Royals on the Farm 8/17

NOTE: The Royals ended up bookending the draft, as the last week of signing also resulted in KC signing 50th round HS C Travis Jones out of Tucson, Ariz. KC ended up signing 26 of its top 30, which is pretty good, plus spent the most of any team on draft bonuses.

AAA - Omaha: Oklahoma 4, O-Royals 1

3B Spann 1-4, RBI (3), K, E -- .412
1B Ka'aihue 1-4, 2 K -- .343
CF Gathright 0-3, HBP -- .167
2B Callaspo 0-4, K -- .000, first game back in action on rehab assignment
DH Shealy 0-3, BB, K -- .279
LF Lubanski 0-3, K -- .229

D. Hughes 2 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, K, WP -- L, 2-2, 5.09 ERA, on low pitch count because he, too, has a sore arm
Salmon 3 2/3 IP, UER, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K -- 4.85 ERA
Lowery 2 IP, H, BB, K -- 2.15 ERA

*** The Royals were shut down by rehabbing RedHawks starter Brandon McCarthy as Oklahoma earned at least a split of the 4-game set. Dusty Hughes allowed a run on 2 hits in the 1st and 2 runs on 3 hits in the 2nd as Oklahoma established a 3-0 lead. Brad Salmon came in with 1 out and the bases full in the 3rd and escaped the jam. McCarthy 1-hit the Royals through 4 and Omaha squandered 2 hits in the 5th. Oklahoma got a run off Brad Salmon in the 6th thanks in part to an error by newest Royal Chad Spann. Omaha stranded 2 in the 8th as McCarthy gave way to the bullpen, and the Royals got 2 on with 1 out in the 9th before Spann drove in a run with a groundout off RP Bill White. That was all the Royals could do, tho, as White finished the game off. McCarthy pitched 7 scoreless innings to improve to 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA. SS Joaquin Arias was 2-5 with a double, 2 RBI and his 23rd error.

Omaha is 54-75. Game 3 was supposed to start around noon but has been delayed by rain. Starters were RH Brandon Duckworth (4-11, 4.93) vs. Oklahoma RH Luis Mendoza (2-2, 5.04). P Neal Musser has been activated from the DL.

AA - NW Arkansas: Frisco 6, Naturals 3

C Donachie 2-3, BB, 2B (8), RBI (29), K, RS -- .211
3B Lucas 2-4, K, RS, E (6) -- .307
SS Lisson 0-4, RBI (54) -- .215
CF Duarte 0-4, RBI (41), 2 K -- .256
1B Richardson 1-3, HBP, 2B (31), RS -- .295
2B Maddox 1-4, 2B (27), K -- .278

Pimentel 5 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 4 K, 2 WP -- L, 6-11, 5.61 ERA
Nicoll 0 IP (3 batters), 2 ER, 3 H -- 3.22 ERA, that 0 IP is never good
Mildren 2 1/3 IP, BB, 3 K -- 6.95 ERA

*** Like their brethren in Omaha, the Naturals couldn't solve the opposing starter -- Frisco's Jared Hyatt, in this case -- and the RoughRiders moved within a game of a sweep while NWA saw its division lead dwindle further. Hyatt was perfect through 5 1/3 innings and Julio Pimentel had stranded 2 'Riders twice before giving up 2 runs on 3 hits in the 5th. Adam Donachie broke up the perfecto with a single in the 6th but Frisco went to work again in the 6th as Pimentel was pulled with a run in, 1 on and 2 out but Chris Nicoll allowed 3 more runs on 3 hits before getting pulled for Paul Mildren, who finally got NWA out of the inning. NWA stranded 2 in the 7th as Hyatt was pulled with 1 out but scored a run in the 8th on a Donachie RBI double. Donachie later scored on an error to cut the lead to 6-2. Mario Lisson hit an RBI groundout in the 9th but the Nats stranded 2. Hyatt got the win with 6 1/3 scoreless innings of work to move to 3-3 with a 3.47 ERA. Four 'Riders had 2 hits as SS Elvis Andrus drove in 2 runs and stole his 48th base and C Tim Gradoville scored 2 runs.

NWA is 32-23 and now only 1 game up on first going into the series finale with Frisco tonight. Blake Johnson (9-8, 5.00) is set to start vs. RoughRiders SP Derek Holland (1-0, 0.00). Baseball America has decreed OF Ovandy Suero to be the fastest baserunner in the Texas League while Mario Lisson was named the best defensive third baseman in the league and OF Brian McFall was declared to have the best outfield arm in the league.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Salem 8, Blue Rocks 3

SS McConnell 3-5, 2B (28), RBI (29), CS (15) -- .260
RF Orlando 2-5, 2B (19), K, RS, picked off -- .268
LF Strait 1-4, HR (9), RBI (29), RS, E -- .300
1B Correll 1-2, 2 BB, RBI (27), CS (2) -- .300
CF D. Robinson 1-5, 3B (8), 2 K, RS -- .250
2B Bianchi 1-4 -- .256
3B J. Johnson 1-3, S, K -- .262

Teaford 5 1/3 IP, 6 ER, 9 H, BB, 7 K, WP, pickoff -- L, 8-6, 3.93 ERA
Holland 1 2/3 IP, H, 3 BB, 2 K -- 3.63 ERA
Haltiwanger IP, 2 ER, 2 H, BB -- 4.09 ERA
Swaggerty IP, nothing -- 3.02 ERA

*** Salem kept relatively consistent pressure on the Rocks throughout the game and came away with the series finale. Everett Teaford struck out 3 in the 1st but also unfortunately gave up 3 runs on 4 hits in the frame. The Rocks stranded the bases full in the 1st but got on the board in the 3rd on a 2-out RBI single by Brad Correll. Two hits and a wild pitch scored a Salem run in the 4th but Derrick Robinson tripled and scored on a Chris McConnell RBI single in the 5th to cut it to 4-2. Teaford couldn't hold the line as Salem scored 2 runs in the 6th on 3 hits and 2 walks off him and Greg Holland. Russ Haltiwanger gave up 2 runs in the 8th to seal the deal for Salem. Cody Strait led off the 8th with his 9th homer as a Rock but that was the Rocks' last gasp. RP Bryan Hallberg got the win for Salem with 2 1/3 scoreless IP to improve to 5-8 with a 2.85 ERA and starter Sergio Severino worked 4 2/3 innings of 2 ER allowed to move his ERA to 7.56. 3B Jhon Florentino was 3-5 with a double, triple, 2 RBI and 2 RS and 3 other Salem hitters had 2-hit games. RF Nick Moresi drove in 2 runs, had an OF assist at second and was picked off in the win.

Wilmington is 27-29 and 3 games back. A 3-game home set with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (37-19, A-Adv. Braves) starts tonight. The Rocks are 4-9 versus the Pelicans. Starters: Righty Ed Cegarra (5-6, 5.01) vs. Pelicans lefty Carlos Rivas (4-3, 4.88).

A - Burlington: Bees 4, Quad Cities 2

CF Lough 2-5, HR (13), RBI (53), RS, CS (11) -- .264
C Eigsti 2-4, HR (8), RBI (34), 2 K, RS -- .218
3B Moustakas 2-4, 3B (3), 2 K -- .268
2B Giavotella 2-4, 2 RS, SB (10), E (11) -- .310
DH C. Robinson 0-2, BB, SF, 2 RBI (57), K -- .259
1B Taylor 0-2, 2 BB, K, picked off -- .236

Gutierrez 5 2/3 IP, 2 UER, 2 H, 2 BB, 8 K, WP, pickoff -- 2.87 ERA
Sisk 3 1/3 IP, 4 H, 6 K -- W, 1-1, 1.80 ERA

*** The Bees put together 4 1-run innings to take game 2 from QC. The Bees loaded the bases with 1 out in the 1st and Clint Robinson hit an RBI forceout to make it 1-0. Danny Gutierrez stranded 2 Bandits in the 1st but allowed 2 runs on 2 hits, a wild pitch and Johnny Giavotella error in the 4th to lose the lead. David Lough picked up the slack with a solo homer in the 5th for his 13th of the season and Ryan Eigsti broke the 2-2 tie in the 7th with his 8th homer to make it 3-2 Bees. Gutierrez retired the last 8 he faced and Brandon Sisk took over in the 6th. Robinson gave the Bees some insurance with a sac fly in the 8th and Sisk stranded 2 in that inning before stranding 1 in the 9th for his first A-ball win. Bandits SP Richard Castillo took the loss with 3 ER allowed over 6 2/3 IP to fall to 6-4 with a 3.23 ERA. Six Bandits had a hit each.

The Bees are 34-21 and 3.5 games up on first. The series is back on tonight as Dan Duffy is starting for Burlington.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Great Falls 11, Chukars 4

DH Van De Keere 2-5, 2 2B (13), 2 RBI (17), RS -- .282
RF Severino 2-4, RBI (10), 2 K -- .188
C Graterol 2-4, BB, 2B (2), RBI (11), K -- .266
LF Griffin 2-5, 2B (12), 2 RS -- .245
SS Alfaro 1-5, 2B (15), 2 K, RS -- .261
1B Espinosa 0-3, BB, E (8) -- .196, one of 4 IF errors
CF Testa 1-3, BB, 2B (2), K -- .261
* IF stranded 11.

Hodgson 5 2/3 IP, 5 R (1 ER), 6 H, 2 BB, 2 K, E -- L, 2-5, 3.56 ERA
Novakowski 1/3 IP, 6 R (3 ER), 7 H -- 4.85 ERA
Gilgenbach 2 IP, H -- 11.84 ERA, threatening single digit ERA
Carver IP, 2 H, 2 K, WP -- 8.06 ERA

*** IF held a 3-0 lead but then the game fell apart as Great Falls rolled to the win in the series finale. Neder Severino singled home a run to start the scoring in the 2nd but the Chukars left the bases full. Devery Van De Keere and Juan Graterol hit back-to-back RBI doubles in the 3rd to make it 3-0 but Ivor Hodgson gave up 2 runs in the 4th and the tying run on 3 hits in the 5th. The game continued to slip away in the 6th as Hodgson and Gary Novakowski gave up 5 runs on 4 hits and 2 errors. IF stranded 2 in the 6th and the Voyagers continued to pull away with 3 runs in the 7th on 4 hits off Novakowski. Van De Keere hit an RBI double in the 9th but that was it. RP Dan Remenowsky got the win with 2 scoreless IP to move to 3-0 with a spotless ERA. Starter Dexter Carter worked 4 innings of 3 ER allowed to move his ERA to 2.84. CF Kent Gerst and SS Lee Fischer both had 3 hits and 2 RBI for Great Falls and four other Voyagers had 2 hits.

IF is 9-11 and 7 games back. A 3-game home set with the Billings Mustangs (12-4, Rookie Reds) starts tonight. The Chukars are 1-3 versus Billings. Ryan Morgan started for IF and all I'll say at this point is he only lasted 1/3 of an inning.

Rookie - Burlington: off day

*** The Royals came off their last day off with a win over the Kingsport Mets (32-27) tonight. Manauri Baez got the win. The Royals are now 4-1 versus the Mets.

Rookie - AZL: Royals 11, Giants 3

1B A. Marte 3-5, 2B (2), 3B (2), 2 RBI (9), 2 K, 3 RS -- .211
2B D. Batista 2-2, 2B (11), HR (3), 2 RBI (18), 2 RS -- .336
CF Llanos 2-4, 2 BB, 2 RBI (16), SB (11), CS (3) -- .175
C Matos 2-5, 2B (3), RBI (5), RS, pickoff -- .271
LF Mariano 1-3, 2 BB, RBI (6), K, 2 RS -- .088
3B Kuebler 1-5, 2B (4), RBI (9), K, RS -- .198
2B Culver 1-2, BB, K -- .211

Hodge 4 IP, ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 2 K, WP -- 10.04 ERA, think that's his best outing yet
Cuevas 3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 2 K, WP -- W, 3-1, 6.19 ERA
Hentges 2 IP, H, K -- 2.02 ERA

*** The Royals scored all of their runs from the 5th on and routed the Giants. Two hits and a walk helped the Giants to a run off Mitch Hodge in the 1st but Hodge settled down and didn't allow another hit over the next 3 frames. The Royals broke through with 2 in the 5th as Alexis Marte led off with a triple and scored on a Miguel Mariano single and an Alex Llanos run-scoring forceout aided by a Giant error. They poured on 4 more runs in the 6th on a Mauricio Matos RBI double, a Marte RBI double, a Jake Kuebler RBI double and Llanos bases-loaded walk. Gary Cuevas allowed 2 runs in the 7th but Llanos singled home a run in the 8th to make it 7-3 Royals. They added 4 in the 9th on a Marte RBI single, a run-scoring wild pitch and Deivy Batista 2-run homer for his 3rd of the season. Giants SP Kelvin Marte took the loss with 5 IP of 2 runs (1 ER) to fall to 1-1 with a 2.22 ERA. Two Giants had 2 hits.

The Royals are 7-11. They played the 8-10 Mariners tonight.