Royals on the Farm 7/26

AAA - Omaha: Tucson 6, O-Royals 5 (10)

1B Stodolka 3-5, E (5) -- .281
CF Hollins 1-4, HR (9), 3 RBI (35) -- .218
C Tupman 1-4, HBP, RBI (25), RS -- .233
SS Sanchez 1-4, RBI (9), K -- .205
RF B. Pena 0-4, BB, picked off -- .292
LF Lubanski 1-4, K -- .240

Capellan 8 IP, 3 ER, 8 H, 2 K -- 2.75 ERA
Salmon 1 1/3 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 3 H, 2 BB, K -- BS, 4, L, 7-5, 4.72 ERA

*** The Royals took a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the 7th but Tucson scored 2 to tie it in the 9th and won it in 10. Tucson took the first lead of the game when a triple and Jason Smith error scored a run in the 1st. With 2 out and 2 on in the Omaha 4th, Damon Hollins knocked his 9th homer of the season for a 3-run shot to give Omaha a 3-1 lead. The Royals tacked on 2 more in the 6th on RBI singles by Matt Tupman and Angel Sanchez and Jose Capellan cruised into the 7th. Back-to-back doubles and a sac fly that inning closed the gap to 2 for Tucson and it was 5-3 into the 9th. Brad Salmon put 2 on with no out in the 9th and 2 RBI singles tied the game before Salmon got out of the inning. The Tucson 10th started with a Mike Stodolka error to put a bad finish on his 3-5 night at the plate, and a sac bunt and intentional walk were followed by a walkoff RBI single. Sidewinders RP Jailen Peguero got the win with 2 scoreless IP to move to 5-4. Starter Juan Cruz worked a hitless inning in a rehab start. Esmerling Vasquez allowed 5 ER over 4 2/3 IP. SS Jesus Merchan was 3-4 with a HBP, double, the game-winning RBI, 2 RS and his 15th error. Three other Sidewinders had 2-hit games.

Omaha is 48-59. The series continues tonight as LH Josh Newman (1-1, 2.00) starts vs. D-Backs hot prospect RH Max Scherzer (0-0, 3.25). IF James Nilsen was promoted to Omaha from the AZL, where he was hitting .200. This makes no sense to me, when you've got Kila Kaaihue tearing up AA. Or Jose Duarte, who's doing OK and plays great outfield D, or even Marc Maddox, who's an infielder and hitting fairly well in NW Arkansas.

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 3, Springfield 2

1B-3B Richardson 2-4, RBI (54), K, RS -- .288
RF McFall 1-2, BB, 2B (13), RBI (43) -- .245
SS Lisson 0-3, RBI (40), K -- .208
CF Duarte 1-3, BB, SB (26) -- .260
DH Maddox 0-4, 3 K -- .294
PH-1B Kaaihue 0-1 -- .307
3B Lucas 0-2, BB, 2 K -- .315

Pimentel 5 IP, 2 ER, 10 H, 2 BB, 2 K -- 5.56 ERA, not a good night for the WHIP
Plummer 3 IP, H, BB, 3 K -- W, 4-1, 4.36 ERA
de la Vara 1/3 IP, BB, K -- 3.60 ERA
Atencio 2/3 IP, K -- SV, 3, 3.62 ERA

*** A 2-out RBI single by Juan Richardson and some great work from the bullpen made the difference as the Naturals took another key game from the Cardinals. Four hits off Julio Pimentel to start the 3rd scored 2 runs to give Springfield the lead. Mario Lisson hit an RBI forceout in the 4th and Brian McFall doubled home a run, although Lisson was thrown out at the plate on the play to end the inning. Jarod Plummer worked 3 stellar innings of relief and, in the bottom of the 8th, Adam Donachie and Irving Falu drew walks and Richardson came through with the RBI single to give the Nats a 3-2 lead. Greg Atencio stranded 1 in the 9th for his 3rd save. Cards RP Fernando Salas took the loss with an ER allowed in an inning of work to fall to 4-3. Starter Justin Fiske allowed 2 ER over 4 2/3 IP. SS Tyler Greene continued to hit well in the series as he was 3-5 with 2 K and a run scored. He was also caught stealing twice. Two others had 2 hits for the Cards.

NWA is 22-14 and now 3 games up on the Cardinals after winning today's game 3. Chris Nicoll got the win.

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

1B Seratelli 2-3, BB, 3B (6), 2 RBI (44), RS -- .215
CF D. Robinson 1-4, 2 RBI (23), K, SB (49) -- .245
2B Mertins 1-4, RBI (36), RS, SB (23) -- .299
SS Bianchi 0-4, 2 K -- .239
DH Correll 1-3, BB -- .377
RF Strait 1-4, K, RS, SB (5) -- .342
3B J. Johnson 1-3, BB, 2 K, 2 RS -- .281

Kniginyzky 6 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 WP -- 3.69 ERA
Haltiwanger 1 2/3 IP, 2 H, BB -- BS, 2, W, 4-1, 3.43 ERA
Chambliss IP, nothing -- SV, 18, 3.30 ERA

*** Matt Kniginyzky pitched well but Russ Haltiwanger blew his 2nd save before the offense picked up the Rocks for the 5-2 win. Derrick Robinson hit a 2-out, 2-run single in the 2nd and Kniginyzky took a no-hitter into the 5th before losing it on a leadoff double. The score stayed 2-0 into the 7th when Haltiwanger was brought in with 2 on and 1 out. A 2-out walk loaded the bases and a 2-run single tied the game and knocked Kniginyzky into a no-decision. With 2 out in the Rocks 8th, Wilmington rallied as Cody Strait singled and stole second, Kurt Mertins singled him home, stole second and scored on an Anthony Seratelli triple along with Josh Johnson, who had walked, to make it 5-2. Tyler Chambliss pitched a perfect 9th for his 18th save one night after walking 3 straight in a fruitless appearance. RP Matt Meyer took the loss with 2 IP of 3 ER allowed to fall to 3-1. Starter Jeanmar Gomez allowed 2 ER over 6 IP. Four Tribe batters had a hit each and C Armando Camacaro had the big 2-RBI hit to tie the game.

Wilmington is 17-18 after losing today's finale to the K-Tribe. Everett Teaford took the loss. OF Adrian Ortiz has been promoted to Wilmington from Burlington and debuted today.

A - Burlington: Bees 9, South Bend 2

3B Moustakas 2-3, 2 BB, 3 RS -- .256
C Eigsti 2-4, 2B (13), 2 RBI (28), PB (9) -- .221
LF Francis 1-4, SF, 2 RBI -- .250, contributes in Bees debut
CF Lough 2-5, HR (10), RBI (42), CS (8) -- .266
2B Giavotella 2-5, 2B (10), RS, SB (8) -- .301
1B Taylor 2-4, HBP, RS -- .216
DH C. Robinson 1-5, RBI (42), RS -- .251
RF Van Stratten 1-5, 2B (8), RBI (10), RS -- .365, hit streak at 18 games

Duffy 5 1/3 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 4 K, pickoff -- W, 6-4, 2.73 ERA, very nice
Abreu 3 2/3 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 4 BB, 3 K, WP, pickoff -- SV, 6, 4.02 ERA

*** Danny Duffy and Juan Abreu combined to hold the Silver Hawks to 5 hits and the offense turned a pitchers' duel into a laugher starting in the 6th. Duffy was perfect through 3 and allowed his first hit in the 5th. Unfortunately, South Bend starter Dallas Buck was also shutting the Bees out on 3 hits through 5. David Lough started the 6th with a leadoff homer for his 10th of the season and Nick Francis hit a 2-out RBI single in his first game for the Bees to make it 2-0 Burlington. Duffy was pulled after giving up a 1-out double in the 6th. A Lough double play ball plated a run in the 7th but Abreu gave up 2 runs on 2 hits, a walk and passed ball in the 7th to cut the lead to 3-2. The Bees changed the nature of the game with 4 runs in the 8th on a Clint Robinson RBI single, Nick Van Stratten RBI double and 2-out, 2-run double by Ryan Eigsti. The Bees loaded the bases with no outs in the 9th and Francis hit a sac fly before Mike Moustakas scored on a wild pitch to polish off the win. Buck took the loss with 2 ER allowed over 6 IP to fall to 1-3. LF Collin Cowgill was 2-4 with a double in the losing effort.

The Bees are 20-15 and a 1/2 game out of first after losing in extras to South Bend today. Tim Huber took the loss after Alex Caldera got the start.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: suspended

*** The game with Orem was set to be completed today as part of a makeshift doubleheader. Orem won that one and then won another shortened game to sweep the 2-game set. Gary Novakowski took the loss in the first game and James Thompson took the loss in the second game.

Rookie - Burlington: Bluefield 4, B-Royals 2

C Vittek 2-4, RBI (16), K, PB (5) -- .297
2B A. Franco 1-4, RBI (13) -- .226
CF H. Richardson 0-3, BB -- .241
LF D. Wood 1-4, 2B (7), RS -- .260
3B F. Cruz 1-4 -- .246
DH Morales 0-3 -- .211

Baez 5 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 6 K, HRA -- 4.42 ERA
G. De La Cruz 3 1/3 IP, 2 ER, H, 2 BB, 3 K -- L, 1-3, 7.14 ERA
Roq. Colon 2/3 IP, WP -- 6.46 ERA

*** The Royals got the game tied in the 8th but couldn't hold the O's in the 9th. Josh Vittek's RBI single in the 1st gave the Royals a 1-0 lead but Manauris Baez gave up a 2-run homer in the 3rd to make it 2-1 Bluefield. The scoring was silenced into the 8th when Angel Franco hit a 2-out RBI single to tie the game. Giancarlo De La Cruz loaded the bases with 1 out in the 9th and gave way to Roque Colon, who allowed an RBI groundout and run-scoring wild pitch to make it 4-2. Jose Barajas got his 4th save for the O's in the 9th. P Brian Sisk got the win with an ER allowed in an inning of work to move to 3-1 and also blow his 4th save. Starter Eddie Gamboa allowed an earned run over 7 IP. SS Rodolfo Cardona was 2-3 with his 1st homer and 2 RBI.

The Royals are 13-25. The series is continuing tonight as Sam Runion got the start. RP O.D. Gonzalez, the converted OF, has been shut down for the season after racking up a 12.46 ERA in 6 appearances, reportedly because of an elbow injury.

Rookie - AZL: off day

*** The Royals start the second half tonight versus the first-half champion Angels (20-7).