Royals on the Farm 7/29

AAA - Omaha: Tucson 15, O-Royals 3

RF Stodolka 3-5, 2B (11), K, RS -- .284
3B Dawkins 2-5, HR (7), 2 RBI (23), 2 K, RS -- .296
SS Sanchez 2-4, RBI (10) -- .204
LF Lubanski 2-4, 2B (16), K, RS -- .246
2B Smith 2-5, K -- .251
DH B. Pena 1-4, BB -- .294
1B Shealy 0-5, 3 K -- .290
* Omaha stranded 11.

D. Hughes 2 IP, 6 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, K -- L, 2-1, 4.95 ERA
Colon 5 IP, 9 R (8 ER), 12 H, BB, 3 K, HRA, WP, E -- 4.98 ERA
Buchanan IP, nothing -- 0.00 ERA

*** Tucson drilled Dusty Hughes and Roman Colon and rolled to the win. Hughes allowed 3 runs in the 1st on 2 hits and 2 walks but Angel Sanchez plated Omaha's first run in the 2nd with an RBI single to cut it to 3-1. The Royals couldn't keep up with Tucson's pace, however, as the Sidewinders scored 3 more in the 2nd on 4 hits to make it 6-1. Colon took over in the 3rd and allowed 2 runs that inning on 3 hits, a wild pitch and error. Omaha left the bases loaded in the 4th and Tucson scored 2 runs on 3 hits in the 5th to make it 10-1. A homer in the 6th made it 11-1 and 4 runs in the 7th on 5 hits off Colon finished off the scoring for Tucson. Brian Buchanan pitched a perfect 8th for the Royals and Omaha did score twice in the 9th on a 2-run homer by Gookie Dawkins for his 7th of the season for Omaha. RP Juan Gutierrez got the win with 5 scoreless innings of relief to move to 3-10 with a 6.83 ERA. Juan Cruz made a rehab start and allowed an ER in 2 IP. LF Phil Avlas was 4-5 with an RBI and 3 RS, three other Sidewinders had 3 hits and two more had 2-hit games. 1B Josh Whitesell was 3-4 with a walk, his 20th homer, 4 RBI and 2 RS.

Omaha is 49-61. A 4-game home set with the Salt Lake Bees (65-45, AAA Angels) starts tonight. Probable starters: Bees RH Shane Loux (11-6, 4.05) vs. RH Matt Wright (3-6, 5.80). Salt Lake's roster includes Halos prospects righty Nick Adenhart, righty Nick Green, and IFs Sean Rodriguez and Brandon Wood. Former Royal OF Dermal "Dee" Brown is also on the Bees roster. I guess IF James Nilsen was called up to Omaha to spell IF Dave Matranga, who is having shoulder trouble.

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 9, Tulsa 6

LF Falu 4-4, BB, 3B, HR (4), 2 RBI (29), 3 RS, CS (7) -- .275
DH Aldridge 3-4, HR (3), 3 RBI (15), K, 2 RS -- .281
1B Richardson 2-4, BB, 2B (23), RBI (57), K, RS -- .296
RF McFall 1-4, HR (14), 3 RBI (46), RS -- .241
CF Duarte 0-5, 3 K -- .258
2B Maddox 0-4, BB, K, RS -- .290
3B Lucas 0-3, BB, 2 K, RS -- .306
* SS Mario Lisson stole his 23rd base.

B. Wood 4 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, BB, 9 K -- 6.59 ERA
Atencio 2 2/3 IP, 2 ER, H, 4 BB, 2 K -- W, 3-3, 3.78 ERA
Hamulack 2/3 IP, ER, H, HRA -- 3.65 ERA
C. Hayes 1 2/3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB -- SV, 7, 1.53 ERA

*** NWA poured on the offense and held off the Drillers to win a 5th straight game. Brian McFall clubbed a 3-run homer in the 2nd for his 14th of the season to get the Naturals started and Cory Aldridge hit an RBI single in the 3rd to make it 4-0. Blake Wood struck out the side in the 2nd but allowed 3 runs in the 3rd on 4 hits and a walk. He struck out the side again in the 4th and NWA added 4 runs to the lead in the 5th on a 2-run Irving Falu homer for his 4th of the season plus a 2-run shot by Aldridge for his 3rd for the Naturals to make it 8-3. Greg Atencio allowed a run in the 5th but Juan Richardson singled home a run in the 7th to make it 9-4. Tim Hamulack served up a 2-run homer in the 7th and was pulled with 1 out in the 8th. Chris Hayes loaded the bases but got a double play to escape the jam and stranded 1 in the 9th for his 7th save. Tulsa starter Alan Johnson allowed 8 runs (7 ER) over 5 IP to take the loss and drop to 3-11 with a 5.28 ERA. Four Drillers had 2 hits, including SS Corey Wimberly, who was 2-3 with 2 walks, an RBI, a K, 3 RS and 3 SB (52).

NWA is 24-14 and 5 games up on first while on a 5-game win streak. The series continues tonight as Rowdy Hardy (4-8, 5.24) pitches vs. Tulsa's Brandon Hynick (7-6, 4.93). Hynick was the last pitcher to beat the Naturals.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Potomac 10, Blue Rocks 2

RF Strait 2-4, 2B (7), RS -- .345
2B Mertins 2-4, 2B (24), K -- .303
LF Seratelli 2-4, 2B (12), 2 K -- .217
CF D. Robinson 0-3, BB, SF, RBI (24) -- .241
SS McConnell 1-3, 2 BB -- .281
1B Correll 1-5, 2B (10) -- .345
DH Bianchi 0-4, K -- .242
3B J. Johnson 0-2, BB, HBP, K -- .276
* The Rocks stranded 10.

Mildren 3 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 3 K -- L, 0-5, 7.98 ERA, might be time to cut him loose?
Swaggerty 1 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 3 BB -- 2.70 ERA
Hartsock 2 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 K -- 4.19 ERA
Haltiwanger IP, nothing -- 3.35 ERA

*** Paul Mildren got torched and the Rocks dropped game 2 to the Nationals. Mildren allowed a run on 3 hits in the 2nd and 2 runs on 2 doubles and a walk in the 3rd but a Jeff Bianchi double play ball scored the Rocks' first run in the 4th to cut it to 3-1. Mildren was pulled with the bases loaded and 1 out in the 3rd and Ben Swaggerty gave up a 2-run single to extend Potomac's lead. Wilmington stranded 2 in the 6th and Potomac surged further ahead with 5 runs that inning on 6 hits and a walk off Swaggerty and Aaron Hartsock. The Rocks loaded the bases in the 7th but a Brad Correll double play ball stymied the would-be rally. Derrick Robinson hit a sac fly in the 9th but the Rocks stranded 2. Potomac starter Ross Detwiler got the win with an ER allowed over 6 IP to improve to 6-7 with a 5.20 ERA. DH Dee Brown (as noted in the AAA notes, not THAT Dee Brown) was 4-4 with a double and 2 RBI, 2 others had 3 hits for Potomac and 2 more had 2 hits.

The Rocks are 17-20 and 4 games back. The series finale is tonight as righty Mario Santiago (7-6, 3.73) takes on Nationals right-hander Hassan Pena (0-1, 3.60).

A - Burlington: Dayton 4, Bees 0 (4-hitter)

3B Moustakas 1-4, 2B (17), K -- .258
RF Francis 1-4 -- .313
CF Lough 1-3, BB, CS (9) -- .264
2B Giavotella 0-3, BB, K, 2 E (8) -- .299, both errors were throwing
1B Taylor 0-3, HBP, K -- .221
DH C. Robinson 0-4, K -- .248
C Billick 0-2, S, 2 K -- .320

Liotta 5 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 7 K, E -- 0.00 ERA, looking good
Sisk 2 IP, 3 R (2 ER), H, 2 BB, 4 K -- L, 0-1, 9.00 ERA, Bees debut
Baldwin IP, K -- 7.43 ERA
Raglione IP, ER, 2 H, K, WP -- 6.14 ERA

*** Ray Liotta made his first Burlington start a good one but the overall game wasn't a success for the Bees as Dayton scored 4 late runs for the shutout win. Both teams stranded 2 in the 1st but Liotta and Dragons SP Kyle Lotzkar had the game in a scoreless draw when both were pulled. The game was still scoreless into the 7th when Brandon Sisk gave up a 2-out 2-run triple that ended up scoring the batter, too, on a Johnny Giavotella error. Paul Raglione allowed a run in the 9th and the Bees went down in order as reliever Juan Rafael pitched the last 4 scoreless innings for the Dragons to improve to 2-1 with a 4.37 ERA. Lotzkar's 5 innings of scoreless work lowered his ERA to 3.86. Five Dragons had a hit each as LF Brandon Menchaca was 1-4 with the gamebreaking triple and 2 RBI with 2 K and a run scored.

The Bees are 21-16 and tied with Peoria for first. Game 2 of the set is tonight as Danny Gutierrez (3-1, 2.03) hurls versus Dayton's Jeremy Horst (5-2, 2.67). Liotta is no longer rehabbing and has been stationed at Burlington for the time being.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Casper 5, Chukars 0 (5-hitter)

CF Norris 1-4, 2B (7), K -- .243
SS Alfaro 0-4, 3 K -- .250
LF Griffin 1-4, E (2) -- .280
C McCauley 0-3, BB, 2 K, E (6) -- .267
RF Testa 1-3, 2 K -- .227

Toribio 4 2/3 IP, 5 R (3 ER), 6 H, 3 BB, 4 K, WP -- L, 0-4, 5.81 ERA
Miller 2 1/3 IP, 2 K -- 6.46 ERA
Saito 2 IP, H, BB -- 6.28 ERA

*** The Chukars had almost as many errors (4) as hits (5) as Casper shut them down to even the series. Aneidy Toribio made a throwing error, gave up an RBI triple and threw a run-scoring wild pitch as Casper took a 2-0 lead in the 1st. Two more triples in the 3rd made it 4-0 Ghosts. Casper polished off the scoring with a run in the 5th. The Chukars never really threatened, although they did strand a couple runners twice. Casper starter Ethan Hollingsworth pitched 5 scoreless innings to improve to 4-3 with a 5.29 ERA. SS Carlos Martinez was 2-5 with a triple, 2 RBI and 2 RS along with his 14th SB.

IF is 1-1. The series ends tonight as Bryan Casey (2-2, 2.39) takes the mound for Idaho Falls vs. Casper's Matt Baugh (3-1, 3.79).

Rookie - Burlington: off day

*** A 3-day, 4-game road set with the Bristol (White) Sox (18-17) starts tonight with a doubleheader. No announced starters on the team site. The Royals are 0-2 versus the Sox.

Rookie - AZL: Mariners 12, Royals 1

RF Del Rosario 2-4, 2B (6), RBI (8), 2 K, CS (8) -- .321
CF Llanos 2-4, 2B (5), 2 K -- .183
2B D. Batista 0-4, 2 K -- .297
3B Kuebler 0-3, E (10) -- .231
C Jacobs 1-3, 2B (2), K, 3 PB (4) -- .211

Hodge 4 IP, 4 R (1 ER), 6 H, 2 BB -- L, 0-3, 12.38 ERA
Cuevas 3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, WP -- 6.23 ERA
A. Bonilla IP, ER, H, HRA -- 6.06 ERA
A. Martinez IP, 5 R (1 ER), 3 H, BB, 2 K, HRA, balk -- 9.95 ERA

*** The Mariners routed the Royals, plain and simple. Mitch Hodge gave up 3 runs in the 1st on 3 hits, a walk, a passed ball and an error. The M's added a run in the 3rd on a walk, hit and 2 passed balls on Nestor Jacobs to make it 4-0. The Royals ran into 2 outs on the basepaths in the 4th and Gary Cuevas allowed a run in both the 5th and 6th. Luis Del Rosario doubled home a run in the 6th but that was all the offense the Royals would get. The Mariners got a solo homer in the 8th and then piled on 5 runs in the 9th including a 3-run homer off Angel Martinez to finish the massacre. M's starter Kenta Suda got the win with 5 scoreless innings pitched to improve to 2-1 with a 2.41 ERA. LF Joel Mendez was 3-5 with a double, 3 RBI and his 10th SB. Four other M's had 2 hits.

The Royals are 1-2 and 2 games back. They play the 2-1 Giants tonight.