Royals on the Farm 7/27

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 5, Tucson 4

2B Smith 3-5, 2B (20), 2 RBI (61) -- .252
C B. Pena 2-5, 2B (10), RBI (15), RS -- .297
CF Hollins 1-4, 2B (10), RBI (36), K -- .219
LF Lubanski 1-3, BB, HR (11), RBI (39), 2 RS -- .241
1B Shealy 1-3, 2 BB, K -- .296
RF Stodolka 0-3, 2 BB, RS -- .277
SS Sanchez 0-3, BB -- .198
* Omaha stranded 10.

Newman 2 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, K -- 2.45 ERA, first career start
Lowery 2 2/3 IP, 2 H, BB, K -- 2.38 ERA
Yabuta 3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K -- W, 2-3, 6.20 ERA
Fulchino IP, K -- SV, 4, 4.56 ERA

*** The last 3 innings were interesting in Omaha's win over the Sidewinders Sunday. Jason Smith hit an RBI groundout in the 1st and Josh Newman, making his first career start, allowed a triple and sac fly in the Tucson 1st to tie it. Devon Lowery came in with 2 on and 1 out in the 3rd and allowed a 2-out RBI single to give the Sidewinders a 2-1 lead. Damon Hollins hit an RBI double in the 6th to tie it and Chris Lubanski led off the 7th with his 11th homer to make it 3-2 Royals. The lead lasted 3 batters as Yasuhiko Yabuta allowed a single and RBI double and then another RBI single later in the inning made it 4-3 Tucson. With 1 out and Lubanski on second in the 9th after reaching on an error, Brayan Pena came through with a game-tying double and Smith followed with an RBI double of his own to give Omaha the 5-4 lead. Jeff Fulchino pitched a perfect 9th for his 4th save. Tucson RP Reid Mahon took the loss and his 1st blown save with 2 IP of 2 runs (1 ER) to fall to 0-1. Starter Max Scherzer pitched only 2 innings and allowed an earned run. DH Jeff Salazar and CF Tim Raines Jr. had 2 hits for the Sidewinders. Salazar had a double, triple, RBI and 2 RS and Raines had his 18th SB.

Omaha is 49-59. The series goes to game 3 tonight as RH Brandon Duckworth (3-11, 5.04) pitches vs. Tucson LH Evan MacLane (5-6, 4.86).

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 11, Springfield 7

1B Kaaihue 3-5, HR (26), 5 RBI (78), 2 RS -- .312, raking
LF Aldridge 3-4, HR (2), 4 RBI (12), K, RS -- .259
CF Duarte 3-5, K, RS -- .264
SS Falu 2-3, BB, S, HR (3), RBI (27), 4 RS -- .260
2B Maddox 1-4, HBP, RBI (25), 2 RS -- .293
DH Richardson 1-5, 3 K -- .286
3B Lucas 1-4, 2B (9) -- .313

B. Johnson 4 IP, 6 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 HRA -- 4.80 ERA, tough day
Nicoll 3 1/3 IP, ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 K -- W, 2-1, 2.57 ERA
Hamulack 1 2/3 IP, H, K -- SV, 5, 3.09 ERA

*** Blake Johnson got lit up for 6 runs in an inning but the rest of the game belonged to the Naturals in an 11-7 win. The Naturals loaded the bases with no outs in the 1st and ended up with 3 runs on a Kila Kaaihue 2-run single and Cory Aldridge RBI single. Johnson gave up a double, single, hit batsman and grand slam to start the 2nd and a solo homer and sac fly made it 6-3 Cardinals. The Naturals stormed back into it in the 4th with 4 runs on a Marc Maddox RBI forceout and a Kaaihue 3-run roundtripper (on a 3-0 pitch) for his 26th of the season. Aldridge slammed a 3-run homer in the 6th for his 2nd as a Natural and NWA led, 10-6. Tim Hamulack came in with the bases loaded and 1 out in the Springfield 8th and allowed a sac fly before escaping the inning. Irving Falu answered in the bottom of the inning by going solo for his 3rd homer of the season to make it 11-7. Hamulack stranded 1 in the 9th for his 5th save. Starter Tyler Herron took the loss for the Cards with 7 ER over 4 IP to fall to 5-5. 3B Isa Garcia was 3-5 with the grand slam (4), 4 RBI and 2 RS. Four other Cards had 2-hit games.

The Naturals are 22-14 and 3 games up on first. They go for the big sweep tonight as Dan Cortes (5-4, 4.40) tries to keep the 3-game win streak going versus Springfield's Jess Todd (3-4, 2.45).

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Kinston 4, Blue Rocks 3

RF Strait 2-3, SF, 3B, 3 RBI (15), K -- .355
SS Bianchi 2-5, 2B (24), 2 K, RS, SB (8) -- .242
DH Correll 0-2, 2 BB, RS -- .367
2B Mertins 1-4, 2B (23), K -- .299
3B J. Johnson 1-3, BB, SB (12) -- .282
C Balduf 0-3, BB, K -- .000, Wilmington debut
CF Ortiz 1-4, CS -- .250, batted 9th in Rocks debut

Teaford 6 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 4 BB, 4 K, 2 HRA -- L, 6-4, 3.42 ERA
Barrera 0 IP (2 batters), ER, H, BB, 2 balks -- 2.98 ERA, delivery causing problems again
Chavez 3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, K -- 4.50 ERA

*** A balk by Henry Barrera was the difference in Kinston's win over the Rocks. It didn't help that Everett Teaford gave up a single and 2-run homer to start the game and spot the Tribe a 2-0 lead. Cody Strait hit a 2-out RBI triple in the 2nd to cut the lead in half and a Strait sac fly in the 3rd tied the game. The tie lasted one whole batter in the Kinston 4th as Teaford served up a leadoff homer. The Rocks left 2 in scoring position in the 6th. Barrera came in for the 7th and his outing went walk, balk, single, run-scoring balk. Barrera has faced issues this year with umpires calling him for taking his back foot off the rubber before releasing his pitch to the plate. Chris Chavez came in and stranded the bases full. Strait came through again in the 7th with a 2-out RBI single but Vinnie Pestano set the Rocks down without issue in the 9th for his 5th save. Starter Hector Rondon got the win with 2 ER allowed over 5 IP to improve to 9-5. 2B Niuman Romero and LF Nick Weglarz had 2-hit games for Kinston and 1B prospect Beau Mills hit his 16th homer with 2 RBI.

Wilmington is 17-18 and 2 games back of first place Potomac. The Nationals (19-16) play host to a 3-game set with the Rocks starting tonight. The Rocks are 5-8 versus the Nats. Right-hander Ed Cegarra (3-5, 4.96) will start for the Rocks. To make room for Balduf, C Jeff Howell was put on the DL. RP Tony Bradley was also put on the DL to make room for Adrian Ortiz. There are 6 active OF on the Wilmington roster, so some moves may be brewing.

A - Burlington: South Bend 3, Bees 2 (12)

3B Moustakas 1-5, HR (14), RBI (47), K, RS -- .255
RF Francis 2-4, S, 2B -- .375
LF Walton 2-5, picked off -- .237
1B Taylor 1-4, SF, 2B (8), RBI (41), K -- .216
2B Giavotella 1-4, BB, 2 K, picked off -- .299
DH C. Robinson 1-3, HBP -- .252
PH-SS Martin 0-2 -- .320
* Nick Van Stratten pinch-hit and was 0-1 so his hitting streak stopped at 18 games.

Caldera 5 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 5 K -- 3.10 ERA
Baldwin 1 1/3 IP, 3 H, BB -- BS, 2, 7.77 ERA
M. Peterson 3 IP, 2 H, K -- 5.40 ERA
Huber 1 1/3 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, WP -- L, 0-1, 10.50 ERA

*** The game was tied from the 6th until the bottom of the 12th when a wild pitch ended the Bees' 3-game win streak with a whimper. A wild pitch helped the Bees in the 1st as Jason Taylor hit a sac fly to make it 1-0 Burlington. South Bend got a sac fly in the 5th to tie it but Mike Moustakas hit a solo homer to right in the 6th for his 14th of the season, shortly after Johnny Giavotella got picked off, to make it 2-1 Bees. Burke Baldwin came in with 1 on and 2 outs and allowed 2 singles and the game-tying RBI. Nick Francis doubled to lead off the 7th and was thrown out at home on a Juan Rivera single to keep the game tied at 2. The tie remained in the 12th when Tim Huber gave up a single, walk, sac bunt and walkoff wild pitch to end it. RP William Spottiswood got the win with 2 scoreless innings of work to improve to 4-3. Starter Christian Beltre worked 6 2/3 IP and allowed 2 ER. Four Silver Hawks had 2 hits.

Burlington is 20-15 and a half-game out of first. The series ends tonight as Matt Mitchell (6-8, 3.93) takes on South Bend's Joshua Collmenter (11-5, 2.99).

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Orem 7, Chukars 4 (completion of Sat. game)

RF Testa 2-4, HR (2), 2 RBI (10), K, RS, SB (2) -- .200
C McCauley 1-4, 2B (8), RBI (14), E (5), picked off a runner -- .270
2B A. Perez 1-3, BB, RBI (22), K, E (2) -- .259
CF Norris 0-5, K -- .244
SS Alfaro 0-5, 4 K, E (11) -- .259
LF Griffin 0-3, BB, RS -- .281
3B Jimenez 1-3, BB, 2B (4), RS -- .315
1B Espinosa 1-4, RS -- .155

Sisk 4 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 3 H, BB, 4 K, 2 WP -- 2.45 ERA
Novakowski 2 IP, 3 R (1 ER), 3 H, HRA -- L, 0-3, 4.64 ERA
Saito IP, ER, 2 H, 2 BB -- 7.30 ERA
Gilgenbach IP, H, 2 BB -- 13.86 ERA

*** IF held a 4-1 lead at one point and still led, 4-3, when play was suspended by rain Saturday but the lead vanished when the game was completed Sunday. Starter Brandon Sisk allowed a run on a hit, walk and throwing error by Sean McCauley and Orem took a 1-0 lead. Idaho Falls came through with 4 in the 4th as McCauley hit an RBI double, Alwin Perez hit an RBI groundout, and a 2-run inside-the-park homer by Carlo Testa for his 2nd homer with Idaho Falls. Sisk allowed 2 runs in the bottom of the 4th on 2 hits, a wild pitch and Alwin Perez error before play was suspended after the 4th. Gary Novakowski picked up the ball on the mound for IF when play resumed and, in the 6th, allowed a leadoff homer, 2 doubles, and a J.D. Alfaro error as a total of 3 runs crossed the plate to make it 6-4 Orem. Derrick Saito allowed another run in the 7th on 2 hits, 2 walks and a sac fly and the Chukars left the bases loaded in the 9th as Jayson Miller polished off his 4th win for the Owlz. Miller pitched 5 scoreless innings to move to 4-1. 1B Gabriel Jacobo was 3-3 with a walk, double, RBI and run scored and two other Owlz had 2-hit games.

Orem 4, Chukars 3 (7/reg. Sun. game)

SS Alfaro 1-3, RBI (29) -- .261
1B Espinosa 1-3, 2B (2), RBI (7) -- .160
C Graterol 0-3, RBI (6), RS -- .286
CF Norris 0-2, BB, K, RS, SB (15) -- .241
3B Jimenez 0-3, K -- .308
LF Griffin 1-3, K, RS -- .282

Hodgson 4 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 5 H, BB, 8 K -- 4.50 ERA
Beach 1 1/3 IP, K -- 5.29 ERA, left with minor injury
Thompson 1 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, BB, 3 K -- BS, 1, L, 1-2, 3.31 ERA

*** Orem swept the 2-game series with a walkoff double in the 7th. The Chukars jumped out front with 2 runs in the 2nd on a Juan Graterol RBI forceout and Tito Espinosa RBI double but Ivor Hodgson allowed a run in the bottom of the 2nd on a 2-out walk and RBI double. Two more hits and a Chukar error in the 3rd allowed the tying run to score but J.D. Alfaro singled in the go-ahead run in the 5th to make it 3-2 Chukars. James Thompson allowed a double and walked a batter with 2 outs in the 7th before Owlz SS Darwin Perez hit a 2-run double to end it. RP Francis Cabrera pitched a perfect 7th for the win to move to 2-0. Starter Reyes Dorado worked 3 2/3 innings and allowed 2 earned runs. Three Owlz had 2 hits, including Perez, who had 2 doubles, 2 RBI and a run scored.

IF finished the first half at 14-24. A 3-game set versus the Casper Ghosts (23-15, Rookie Rockies) starts tonight. I thought the first half started July 30 but I guess it starts tonight. Starters are Casper's Marco Duarte (2-2, 5.29) and IF's Ryan Morgan (0-1, 5.03).

Rookie - Burlington: Bluefield 15, B-Royals 4

2B A. Franco 2-4, BB, RS -- .234
DH F. Cruz 1-4, 2B (5), RBI (10) -- .246
CF H. Richardson 0-5, K -- .233
C Vittek 0-2, BB, K, E (2) -- .288
3B Morales 0-3, HBP, K, RS -- .203
* 1B David Wood made 3 errors in the game to move to 4 on the season.

Runion 4 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 6 H, 2 K, HRA, 2 WP -- L, 2-2, 2.19 ERA
J. Rodriguez 2 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 3 H, BB, 3 K, 2 WP -- 4.26 ERA
Jorge 2 IP, 4 ER, 3 H, BB, HRA, WP -- 7.03 ERA
Mieles IP, 3 R (1 ER), 4 H, BB, K -- 5.54 ERA

*** The Orioles buried the Royals to secure a series win. Bluefield battered Sam Runion for 4 runs in the 1st, including a 3-run homer and 3 other hits, a wild pitch, a hit batter and a David Wood error. Bluefield plated another run in the 3rd on a sac fly to make it 5-0 and Burlington didn't get started scoring until scoring 3 in the 5th on a 2-run Orioles error and another error that scored a run to cut it to 5-3. Two doubles, a walk, two wild pitches and a Josh Vittek error in the 6th helped make it 8-3 and Victor Jorge served up a 3-run homer in the 7th as Bluefield extended it to 12-3. Fernando Cruz doubled home a run in the 8th but Bluefield scored 3 in the 9th to further sock the win away. RP Oliver Drake pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings to get the win and move to 1-0. Starter Colin Allen allowed 3 unearned runs over 4 2/3 innings of work. Three O's had 3-hit games and 3 others had 2-hit games. 3B Levi Carolus was 3-5 with 2 doubles, a HR, 6 RBI and 3 RS along with his 10th error.

The B-Royals are 14-26 after taking today's series finale in a shutout win. Mike Lehmann got the win over the O's.

Rookie - AZL: Royals 1, Angels 0

2B Jose 2-3, K, SB (4), CS (3) -- .288
C Matos 2-4, K, CS (2), PB -- .273
SS Espinal 2-4, RS, 2 SB (7) -- .207
CF Llanos 1-4, K -- .168
RF Del Rosario 1-3, BB, 2 K -- .327
DH D. Batista 0-3, BB, 2 K, CS (3) -- .319
3B Kuebler 1-3 -- .240

Fisher 4 IP, 3 H, 4 K -- 1.93 ERA, looking like the Brent Fisher of old
D. De La Cruz 4 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K -- W, 4-0, 2.37 ERA
Billo IP, 2 K -- SV, 1, 10.80 ERA

*** Three pitchers combined on a 5-hit shutout as the Royals started the second half in style by taking down the first-half champ Angels. It was a pitchers' duel as Brent Fisher and Angels starter Manuel Flores both blanked the opposition. Lifete Jose was caught stealing home to end the Royals 2nd and Mauricio Matos was thrown out on a fielder's choice at the plate in the 4th. Flores was pulled after 6 scoreless and Deybi De La Cruz followed Fisher's 4 scoreless innings with 4 of his own. The Royals broke the stalemate in the 8th as Yowill Espinal led off with a single against RP Michael Kenney, stole second, and advanced to third and scored on 2 wild pitches to make it 1-0. Greg Billo left a runner at third for his 1st pro save. Kenney took the loss to fall to 1-1. Five Angels had a hit each.

The Royals are 1-0 to start the second half. They play the 0-1 Giants tonight. The Royals have reportedly released OF Astin Jacobo, even tho the roster on the team site doesn't reflect that.