Royals on the Farm 7/2

AAA - Omaha: Iowa 6, O-Royals 5 (15)

CF Maier 4-8, 2B (19), K, RS, E (3) -- .311
RF Costa 3-7, BB, 2B (20), RBI (41), 2 RS, OF assists at third and second -- .303
C B. Pena 2-5, 2 BB, S, 3B, 2 RBI (7), SB (3) -- .333
1B Shealy 1-2, 3 BB, K -- .260
PR-1B Stodolka 0-1, SF, RBI (13), K -- .231
2B Smith 0-6, SF, RBI (54), 2 K -- .261, that 0-fer hurts your average
SS Sanchez 0-6, S, K -- .208
LF Lubanski 1-6, BB, 4 K, 2 RS -- .238...."The Big" Lubanski racks up more Ks
* Omaha stranded 16.

Colon 4 IP, ER, 3 H, 6 K, HRA -- 4.60 ERA
Musser 2 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, BB, 2 K -- 3.67 ERA
Lowery 3 IP, H, BB, 4 K -- 1.67 ERA, been great this season thus far
Fulchino 4 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 K -- 4.63 ERA
Salmon 1 2/3 IP, ER, 2 H -- L, 5-3, 4.66 ERA

*** Omaha rallied in the 9th to force extras and then watched Iowa rally in the 11th to keep the game alive before a 2-out rally in the 15th got the Cubs the victory. Omaha loaded the bases with no outs in the 3rd and Brayan Pena hit an RBI forceout to give the Royals a 1-0 lead before Mitch Maier was thrown out at the plate on a flyout double play to end the inning. The lead lasted 1 batter as Roman Colon served up a leadoff homer in the Iowa 3rd. After Omaha manager Mike Jirschele was ejected in the 6th, the Cubs moved ahead with 2 runs off Neal Musser on 2 hits and a walk. The Royals got 2 on with 1 out in the 9th and Pena singled in a run before Jason Smith hit a sac fly to tie the game. Damon Hollins grounded out to end the rally and, in the 11th, the Royals scored 2 runs on a Shane Costa RBI double and a Mike Stodolka sac fly. Jeff Fulchino came out for his second inning of work and put the first 2 batters on before giving up a 1-out, 2-run single to retie the game. He stranded 2 and the game continued. Omaha stranded 2 in the 13th and 15th and Brad Salmon got the first 2 outs in the bottom of the 15th before a double and walkoff single gave Iowa the win. RP Jesse Estrada almost blew it in the 11th for Iowa but ended up going 5 IP for the win. Starter Justin Berg allowed a run in his 5 IP. Iowa DH Ben Broussard had a 3-hit game and four others had 2-hit games, including former Royal Andres Blanco. 3B Casey McGehee had 4 RBI for the Cubs.

Omaha is 41-43 and 9 games out now. The series wraps tonight as Iowa goes for the sweep. Probable starters: Omaha RH Carlos Rosa (3-1, 3.60) vs. I-Cubs LH J.R. Mathes (5-3, 3.33).

AA - NW Arkansas: off day

*** The 5-7 Naturals start a 3-game home set with the San Antonio Missions (8-4, AA Padres) tonight as Julio Pimentel (3-9, 5.72) vies against Missions SP Stephen Faris (5-2, 3.13). The Naturals are 2-7 versus San Antonio, including getting outscored, 25-1, in a 3-game sweep last week.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Blue Rocks 2, Kinston 0 (4-hitter)

SS McConnell 3-5, 2B (24), K, E (19) -- .290
2B Mertins 2-4, 2B (19), K, RS, SB (16) -- .299, 11-game hit streak
LF Strait 1-4, BB, HR, RBI, K, RS -- .250, new addition Cody makes splash in debut
1B Seratelli 1-4, 2B (9), RBI (36), 3 K -- .202
RF Dickerson 1-5, 3 K -- .309
CF D. Robinson 0-5 -- .246
DH Bianchi 0-4, BB, K -- .240
3B J. Johnson 1-3, BB -- .275
* The Rocks stranded 12.

Santiago 6 2/3 IP, 4 H, 3 K -- W, 7-4, 3.68 ERA, good outing
Hartsock 1 1/3 IP, K -- 4.31 ERA
Chambliss IP, K -- SV, 11, 3.50 ERA

*** The Tribe only had 2 hits after the 1st and the Rocks pieced together a 2-run rally to get Mario Santiago a much-deserved 7th win of the season. Both teams stranded 2 in the 1st and it wasn't until Kinston starter Shawn Nottingham was pulled to start the 6th that the Rocks were able to strike as newest Rock Cody Strait hit a leadoff homer in the inning and Anthony Seratelli hit a 2-out RBI double to make it 2-0. Aaron Hartsock and Tyler Chambliss sat the last 7 Tribe batters down in order to secure the victory. RP Mike Finocchi took the loss for Kinston as Nottingham worked 5 scoreless in defeat. 2B Jared Goedert had 2 hits for Kinston.

Wilmington is 5-8 and 4 games back. Game 2 of the set is tonight. Probable starters: Rocks righty Matt Kniginyzky (3-7, 3.92) vs. Kinston righty Josh Tomlin (6-3, 3.47). Strait was picked up by the Royals earlier this week in a PTBNL trade with the Cincinnati Reds. Strait was batting .257 with 17 doubles, 3 triples and 5 HR for the Reds' AA team in Chattanooga. He was the Reds' 12th round pick in the 2004 draft.

A - Burlington: Kane County 7, Bees 3

CF Ortiz 2-4, 3B (7), 2 RBI (25), RS, OF assist at third -- .314
2B Giavotella 1-4, 2B (4), RBI (7) -- .318
3B Moustakas 0-4, K -- .244
RF Walton 2-3, K, RS, OF assist at home -- .208
1B Taylor 1-4, K -- .207
DH C. Robinson 0-4, K -- .246

Paulino 6 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 4 K, HRA -- L, 4-4, 4.03 ERA
Raglione 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 2 BB, balk -- 27.00 ERA, Bees debut after sparking brawl for Chukars
Chavez 1 1/3 IP, ER, 4 H -- 2.86 ERA

*** The Bees held a slim 3-2 lead in the 6th but it was all Kane County from there. Eduardo Paulino surrendered a run in the 1st but Adrian Ortiz helped him out with a 2-run triple in the 3rd and Johnny Giavotella doubled in Ortiz to make it 3-0 Burlington. Paulino gave up another run in the 5th and lost the lead in the 6th with a 2-out, 2-run homer by Cougs 1B Greg Dowling. Paul Raglione came in for the 7th and was pulled with 2 out and the bases loaded before Chris Chavez gave up a 2-run single. The Cougars added a run in the 8th and the Bees didn't threaten again. Starter Jamie Richmond worked 8 innings for the win for Kane County. DH Corey Brown was 3-4 with 3 RBI while 2 others, including Dowling, had 2 hits for Kane County.

The Bees are 8-6 and 2 games back. The series continues tonight as Danny Duffy (4-3, 3.43) hurls for the Bees versus Cougars SP Charles Kerfoot (3-1, 2.90).

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Orem 4, Chukars 2

2B A. Perez 2-4, 2B (3), K -- .226
3B Jimenez 1-3, SF, 2 RBI (6), 2 K, E (4) -- .271
CF Norris 1-3, K, SB (7) -- .246
LF Testa 0-1 -- .000, IF debut
LF-CF Griffin 0-3, BB, K -- .250
RF Francis 1-4, 3B (4), 2 RS, SB (2) -- .344
C McCauley 0-4, 3 K -- .167

Casey 5 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, BB, 2 K, HRA, 2 WP -- L, 1-1, 2.41 ERA
Saito 2 IP, 2 BB, K -- 1.69 ERA
Foster IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 2 K -- 3.86 ERA

*** Orem got 3 in the 1st and that was all the Owlz needed to take another game from the Chukars. An RBI double and 2-run homer off Bryan Casey in the 1st gave the Owlz the 3-0 lead and Nick Francis scored on a triple and Antonio Jimenez sac fly in the 2nd to cut it to 3-1. Casey settled down and the game stayed at 3-1 into the 7th when Jimenez singled in Francis to cut it to a 1-run lead. Alwin Perez followed with a double but the Chukars left 2 in scoring position. John Foster gave up a run in the 8th and IF stranded 2 in the 9th. Orem SP Jose Perez worked 6 2/3 IP of 2 ER for his 1st win for the Owlz and Andrew Taylor took it from there for his 2nd save. Six Owlz had a hit each.

IF is 5-11 and 7 games back. The series wraps in Orem tonight before switching to Idaho Falls for 3 games starting Friday. Probable starters: Chukars' Luis Cota (0-1, 6.35) and Orem's Baron Short (0-0, 4.85).

Rookie - Burlington: B-Royals 5, Danville 1

C Moctezuma 2-4, 2B (3), 2 RBI (4), K, RS -- .240
2B J. Gutierrez 2-3, RBI (4), RS, CS (2) -- .261
DH Caldwell 0-2, 2 BB, RBI (4), K, RS -- .176
2B-3B A. Franco 1-4, RBI (3), K, SB (3), E (3) -- .173
CF H. Richardson 1-4, BB, CS (2) -- .273
1B Vittek 0-4, BB, 3 K, RS -- .158
RF McFadden 0-3, 2 BB, K, RS -- .000, Burlington debut
3B F. Cruz 0-1 -- .170, pulled in 2nd

Flanagan 3 1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K -- 0.93 ERA
Lehmann 5 2/3 IP, ER, 4 H, 6 K, E -- W, 1-1, 7.11 ERA

*** The pitching of John Flanagan and Mike Lehmann mixed with some offensive output added up to win #2 for the B-Royals. The Royals stranded 2 in the 2nd but took the lead with 2 in the 4th on an RBI groundout by Allen Caldwell and a Jorge Gutierrez RBI single. Flanagan was pulled with 2 on and 1 out in the 4th and Lehmann got a double play to end the threat. Lehmann allowed a run in the 6th but Burlington answered with 2 in the 7th on a Miguel Moctezuma RBI double and Angel Franco RBI fielder's choice. Moctezuma singled in another run in the 8th to make it 5-1 and Lehmann retired the last 7 in a row to pick up his 1st win of the season. Danville SP Randall Delgado took the loss with 2 ER over 5 2/3 IP. C Matt Kennelly had 2 hits for the Braves.

The Royals will try to make the win a spark to a streak tonight in game 2 with Danville. No announced starters yet on the team site. 1B David Wood was demoted from Wilmington to rookie ball in Burlington, presumably to open up Strait's spot in high A-ball.

Rookie - AZL: Royals 8, Giants 2

2B D. Batista 3-4, 2B, 3 RS -- .364
CF Llanos 2-3, HBP, 3B, RBI (4), RS -- .214
1B A. Marte 1-4, HR, 2 RBI (3), RS, CS (2) -- .250
SS Espinal 1-4, 3B, 2 RBI -- .194
C J. Bonilla 1-3, HBP, RBI (4), RS, SB (2) -- .393
DH Fowler 0-2, BB, SF, RBI -- .400
RF Del Rosario 0-3, BB, 2 K -- .393

D. De La Cruz 5 IP, 4 H, BB, 8 K, pickoff -- W, 1-0, 1.29 ERA, nice start
B. Richardson 2 IP, K -- 2.25 ERA
A. Bonilla 2 IP, 2 ER, H, 2 BB, 2 K -- 4.70 ERA

*** A 5-run 2nd propelled the Royals to the win over the Giants as Deybi De La Cruz had a good start. The 2nd inning featured a Jose Bonilla RBI single, an Alex Llanos RBI triple, a Brandon Fowler sac fly and a 2-run triple by Yowill Espinal that made it 5-0 Royals. Alexis Marte cranked a 2-run homer in the 3rd for his 1st of the season. De La Cruz stranded the bases full in the 4th and Deivy Batista scored on a botched steal attempt by Marte in the 5th to make it 8-0. Ariel Bonilla gave up a 2-run double in the 8th but pitched a perfect 9th to lock down the victory. Giants starter Meroly Nova took the loss with 5 ER over 2 IP. DH Craig Ziegler was 2-4 with a double and 2 RBI for the Giants.

The Royals are 5-4 and 1 game back. They were set to play the 4-5 A's today.