Royals on the Farm 8/10

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 9, Nashville 8

CF Hollins 2-3, 2 BB, 2B (13), HR (12), 4 RBI (46), K, 3 RS -- .226
SS Dawkins 2-5, K, RS, E (4) -- .288
2B Labandeira 1-3, S, 2 RBI (5), K -- .139
LF Lubanski 1-4, RBI (48), 2 K -- .239
C Tupman 1-4, SF, 2B (9), RBI (27), RS -- .237
RF Buchanan 0-4, BB, RBI (33), 2 K -- .231
1B Kaaihue 1-4, BB, 3 K, RS -- .366, first 3 K game of year
3B B. Pena 1-4, BB, K, RS -- .280
DH Shealy 1-4, BB, 2 K, 2 RS -- .280

Capellan 5 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, HRA -- 4.05 ERA, nary a K
Salmon 1 2/3 IP, 3 R (1 ER), 3 H, BB, K -- W, 8-6, 4.84 ERA
Fulchino 2 IP, K -- SV, 5, 4.40 ERA

*** A 4-run 7th was barely enough for Omaha as the Royals clung to the lead for a 1-run victory. Damon Hollins got Omaha started with a 3-run homer in the 1st for his 12th of the season. Jose Capellan stranded 2 Sounds in the 1st and Omaha added a run in the 2nd on a Chris Lubanski RBI single. The O-Royals left the bases full, however. A triple and double in the 3rd got the Sounds on the board and a walk and 3 hits off Capellan in the 4th scored 3 runs to tie the game at 4. Matt Tupman put Omaha back ahead in the 6th with a sac fly but Capellan gave up a leadoff homer in the bottom of the 6th to tie it and was pulled with 1 on and 1 out. Brad Salmon finished the inning and Omaha surged ahead for a third time with 4 runs in the 7th on bases-loaded walks by Hollins and Brian Buchanan and a 2-run single by Josh Labandeira that made it 9-5 Omaha. Salmon had 2 out and a man on second in the 8th when an RBI single, walk and 2-run single aided by a Gookie Dawkins error at short cut the lead to 9-8. Jeff Fulchino pitched 2 perfect innings of relief to pick up his 5th save. RP Randy Choate took the loss with 1 1/3 IP of 4 ER allowed to fall to 0-2 with a 5.97 ERA. Starter Chris Narveson worked 5 2/3 IP of 5 ER allowed to move his ERA to 5.23. RF Jay Gibbons was 3-5 with 2 doubles, an RBI and RS. Two other Sounds had 2-hit games as CF Tony Gwynn Jr. drove in 2 runs and stole his 16th base.

Omaha is 53-69. The series wraps tonight as LH Jimmy Gobble (0-0, 3.86) makes another rehab appearance vs. Nashville RH Nic Ungs (1-2, 12.86). IF Angel Sanchez is day-to-day with a sprained middle finger on his left hand. It appears that A-ball OF Brett Bigler has been called up to spot duty in Omaha.

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 2, Frisco 0

3B Lucas 3-3, RS, SB (9) -- .308
RF Falu 3-4 -- .288
C Clark 1-3, RBI (11), 2 K -- .174
1B Richardson 1-4, K -- .294
CF Duarte 0-3, BB, K, CS (8) -- .261
2B Maddox 0-4, K -- .288

Hardy 7 IP, 5 H, BB, 5 K -- W, 6-9, 4.71 ERA, really pitched well lately
Hamulack 1 2/3 IP, H, 3 K -- 2.81 ERA
C. Hayes 1/3 IP, H -- SV, 11, 1.58 ERA

*** The Natural pitching staff ran its scoreless streak to 20 innings with a shutout of the RoughRiders for the second straight night. The Naturals caught a runner trying to steal home in the 2nd and both runs in the game scored in the NWA 2nd as Cody Clark hit a 2-run single that was aided by two Frisco errors. Rowdy Hardy retired 16 of the last 19 he faced and Tim Hamulack pitched well out of the pen. Chris Hayes came in with a runner on second and 2 out in the 9th and allowed a single to put runners on the corners but got a groundout to end the game for his 11th save. Rehabbing starter Kevin Millwood took the loss with 2 runs (1 ER) allowed over 4 IP to drop to 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA. Seven RoughRiders had a hit each.

NWA is 31-18 and 5 games up on first. The series ends tonight as Julio Pimentel (5-10, 5.63) takes on once hot Rangers pitching prospect Thomas Diamond (3-3, 6.20), who is on his way back from TJS.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Blue Rocks 4, Frederick 2

3B J. Johnson 1-3, 3B (3), 2 RBI (32), RS -- .272
1B Correll 1-3, BB, 2B (14), RBI (22), K, RS, E (5) -- .310
C Howell 1-3, RBI (35), K -- .250
CF Ortiz 1-3, S -- .277
RF Strait 1-4, K, RS -- .298
LF Dyson 1-3, K -- .253, 13-game hit streak
DH D. Robinson 0-2, 2 BB, RS, picked off -- .248
SS Bianchi 0-2, S, E (2) -- .253
2B Mertins 0-3 -- .292

Kniginyzky 4 1/3 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 3 BB, 6 K, WP -- 3.38 ERA
Chavez 2 2/3 IP, BB, 2 K -- 4.30 ERA
Holland IP, K -- 3.72 ERA
Barrera IP, K -- SV, 3, 2.79 ERA

*** A 3-run 7th and 4 2/3 hitless innings from the Rocks pen earned Wilmington a win in the series finale. Frederick struck first against Matt Kniginyzky with a run in the 1st on a double, wild pitch and walk. A double and Jeff Bianchi error plated another Keys run in the 4th but Brad Correll got the run back with an RBI double in the 4th. With 2 on and 1 out in the Wilmington 7th, Josh Johnson roped a 2-run triple to right to give the Rocks a 3-2 lead and Jeff Howell singled in Johnson to make it 4-2. After 3 2/3 combined solid innings from Chris Chavez and Greg Holland, Henry Barrera pitched a perfect 9th for his 3rd save. Keys starter Brandon Erbe allowed 4 ER over 7 IP to fall to 9-11 with a 4.24 ERA. Three Keys had a hit each.

Wilmington is 23-26 and 4 games back. A 3-game set at the Winston-Salem Warthogs (27-22, A-Adv. ChiSox) starts tonight. The Rocks are 8-9 versus Winston-Salem but took 2 of 3 from the 'Hogs last week. Probable starters: lefty Everett Teaford (7-5, 3.65) vs. Warthogs right-hander Jacob Rasner (4-6, 3.69). Recent Warthog and now Blue Rock OF Paulo Orlando is slated to be in uniform tonight.

A - Burlington: Bees 1, Cedar Rapids 0 (4-hitter/10)

RF Francis 2-4 -- .233
CF Van Stratten 2-4, RS -- .333
DH Moustakas 0-3, HBP, K -- .266
2B Giavotella 0-4, SF, GW RBI (18) -- .306
1B Martin 0-4, K -- .315

Mitchell 7 IP, 3 H, 5 K -- 3.40 ERA, tough no-decision
Augustine 3 IP, H, 2 K -- W, 3-1, 3.19 ERA

*** In a classic pitcher's duel, the game was a dual-sided shutout going into extras before Johnny Giavotella came through with a game-winning sac fly. Matt Mitchell retired 14 straight Kernels at one point, but Kernels starter Robert Fish retired 12 of the first 14 Bees. The Bees stranded 2 in the 5th and the stalemate continued into the 10th. Nick Van Stratten led off the Bees 10th with a single and Zach Evangelho was hit by a pitch to start the inning. After a forceout, Juan Rivera was intentionally walked to load the bases with 1 out and Giavotella lifted the sac fly to left to score Van Stratten for the win. RP Francis Cabrera took the loss with an ER allowed over 2/3 IP to fall to 0-1 with a 1.80 ERA. Fish pitched 6 scoreless innings to drop his ERA to 4.62. Four Kernels had a hit each.

The Bees are 30-18 and 4 games up on first. The series continues tonight as Ray Liotta (1-0, 2.45) takes on Kernels SP Jeremy Haynes (2-1, 2.59).

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 5, Billings 3

CF-RF Testa 2-3, BB, 2 RBI (15), RS, 2 SB (6) -- .240
1B Espinosa 1-4, 2B (6), RBI (13) -- .206
3B Van De Keere 3-3, BB, 2B (8), 2 RS, SB (5) -- .284
SS Jimenez 0-3, HBP, SF, RBI (17), K, SB (14) -- .296
LF Griffin 0-5, 3 K -- .249
C McCauley 1-4, 2B (9), RS -- .261

Casey 5 IP, 2 UER, H, 2 BB, 8 K -- 2.86 ERA
Saito 2 IP, ER, 3 H, 3 K -- BS, 3, W, 1-4, 6.52 ERA
B. Hardy 2 IP, 5 K -- SV, 2, 5.04 ERA, nice night

*** The Chukars finally figured out Billings to at least take the series finale. Antonio Jimenez hit a sac fly in the 1st to give IF a 1-0 lead but 2 walks, an error and sac fly off Bryan Casey helped make it 2-1 Billings after 1. Carlo Testa hit a 2-out RBI single in the 2nd to tie the game and Tito Espinosa ripped an RBI double in the 6th to make it 3-2 Chukars. With 2 out in the Billings 7th, a hit batsman and 2 singles off Derrick Saito retied the game at 3 and cost Casey the victory. Idaho Falls answered with 2 in the 8th on a Testa RBI single and run-scoring Billings error to take a 5-3 lead. Blaine Hardy struck out 5 of 6 batters he faced for his 2nd save. RP Jordan Hotchkiss took the loss with 2 runs (1 ER) allowed over 2 2/3 IP to fall to 0-3 with a 4.15 ERA. Starter Oscar Castro pitched 5 1/3 innings of 3 runs (2 ER) allowed to move his ERA to 4.65. SS Jose Gualdron was 2-3 but made 3 errors in the loss.

Idaho Falls is 5-8 and 5 games back. A 3-game set at the Great Falls Voyagers (7-6, Rookie ChiSox) starts tonight. The Voyagers roster features White Sox prospect righty Nevin Griffith (0-0, 2.13, 1.42 WHIP in 12 2/3 IP) and '08 draftees 4th round righty Drew O'Neil (2-1, 7.84, 1.74 WHIP in 20 2/3 IP), 5th round righty Dan Hudson (3-4, 3.00, 1.10 WHIP in 42 IP), 6th round OF Kenny Williams Jr. (.508 OPS in 11 games), and 10th round righty Stephen Sauer (3-1, 3.12, 0.77 WHIP in 26 IP), among others. Colby Beach (2-3, 5.92) starts the opener for the Chukars.

Rookie - Burlington: Elizabethton 11, B-Royals 8

C Vittek 2-4, BB, 2 RBI (20), K, RS -- .265
3B F. Cruz 2-5, 2B (7), 2 RBI (13), 2 K, RS -- .253
1B D. Cruz 2-5, RBI (10), K -- .283
2B A. Franco 2-4, BB, 2B (9), K, 3 RS, SB (9) -- .254
LF Aparicio 2-5, 2 K, RS -- .229
RF Caldwell 1-5, HR (3), 2 RBI (15), 3 K, RS, E (6) -- .198
DH Morales 0-3, BB, SF, RBI (8), 2 K, RS -- .204
CF H. Richardson 0-4, S, 4 K -- .227

Halliman 3 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 2 K, HRA, 2 WP -- 9.30 ERA
Bryant 3 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, K, WP -- L, 0-4, 5.86 ERA
Roq. Colon 1 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 3 K, 2 WP -- 7.58 ERA

*** The final tally for the E-Twins/B-Royals set for 2008: Twins 66, Royals 18 in 6 Twin wins. The good news Sunday was the Royals scored 8 off Twins pitching, but the Twins once again pounded the Royals for 11 runs, making it 6-for-6 in double-digit runs against Burlington. Jason Morales hit a sac fly in the 1st to give the Royals a short-lived lead but 3 hits and an Allen Caldwell error in right helped the Twins tie the game in the 1st. Elizabethton tagged Pernell Halliman for a 2-run homer in the 2nd but Caldwell struck back with a 2-run homer in the 4th for his 3rd as a pro to tie the game at 3. A double and 2 wild pitches regained the lead for Elizabethton in the bottom of the inning but Josh Vittek retied it with a 2-out RBI single in the 5th. The Twins moved ahead for good with 4 runs in the 7th on 4 hits, 2 walks and 2 wild pitches off Carson Bryant and Roque Colon. Colon was victimized for 3 more runs in the 8th on 2 walks, 3 hits and another wild pitch as Elizabethton made it 11-4. With 2 outs in the 9th, the Royals mounted a short rally for 4 runs on a Vittek RBI single, a 2-run Fernando Cruz single and Diego Cruz RBI single before Twins RP Mark Hamburger got the final out for his 10th save. RP Lee Martin got the win with 2 scoreless IP to improve to 3-2 with a 5.32 ERA. Starter Curtis Leavitt worked 6 innings of 4 runs (3 ER) to move his ERA to 4.83. CF Evan Bigley was 4-5 with a triple, 2 RBI and 2 RS. Two other Twins had 2 hits and only 1 went hitless for the game.

The B-Royals are 16-35. They start a 3-game home set with the Princeton Rays (17-29) tonight. No starters announced on the team site. The Royals are 1-5 versus the Rays. SS Jorge Gutierrez recently missed a couple games as he became an American citizen. He was born in Venezuela but grew up in the Miami, Fla., area.

Rookie - AZL: off day

*** The 3-9 Royals play the 9-3 Giants tonight.