy Suero has been mediocre with a .710 OPS, 5 3B, 12 BB, 29 K and 33/45 SB in 193 ABs. No one else is over a .700 OPS, including IF Marc Maddox (.697), OF Jose Duarte (.656), and 40-man roster guy Lisson (.637). WHIP-wise, submarining RP Chris Hayes leads the way with a 0.88 WHIP added to a 1.98 ERA and 22 K/7 BB in 36 1/3 IP. DL casualty Julio De La Cruz is next among pitchers with more than 10 IP logged in AA with a 1.24 WHIP in 27 1/3 IP. Greg Atencio has had some good outings lately to drop to a 1.28 WHIP with 48 K/16 BB in 40 IP. Blake Johnson has a 1.29 WHIP in his 16 starts with a 53/20 K/BB mark in 89 2/3 IP. Crist has proven effective in closing games with a 1.30 WHIP in his 44 IP. Dan Cortes has a 1.31 WHIP in 59 1/3 IP with a 63/26 K/BB, Julio Pimentel's WHIP is at 1.49, Rowdy Hardy's is 1.51 and Wood's is at 1.61, although Wood does have a 32/10 K/BB in 31 IP.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Lynchburg 4, Blue Rocks 1

SS J. Johnson 2-4, RBI (24) -- .274
DH D. Robinson 0-3, BB, K -- .250
RF Dickerson 1-4, OF assist at first -- .311
2B Bianchi 0-4, K -- .244
3B Mertins 1-4 -- .296

Cegarra 6 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, BB, 4 K, 2 HRA -- L, 2-4, 4.81 ERA
Swaggerty 1 1/3 IP, 3 H, BB, 3 K -- 2.75 ERA
Bradley IP, BB, K, WP -- 4.50 ERA

*** The Rocks managed only 4 hits as Ed Cegarra took the loss and the Hillcats took the series. Cegarra and Hillcats starter Mike Crotta dueled into the 7th as Cegarra was shutting Lynchburg out on 2 hits and had retired 11 straight at one point. The problem was Crotta had retired 16 straight at one point. Lynchburg took command in the 7th with 4 runs on 2 homers off a tiring Cegarra and an RBI single off Ben Swaggerty to make it 4-0. Josh Johnson hit an RBI groundout in the 8th but the Rocks stranded 2 in scoring position and couldn't rally in the 9th. Crotta got the win for Lynchburg and Kevin Roberts picked up his 7th save. Two Hillcats had 2-hit games.

The Rocks are 4-8 and 5 games back. A 3-game set at the Kinston Indians (8-4) starts tonight. The Rocks are 7-4 versus the K-Tribe. Probable starters: Rocks righty Mario Santiago (6-4, 4.01) vs. Indians southpaw Shawn Nottingham (0-0, 5.87). Joe Dickerson is still the offensive leader for the Rocks with an .861 OPS, 10 2B, 9 3B, 45 RBI, 29 BB/42 K and 23/35 SB in 273 ABs. IF Kurt Mertins has an .810 OPS with 18 2B, 6 3B, 31 RBI, 26 BB/57 K and 15/19 SB in 260 ABs with 11 errors "to boot". Josh Johnson has a .798 OPS with 54 BB/44 K and an easily team best .433 OBP in 197 ABs. Chris McConnell is next with a .760 OPS with 18 errors (worst on team), 23 2B (leads team), 20 RBI and 35 BB/35 K in 274 ABs. Jeff Bianchi has pulled himself up to a .713 OPS with 16 2B, 4 3B and 6 HR, 36 RBI, 10 BB/53 K in 221 ABs. His OBP is only .278, which is among the worst on the team. Derrick Robinson has a .623 OPS and is 38/45 in SB. David Wood is really struggling with only a .367 OPS in 128 ABs. Everett Teaford leads the pitching staff with a 1.12 WHIP and also has a 3.12 ERA and 63 K/23 BB in 80 2/3 IP. He has given up 8 HR for the most on the team, tho. Cegarra is next with a 1.16 WHIP but has allowed 7 HR with a 21 K/8 BB ratio in 43 IP thus far. Greg Holland has a 1.20 WHIP and 54 K/18 BB in 46 2/3 IP, RP Henry Barrera has a 1.29 WHIP and 51 K/16 BB in 36 1/3 IP and Aaron Hartsock has a 1.35 WHIP and 33 K/16 BB in 46 2/3 IP. Matt Kniginyzky is carrying a 1.40 WHIP with 62 K/29 BB in 78 IP, Mario Santiago has a 1.53 WHIP, Tyler Chambliss has slipped to a 1.54 WHIP with a rough June and Russ Haltiwanger is worst on the team in WHIP at 1.69.

A - Burlington: Kane County 5, Bees 4

CF Ortiz 3-5, 2 RBI (23) -- .312
2B Giavotella 2-4, SF, RBI (6), RS -- .323
3B Moustakas 2-4, BB, SB (5), picked off -- .247
C Billick 2-3, BB, 2B (3), 2 RS, PB -- .556
1B Taylor 0-3, HBP -- .206
LF Lough 1-4, RBI (34) -- .269
DH Martin 0-3, BB -- .311

Gutierrez 5 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 5 H, 7 K, HRA -- 2.43 ERA
Runion 2 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K, HRA -- L, 2-5, 5.75 ERA
Z. Peterson 2/3 IP, H, BB, K -- 3.55 ERA

*** The Bees rallied in the 9th but it wasn't enough as Kane County came away with the series opener. Starter Danny Gutierrez gave up a run in the 1st but David Lough tied it with an RBI single in the 4th before the Bees left the bases full. Gutierrez served up a solo homer in the 4th but the Bees tied it in the 5th on a Johnny Giavotella sac fly. Sam Runion came on for the 6th and allowed a run on 2 hits and a hit batsman, then gave up a solo homer in the 8th. Zach Peterson let in another run that inning that was credited to Runion and it ended up counting big for the Cougars as Adrian Ortiz hit a clutch 2-run single in the 9th to close the gap to 1 but Mike Moustakas flew out with the tying run at third to end the game. Cougars RP Lance Sewell got the win with 3 innings of work and Leonardo Espinal got his 1st save. Three Cougars had 2-hit games.

Burlington dropped to 8-5. The Bees lost again today in a matinee with the Cougs as Eduardo Paulino took the loss. OF Nick Van Stratten has posted a .945 OPS in 38 ABs of small sample size, but IF Kyle Martin has put up a .901 OPS with 8 2B and 4 HR, 10 BB and 18 Ks and 8 errors in 30 games and 103 ABs. Clint Robinson has a .797 OPS with 11 2B, 3 3B and 9 HR, 27 RBI, 19 BB/34 K in 191 ABs, Johnny Giavotella has a .774 OPS with 8 BB and 11 K in his first 66 ABs of pro ball, Adrian Ortiz is posting a .737 OPS with 9 2B and 7 3B, 13 BB, 55 K and 26/38 SB in 347 ABs, and OF David Lough has a .733 OPS, 12 2B, 8 3B, 21 BB and 41 Ks in .290 ABs. The one everybody's probably wondering about, IF Mike Moustakas, has a .716 OPS now with 16 errors (worst on team), 12 doubles (tied for team lead), 2 3B, 12 HR (leads team), 41 RBI (leads team), 25 BB/54 K and is 5/8 SB in 80 games and 312 ABs. Jason Taylor has a .708 OPS despite hitting only .207 and has 50 BB/57 K with 27/35 SB in 251 ABs. He also has 13 errors in 76 games. It's so far, so good for Danny Duffy as he leads the pitching staff with a 1.04 WHIP and has 51 K/10 BB in his 8 starts and 39 1/3 IP. Gutierrez has a 1.08 WHIP with 49 K and only 9 BB in 37 IP, Joe Augustine has a 1.15 WHIP and team-leading 1.86 ERA with 58 K/22 BB in 67 2/3 IP, Chris Chavez has a 1.21 WHIP and 32 K/7 BB in 34 2/3 IP, and Matt Mitchell has a 1.24 WHIP and 51 K/13 BB in 72 1/3 IP. Paulino and Alex Caldera have matching 1.29 WHIPs with only Zach Peterson and Juan Abreu with higher marks, but Abreu's is only 1.42 so none are absolutely detestable in that department.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Orem 6, Chukars 2

LF Griffin 1-3, BB, RBI (8), 2 K -- .265
RF Francis 1-4, 2 K, CS -- .350
CF Norris 0-4, K -- .241
DH Espinosa 0-4, K -- .170

Toribio 5 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K -- 3.46 ERA
Beach 2 IP, 2 ER, H, BB, 2 K -- L, 0-2, 9.00 ERA
J. Garcia 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, K, WP -- 3.12 ERA
Gilgenbach 1/3 IP, K -- 4.50 ERA

*** A tie game fell apart for Idaho Falls in the 8th as Orem moved into sole possession of first place in the division. Starter Aneidy Toribio gave up 2 runs on 2 hits, a walk and sac fly in the 3rd as a Chukar error let the second run in to score to give the Owlz a 2-0 lead. Devery Van De Keere doubled and scored on a wild pitch in the 6th and Shawn Griffin came through with a game-tying RBI single to knot it at 2. Three Chukar relievers worked in the 8th but only Stephen Gilgenbach emerged unscathed as Orem scored 4 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks. The Chukars didn't really threaten in the 9th as Kevin Nabors picked up the win in relief of starter William Smith. Only 1 Owl went hitless although only 1 had more than 1 hit -- 3B Luis Jimenez.

The Chukars are 5-10 and 6 games back of the Owlz. Game 2 of the set is tonight as IF's Bryan Casey (1-0, 1.32) takes on Orem's Jose Perez (0-0, 4.02). I think I'm gonna give the rookie ball teams a little more time to sort out the wheat from the chaff before I go into team OPS/WHIP leaders -- I'll shoot for the middle of the month or something. P Tim Huber and OF Carlo Testa have been added to the Chukars roster after both started at Burlington in the Appy League.

Rookie - Burlington: Elizabethton 11, B-Royals 4

CF H. Richardson 3-5, RBI (4), K, 2 RS -- .275
SS Jose 2-4, 2 K, RS, 2 E (6) -- .182
2B A. Franco 1-3, BB, S, 2B (2), RBI (2) -- .167
DH Aparicio 0-4, SF, RBI (6) -- .189
1B Vittek 1-4, BB, RBI (3), 2 K, E -- .200
LF Caldwell 0-3, BB, K, E (2) -- .184
3B F. Cruz 1-4, E (5) -- .174
RF Testa 1-4, K -- .188, guess maybe a change of scenery might help?
C Moctezuma 0-4, K, RS, PB (2) -- .190, 7 in lineup hitting under .200, another right at it

Bryant 3 1/3 IP, 4 R (1 ER), 5 H, 3 K -- L, 0-1, 7.20 ERA
J. Rodriguez 2 2/3 IP, ER, H, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 WP, balk -- 5.63 ERA
Roq. Colon 2 IP, 6 R (2 ER), 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K, HRA -- 5.40 ERA
M. Baez IP, BB, K -- 4.91 ERA

*** The Twins proved to might as well be in another league than the B-Royals as they slaughtered Burlington again to sweep the 3-game set thanks in part to 5 more Royal errors. The Twins scored 2 in both the 2nd and 4th although only 1 of the 4 runs was earned thanks to 2 errors, a passed ball and balk. Josh Vittek singled in a run in the 4th to get the Royals on the board but Jake Rodriguez wild pitched in a run in the 6th and, after the Royals left the bases loaded that inning, the Twins poured on 4 more runs off Roque Colon in the 7th thanks in part to 2 more Royal errors. Burlington did score 3 in the 7th on a Hilton Richardson RBI single, run-scoring Twins error and Julio Aparicio sac fly but it was too little, too late. The Twins polished it off with a 2-run homer in the 8th and the Royals left 2 in scoring position in the 9th. Starter Curtis Leavitt got the win for Elizabethton with only a run allowed in 6 IP. CF Angel Morales was 3-4 for the Twins and 2B Dominic De La Osa was 2-4 with 4 RS and 2 SB.

Burlington is 1-13. A 2-game set at the Danville Braves (12-3) starts tonight as John Flanagan makes his first pro start (0-1, 1.42) versus Danville's Randall Delgado (1-1, 2.84). IF Yeldrys Molina was transferred over from Idaho Falls, where he hit .289, and OF Warren McFadden was moved up from the AZL as an undrafted free agent from Tulane. According to the Burlington (N.C.) Times-News, more roster moves are possibly pending.

Rookie - AZL: off day

*** The Royals got back into action to beat the Giants today. Deybi De La Cruz got the win for the Royals.