Royals on the Farm 8/21

AAA - Omaha: Memphis 5, O-Royals 0

LF Lubanski 2-4, 2 K -- .230
RF Bigler 2-4 -- .333, so far, so good
C B. Pena 1-3, BB -- .291
DH Ka'aihue 0-2, 2 BB -- .321
1B Shealy 1-3, BB -- .280
3B Spann 1-3, BB -- .333
* Omaha left 11 on base.

Lumsden 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 2 H, 4 BB, K -- L, 3-12, 7.24 ERA, beyond a disappointing season
Atencio 4 1/3 IP, 4 H, 5 K -- 2.37 ERA
Gobble IP, H, 2 K -- 6.97 ERA
Musser IP, BB, 2 K -- 3.86 ERA
Salmon IP, UER, H, 3 K, WP -- 4.79 ERA
Lowery IP, K -- 2.02 ERA

*** Tyler Lumsden didn't survive the 1st and Omaha got shut down by Memphis SP Mitch Boggs and co. A single, 3 walks and a hit batsman brought in 2 runs with 1 out in the 1st and a 2-run single and walk with 2 outs was enough for manager Mike Jirschele to jerk Lumsden out for Greg Atencio, who pitched well through the 5th. Omaha stranded 2 in the 2nd and didn't threaten again until the 6th, when they stranded 2 more. Omaha left 2 more in scoring position in the 7th and a Josh Labandeira error scored another run for Memphis in the 8th. The Royals put 2 on with none out in the 9th but left them there as Ron Flores finished off the win for Memphis. Boggs worked 5 2/3 innings and walked 5 but gave up no runs to improve to 8-3 with a 3.41 ERA. C Mark Johnson was 2-2 with a walk, HBP, double and RS as well as his 1st SB and CF Shane Robinson drove in 2 runs.

Omaha is 57-76. Game 2 is tonight. Starters: 'Birds RH Clayton Mortensen (5-4, 4.63) vs. LH Dusty Hughes (2-2, 5.09).

AA - NW Arkansas: Springfield 5, Naturals 4 (10)

RF McFall 3-4, HR (17), 2 RBI (55), RS, picked off -- .242, another clutch HR
CF Duarte 3-5, 2 K -- .254
1B Richardson 2-4, 2B (33), HR (14), RBI (72), 2 RS -- .294
3B Lucas 2-4, RBI (29), RS, 2 E (8) -- .300

Hardy 6 1/3 IP, 4 R (2 ER), 4 H, 2 BB, 5 K -- 4.65 ERA
Crist 1 2/3 IP, H, 2 K, WP -- 4.10 ERA
Mildren 2 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 2 K -- L, 2-6, 6.81 ERA

*** The Naturals put together a remarkable comeback in the 9th but, this time, Springfield got the last laugh in an extra-innings win. The Cardinals had control for most of the game as they scored a run in the 2nd on a double, walk and Ed Lucas error. Rowdy Hardy allowed another run in the 5th and Kyle Crist came in with the bases loaded and 1 out in the 7th. He let a run in on a wild pitch and a sac fly made it 4-0 Springfield. Juan Richardson broke up a 4-hit shutout with a solo homer in the 7th for his 14th of the season but NWA stranded 2 in the 8th to enter the 9th down, 4-1. With 2 out and Richardson at second in the 9th, Ed Lucas singled home the run and Brian McFall came through for a second straight game, as his 2-run homer tied the game for his 17th roundtripper of the season. Paul Mildren gave up a leadoff double and RBI single in the 10th and a double play in the bottom of the 10th ended the game as the Cardinals escaped and inched back within a game of the Naturals. RP Fernando Salas took his 7th blown save but got the win with 2 IP of 3 ER allowed to move to 7-3 with a 3.47 ERA. Starter Kyle Mura was good with 7 IP of an ER allowed to drop his ERA to 2.24. CF-RF Casey Rowlett was 2-4 with a double, 2 RBI, K and RS and 3B Brett Wallace ('08 Cards 1st rounder) was 2-4 with 2 RS.

NWA is 34-25 and a game up on first. The big series finale is tonight as Julio Pimentel (6-11, 5.61) takes on Cards SP Justin Fiske (2-0, 3.73).

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Blue Rocks 4, Kinston 1 (2-hitter)

SS McConnell 2-5, 2B (29), 2 RBI (32), K -- .260
CF Ortiz 3-4, BB, 2B (4), 2 RS, CS (3) -- .316
RF Orlando 1-4, BB, RBI (49), 2 K -- .266
LF Strait 1-4, 2B (9), RS, SB (9) -- .299
DH Correll 0-5, 2 K -- .282
2B Bianchi 0-3, S, 3 K -- .256
3B J. Johnson 0-4, K -- .260

Liotta 5 IP, 4 BB, 3 K, WP -- W, 1-0, 3.00 ERA, handed no-no to the pen
Holland 3 IP, H, BB, 6 K -- 3.49 ERA, also pitched well
Chambliss IP, ER, H, BB, K -- 4.17 ERA

*** Ray Liotta was lockdown in his 2nd Wilmington start and the Rocks started the series with Kinston with a W. Adrian Ortiz and Chris McConnell hit back-to-back doubles to make it 1-0 Rocks in the 3rd and Cody Strait scored on a Tribe error in the 4th to make it 2-0. Liotta stranded 2 in the 4th and Greg Holland allowed a leadoff single in the 6th to break up the no-hitter. The 2-0 lead held into the 9th when McConnell and Paulo Orlando hit 2-out RBI singles to extend the lead to 4-0. Tyler Chambliss gave up an RBI double to spoil the shutout in the 9th but finished it off. Starter Jeanmar Gomez took the loss for Kinston with 2 runs (1 ER) allowed over 5 IP to fall to 4-9 with a 4.70 ERA. 3B Jared Goedert was 1-2 with 2 walks, a double, his 70th RBI and his 16th error.

Wilmington is 29-31 and 4.5 games out. Game 2 is tonight. Starters: southpaw Everett Teaford (8-6, 3.96) vs. Kinston's Hector Rondon (11-6, 3.72).

A - Burlington: Bees 6, Beloit 2

DH C. Robinson 3-4, 2 HR (16), 3 RBI (60), 2 RS -- .261, really turned his season around
RF Francis 2-4, 2B (4), K, RS -- .243
1B Taylor 1-3, BB, 2B (16), RBI (54), 2 K, RS -- .239
CF Lough 1-4, HBP, HR (15), RBI (55), K, 2 RS -- .268
SS J. Rivera 1-3, HBP, RBI (20), K -- .244
3B Moustakas 0-3, BB, K, SB (6) -- .266
2B Giavotella 0-4, E (12) -- .297

Caldera 5 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 7 H, 6 K -- W, 11-6, 3.04 ERA
Augustine 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K -- 3.63 ERA
Raglione IP, H, BB, K -- 8.06 ERA
Bradley IP, nothing -- 1.45 ERA

*** The Bees put together a solid all-around game and won the opener with the Snappers. Clint Robinson hammered his 15th homer for a solo shot in the 2nd but Alex Caldera allowed the tying run in the 3rd on 3 hits and a Johnny Giavotella error before stranding the bases full. David Lough jacked his 15th homer of the season in the 3rd to give the Bees the lead again but Caldera got touched for another run in the 4th on 3 hits and a hit batsman before stranding the bases full again. Robinson came back up in the 4th and clubbed his 16th homer of the season and 2nd of the game for a 2-run shot and Juan Rivera added a 2-out RBI single to make it 5-2 Burlington. Jason Taylor's 2-out RBI double in the 6th made it 6-2 and the rest came down to the Bees bullpen as Joe Augustine, Paul Raglione and Tony Bradley pitched 4 shutout innings to finish off the win. Beloit SP Henry Reyes took the loss with 5 ER allowed over 4 IP to fall to 2-3 with a 5.59 ERA. SS Estarlin De Los Santos was 3-5 with an RBI and his 11th SB and 2 other Snappers had 2-hit games.

The Bees are 37-21 and 4.5 games up on first while on a 7-game tear. Game 2 is tonight as Matt Mitchell (8-8, 3.45) takes on Beloit's Shooter Hunt (1-2, 3.91).

Rookie - Idaho Falls: off day

*** The Chukars start a 3-game set at the Ogden Raptors (15-8, Rookie Dodgers) tonight. No announced starters on the team site. The Chukars are 3-8 versus Ogden and have lost the last 5 versus the Raptors. Eric Hosmer was supposed to stop by the K today on his way out to Idaho Falls, where he is supposed to report tomorrow.

Rookie - Burlington: B-Royals 6, Pulaski 5

CF Aparicio 3-5, 2B (8), 2 RBI (27), K, 2 RS, SB (7) -- .249
2B A. Franco 1-5, RBI (24), SB (14), CS (7) -- .260
LF D. Wood 0-3, BB, SF, RBI (19) -- .290
3B Morales 1-4, BB, RBI (9), K -- .191
RF Caldwell 1-4, RBI (20), K, RS -- .197
DH Vittek 1-5, 3 K -- .290

Halliman 3 1/3 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 6 H, 3 BB, K, WP -- 8.31 ERA
Bryant 3 2/3 IP, ER, 3 H, 8 K, WP -- 4.62 ERA
Roq. Colon 2 IP, H, BB, 3 K -- W, 1-2, 7.89 ERA

*** A great comeback in the 9th earned the Royals the win in the opener with Pulaski. Pernell Halliman gave up 3 Mariner runs in the 1st on a walk, 2 hits and a Diego Cruz error. Halliman stranded the bases full in the 3rd and was pulled with 2 on and 1 out in the 4th. Carson Bryant allowed an RBI single but stranded 2. A David Wood sac fly in the 6th broke up the Mariner shutout but the M's got the run back in the 7th on 2 hits off Bryant. The 5-1 lead held into the 9th when 2 errors helped Diego Cruz score a run and a rally developed. Another error scored Yenssi Reyes and Julio Aparicio hit a 2-run single to tie the game. Jason Morales came through with a 2-out RBI single to make it 6-5 Royals as the 5-run rally turned the game around. Roque Colon stranded 1 in the 9th to nail down his 1st win of the season. RP Blake Nation took the loss with an UER allowed in an inning of work to blow his 1st save and fall to 1-2 with a 2.86 ERA. Starter Taylor Lewis pitched 5 shutout innings to drop his ERA to 4.54. LF Jacob Shaffer was 3-4 with a double, his 1st error and an OF assist at second and three other M's had 2 hits. C Juan Fuentes drove in 2 runs.

Burlington is 23-38. Game 2 is tonight with no announced starters on the team site.

Rookie - AZL: Rangers 7, Royals 2

CF H. Richardson 3-4, 2B, RS -- .500
LF Llanos 1-4, RBI (17), E (4) -- .192
SS D. Batista 0-3, 2 K -- .319
3B Kuebler 0-3 -- .190
RF Del Rosario 0-3, 2 K -- .270, slumping
C T. Jones 0-3, 2 K, RS, 2 PB -- .000, pro debut for 50th rounder

Billo 4 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 5 K, balk -- L, 0-1, 6.17 ERA
D. De La Cruz 2 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, BB, 2 K, WP -- 4.00 ERA
J. Smith IP, H, 2 K -- 1.38 ERA
Hentges IP, 2 ER, 3 H, K -- 3.14 ERA

*** The Rangers scored 5 runs on the Royals pen to get the win. Two hits and a balk by Greg Billo scored the Rangers' first run in the 2nd and 3 more hits scored another Ranger run in the 3rd. Hilton Richardson stroked a run-scoring double in the 5th that was aided by a Ranger error but the Rangers tacked on 2 runs off Deybi De La Cruz in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-1. Three hits scored another run off De La Cruz in the 6th and Alex Llanos provided the Royals' only other run with an RBI single in the 8th. Chase Hentges allowed 2 runs in the 8th to finish the scoring. Rangers SP Joe Wieland got the win with 5 IP of an unearned run allowed to improve to 4-1 with a 1.63 ERA. Three Rangers had 3 hits and 3 others had 2 hits. RF Aja Barto and C Leonel De Los Santos had 2 RBI.

The Royals are 7-14. They play the 12-9 Cubs tonight.