Royals on the Farm 7/9

AAA - Omaha: Nashville 6, O-Royals 4

3B Matranga 2-2, 2 BB, HR (6), 2 RBI (26), 2 RS -- .273
CF Maier 2-4, BB, 2B (21) -- .313
C B. Pena 2-5, RBI (12), 2 K -- .329
1B Shealy 1-4, BB, HR (13), RBI (34), K, RS, E (2) -- .281
RF Costa 0-3, K -- .295, left in 6th with sore wrists
PH-LF Lubanski 0-2, K -- .241
SS Sanchez 0-4 -- .186
* The Royals stranded 11.

Duckworth 6 IP, 4 R (2 ER), 5 H, 5 K, HRA -- L, 3-9, 4.34 ERA
Nunez IP, ER, 2 H, BB -- 4.50 ERA, rehab outing #2
Salmon 2 IP, ER, 2 H, HRA -- 4.81 ERA

*** Two late runs helped ensure the Sounds' win over Omaha as Nashville clinched a series victory. Brandon Duckworth gave up a 2-run homer in the 2nd and Ryan Shealy committed a 2-run error in the 3rd to spot the Sounds a 4-0 lead. Brayan Pena hit a 2-out RBI single in the 3rd but Omaha stranded 2. Dave Matranga supplied more 2-out magic in the 4th with a 2-run homer for his 6th of the season to cut it to 4-3. Omaha stranded 2 in both the 5th and 6th and Leo Nunez gave up a run in the 7th to extend Nashville's lead back to 2. Shealy blasted his 13th homer in the bottom of the 7th to cut the lead back to 1 and, after Omaha stranded 2 in the 8th, Brad Salmon gave up a leadoff homer in the 9th. The O-Royals went down 1-2-3 in the 9th as Luis Pena marked his 14th save. Starter Chris Narveson got the win to move to 3-11 with 5 IP of 3 ER. 2B Callix Crabbe and 3B Adam Heether had 2-hit games for the Sounds. Heether and LF Brendan Katin had homers for Nashville.

Omaha is 43-49. The series ends tonight as Dusty Hughes (1-0, 4.32) pitches versus Nashville's Richie Gardner (6-2, 4.13). Jason Smith has been chosen to participate in the AAA All-Star Home Run Derby. He leads Omaha with 18 HRs.

AA - NW Arkansas: off day

*** The Naturals take on the Springfield Cardinals (9-8) in the first of a 4-game road set tonight. Rowdy Hardy (3-8, 5.46) is slated to take the hill versus Springfield's Jess Todd (2-3, 1.69).

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

LF Strait 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI (5), 2 K -- .333
2B Mertins 1-4, RBI (32) -- .304, 17-game hit streak
1B Correll 2-3, BB, 2B, K, 2 RS, CS -- .222
CF D. Robinson 0-2, 2 BB, K, RS -- .237
SS McConnell 0-3, HBP, RS -- .280
RF Dickerson 1-4, K -- .302
DH Bianchi 0-3, HBP, K -- .237
3B J. Johnson 1-3, SB (9) -- .269

Kniginyzky 6 IP, ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 5 K -- 3.74 ERA
Swaggerty 1 1/3 IP, 2 H, 3 K, WP -- 2.45 ERA
Holland IP, 2 BB, 2 K -- W, 4-4, 3.44 ERA
Chambliss 2/3 IP, nothing -- SV, 14, 3.26 ERA

*** Matt Kniginyzky pitched well but ended up with no decision and the 2 "new guys" -- Brad Correll and Cody Strait -- played well to pace the Rocks to the win over Potomac in the series opener. Two walks and a hit off Kniginyzky in the 1st gave Potomac a 1-0 lead but Kniginyzky was a brick wall thereafter to the Nats' bats. Unfortunately, Nats hot prospect starter Ross Detwiler was equally as stingy to the Rocks as he had them shut out on 3 hits before he left to start the 7th. The Blue Rocks jumped on RP Ryan Wagner that inning with a run on a Kurt Mertins 2-out RBI single. Greg Holland stranded 2 in the 8th and Wilmington loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the frame. Joe Dickerson hit into a double play but Strait came through with a 3-run double after Correll walked to make it 4-1 Rocks. Tyler Chambliss faced 1 batter and got a game-ending double play for his 14th save. RP Martin Beno took the loss to drop to 0-1 with 3 ER allowed in an inning of work. Detwiler allowed 3 hits, a walk and had 5 Ks in 6 IP of work. Five Nationals had a hit each.

The Rocks are 8-11 and 3.5 games out. The series continues tonight as lefty Everett Teaford (4-2, 3.24) pitches against Potomac right-hander Jeff Mandel (3-1, 2.97). The Rocks have extended their affiliation agreement with the Royals for another 2 years, which means KC will be in the Carolina League through 2010.

A - Burlington: Bees 5, Great Lakes 3

Moustakas DNP
2B Giavotella 3-5, 2 2B (7), RS -- .340, his hitting reputation has filled the bill, 3 straight games with 3 hits
RF Walton 2-4, K, RS -- .223
1B C. Robinson 1-5, 2 RBI (32), K, E (4) -- .248
LF Lough 1-3, BB, HR (6), RBI (36), K, RS -- .263
SS J. Rivera 1-3, SF, RBI (13), K, RS, E (5) -- .224
CF Ortiz 0-3, BB, S, 2 K, CS (14) -- .318
3B Taylor 0-4, 2 K -- .210
DH Martin 1-3, BB, 2B (9), K, RS -- .302

Duffy 5 IP, ER, 4 H, 7 K, WP, pickoff -- 3.17 ERA, very nice start, and I like how they don't seem to be pushing him
Abreu 4 IP, 2 ER, H, 3 BB, 3 K, HRA -- W, 2-4, 4.68 ERA

*** Danny Duffy pitched well but the Bees didn't get going until the 6th and, when the dust settled, they had a 5-3 win over the Loons. The Bees left the bases full in the 3rd and it was Great Lakes that struck first with a run on 2 hits in the 4th. Johnny Giavotella led off the 6th with a double and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. Burlington moved ahead with 2 runs in the 7th on a 2-run single by Clint Robinson to make it 3-1 and, after David Lough led off the Bees 8th with his 6th homer, Juan Rivera hit a sac fly to make it 5-1 Bees. RP Juan Abreu gave up a 2-run homer in the 8th but retired the last 4 Loons for his 2nd win. RP Rob Zimmermann took the loss with 4 runs (2 ER) over 2 IP to fall to 0-1. Starter Bryan Morris pitched 6 innings of 1 ER. LF Andy Lambo was 2-3 with a triple and the 2-run homer for his 10th of the season.

The Bees are 11-9 and 2 games back. The series continues tonight. It's Alex Caldera (6-6, 3.31) vs. Loons SP Justin Miller (3-6, 3.50).

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Helena 4, Chukars 3

1B Van De Keere 1-4, 2 RBI (3) -- .184
CF Norris 0-3, 2 BB, 2 K, RS, OF assist at home -- .236
SS Alfaro 0-4, HBP, 3 K, E (6) -- .302
RF Francis 0-4, 2 K -- .321
C McCauley 1-4, 2B (4), K -- .209
LF Testa 0-2, 2 BB, RS -- .263

Cota 4 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K -- 4.43 ERA
Saito 2 IP, 2 UER, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K, WP -- L, 0-1, 1.23 ERA
J. Garcia 2 IP, 2 H, BB, K, WP -- 2.84 ERA

*** The Chukars made the most of 4 hits but couldn't get past Helena as the series evened at 1 game each. Devery Van De Keere hit a 2-run single in the 2nd and the Chukars had a 2-0 lead. Starter Luis Cota continued his comeback from arm surgery but allowed 2 runs in the 2nd on 3 hits and a walk, including 2 doubles. A third run was avoided when Patrick Norris cut down a runner at the plate. The game stayed 2-2 into the 5th when Derrick Saito came in and a J.D. Alfaro error culminated with Saito walking in a run and hitting a batter with the bases full to make it 4-2 Brewers. IF stranded 2 in the 6th but Norris scored on a throwing error in the 7th to trim the lead to 1. IF stranded 1 in the 9th as Wily Peralta got his 1st save for Helena. RP Lucas Luetge got the win with an unearned run over 2 IP of relief to move to 2-0. Starter Santo Manzanillo allowed 2 ER over 4 2/3 IP. Three Brewers had 2-hit games, including a 2 RBI game from SS Mike Marseco.

IF is 7-15. Game 3 of the set is tonight as Ivor Hodgson (0-3, 4.76) goes for his 1st win vs. Helena's Nick Tyson (0-0, 2.25).

Rookie - Burlington: Greeneville 9, B-Royals 0 (3-hitter)

DH D. Wood 2-4, 2B (2), K -- .273
CF H. Richardson 1-4, K, SB (3), E (2) -- .276
3B F. Cruz 0-4 -- .183
C Moctezuma 0-3, BB, 2 K, PB (5) -- .225

Jorge 4 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, BB -- L, 0-2, 5.82 ERA
O.D. Gonzalez 2 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K, WP -- 11.25 ERA, conversion still not going well
Farinas 1 1/3 IP, 3 R (1 ER), 2 H, 2 K, HRA -- 6.75 ERA

*** Hits in the 1st, 4th and 8th were all the Royals got as the Astros coasted to the 9-0 win. Starter Victor Jorge allowed 2 runs in the 1st and another in the 2nd and Astros starter Henry Villar retired 15 of the last 17 Royals he faced. The game stayed 3-0 into the 7th when the Royals left the bases loaded and O.D. Gonzalez and Williams Farinas combined to give up 4 runs to make it 7-0. Farinas allowed 2 more runs in the 8th and RP Nate Pettus retired the last 4 Royals for his 2nd save, as he came in with the game still 3-0. Villar moved to 1-1 with the win. RF Frank Almonte was 3-4 with a triple, 2 RBI and 2 RS and C Federico Hernandez had 2 hits for the 'Stros. 1B Kyle Miller had his 1st homer and 4 RBI.

The B-Royals are 4-17. The series ends tonight. No announced starters on the team site.

Rookie - AZL: Mariners 6, Royals 4 (10)

2B D. Batista 2-5, 2 2B (5), 2 RS, SB (5) -- .357
C J. Bonilla 2-4, BB, SB (3), 2 E (3), 2 PB (6) -- .370, struggled defensively, also 3/3 SB against
3B Kuebler 1-4, HR, RBI (3), RS -- .195, first pro homer
RF Del Rosario 1-4, BB, RS, picked off -- .354
CF-LF Llanos 1-4, K -- .180

Montgomery 4 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, K, pickoff -- 0.00 ERA, still unscored upon thru 9 1/3 IP
L. Perez 3 1/3 IP, 4 UER, 5 H, 2 K -- 1.00 ERA
Ruhlman 2 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 5 K, WP -- BS, 2, L, 1-1, 5.14 ERA
B. Richardson 1/3 IP, nothing -- 1.17 ERA

*** The Royals pen blew a 2-run lead in the 8th and lost to the M's in 10. The game was scoreless in the 4th when the Royals plated 2 runs on a 2-run Mariners error on a ball hit by Jose Bonilla. Mike Montgomery didn't cruise but held the Mariners in check through 4, as he picked off one runner and caught another one stealing home. Leondy Perez came in for the 5th and two passed balls on Bonilla scored 2 runs to tie the game. Deivy Batista and Bonilla pulled off the successful double steal of home and second in the 6th and Jake Kuebler cranked his 1st pro homer to lead off the 7th and make it 4-2 Royals. Two Royals errors put 2 on with 1 out in the 8th when Josh Ruhlman came in and the tying runs came in on a wild pitch and Bonilla throwing error on the same play. Ruhlman gave up 2 more runs on 3 hits in the 10th and the Royals left the bases loaded in the 10th as RP Colin Buckborough got 1 out for his 1st save. RP Kenta Suda went 5 2/3 IP of 2 ER to pick up the win and move to 1-0. Rehabbing Ryan Feierabend started and went 4 IP of 2 UER for the M's. Five Mariners had 2-hit days.

The Royals dropped to 8-7. They were shut out by the Angels today as Mitch Hodge was lit up for the loss.