Royals on the Farm 8/22

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 4, Memphis 2

1B Ka'aihue 3-4, HR (9), 2 RBI (17), K, RS -- .341, already almost to 10 AAA HR
LF Lubanski 2-3, 3B (7), HR (14), RBI (49), K, RS -- .233
3B Spann 0-2, 2 BB, RBI (7) -- .313
2B Callaspo 1-3, BB, 2 RS -- .188
DH Shealy 1-3, BB, 2 K -- .281
* RF Damon Hollins had an OF assist at third while CF Brett Bigler had an OF assist at second. The Royals turned 4 twin killings.

D. Hughes 5 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 2 K, 2 HRA, WP -- W, 3-2, 4.89 ERA
Salmon 2 2/3 IP, H, BB, 2 K -- 4.66 ERA
Lowery IP, 2 H, K -- SV, 5, 1.99 ERA

*** All the runs in the game were scored before the 6th as Omaha held on for the win. Kila Ka'aihue got Omaha started with a 2-run homer in the 1st for his 9th at AAA (and 35th overall this season) but Dusty Hughes gave up a solo homer to start the 2nd and cut it to 2-1. Another solo homer in the 3rd tied the game for Memphis but Hughes stranded 2 and Chris Lubanski homered to lead off the Omaha 3rd for his 14th of the season and the lead again belonged to the Royals. Chad Spann took a bases-loaded walk in the 5th and the lead was 4-2 Omaha. The Redbirds got a couple hits in the 9th but CF Brett Bigler nailed a runner at second to help Omaha get the win and get Devon Lowery his 5th save. Redbirds SP Clayton Mortensen took the loss with 5 IP of 4 ER allowed to fall to 5-5 with a 4.79 ERA. Three Memphis batters had 2 hits as 1B Josh Phelps cranked his 31st homer and drove in his 97th run.

Omaha is 58-76. Game 3 is tonight. Starters: Memphis RH Blake Hawksworth (3-7, 6.87) vs. a starter TBA. It was supposed to be Brandon Duckworth, but KC asked that he be scratched, according to the Omaha World-Herald, and he may start for KC Sunday. P Kyle Davies was also promoted back to KC as Ron Mahay and Alex Gordon hit the DL.

AA - NW Arkansas: Springfield 5, Naturals 1

CF Duarte 1-4, RBI (42), K, OF assist at third -- .254
1B Richardson 0-4, K -- .291
SS Lisson 0-3, BB, K, RS, SB (29), E (23) -- .216

Pimentel 7 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 8 H, BB, 5 K, HRA, 2 WP, E (4) -- L, 6-12, 5.59 ERA
M. Peterson 2 IP, 2 H -- 3.48 ERA

*** Julio Pimentel had a mediocre start and got mediocre-to-poor run support as the Naturals had to settle for a split of the series and came away with the same division tie they entered it with. NWA stranded 2 in the 1st and Pimentel had a no-hitter through 4 1/3 innings but gave up a 3-run homer in the inning to put the Naturals behind. Another run in the 6th made it 4-0 and the Cards plated another in the 7th to take a 5-0 lead. The Naturals loaded the bases with 1 out in the 7th and Jose Duarte hit an RBI groundout but Marc Maddox struck out to thwart the rally. NWA stranded 1 in the 9th. Cards SP Justin Fiske got the win with 6 1/3 IP of an ER allowed to improve to 3-0 with a 3.47 ERA. C Brandon Yarbrough was 3-4 with a double, RBI and RS, 2 other Cardinals had 2 hits and 2B Casey Rowlett hit his 5th homer with 3 RBI.

NWA is now 34-26 and tied for first once again with the Cardinals. A 3-game set at the Tulsa Drillers (25-35, AA Rockies) starts tonight. Blake Johnson (9-9, 4.98) takes on Tulsa's Keith Weiser (0-1, 4.95). The Naturals are 11-11 versus Tulsa. At least the Nats do hold the tiebreaker with Springfield if they end up in a tie.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Blue Rocks 3, Kinston 2 (12)

DH Strait 1-5, HR (12), RBI (32), 3 K, RS -- .296, HR salvaged bad day at plate
2B Bianchi 1-5, HR (10), RBI (57), K, RS -- .255
C Morizio 1-4, RBI (26) -- .179
LF Ortiz 0-5, K, SB (5) -- .296
SS McConnell 0-5, K -- .257
CF Orlando 0-4, BB, K, CS (12) -- .264

Teaford 6 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 4 H, BB, 9 K, HRA, E (2) -- 3.83 ERA, nice to see 9 K
Swaggerty IP, K -- 2.95 ERA
Haltiwanger 2 IP, 2 K -- 3.93 ERA
Barrera 1 2/3 IP, 3 BB, 3 K, WP -- 3.00 ERA
Hartsock 1/3 IP, K -- W, 10-5, 3.70 ERA, 10 wins out of pen
Chambliss IP, K -- SV, 23, 4.09 ERA

*** The teams combined for 10 scoreless innings in all before a Cody Strait homer in the 12th led the Rocks to the win. Both teams had a hit each through 4 innings before Jeff Bianchi led off the 5th with his 10th homer of the season to break the stalemate. Matt Morizio hit an RBI single later in the inning and it was 2-0 Rocks. Everett Teaford gave up a leadoff homer in the Tribe 5th and a throwing error by Teaford in the inning helped lead to the tying run scoring. The offenses went back into neutral as the teams combined for 30 straight outs into the 11th when Henry Barrera walked the bases full of Indians but Aaron Hartsock came in and got a strikeout to end the threat. Strait hit a 1-out homer in the 12th for his 12th as a Rock and Tyler Chambliss pitched a perfect bottom of the inning for his 23rd save. The Rocks' pen combined for 6 hitless innings of work. RP Sung-Wei Tseng took the loss with 2 IP of an ER allowed to fall to 0-7 with a 4.82 ERA. Starter Hector Rondon went 6 innings and allowed 2 ER to move his ERA to 3.69. Four Kinston batters had a hit each and SS Carlos Rivero hit his 6th homer.

Wilmington is 30-31 and 3.5 games back. The series ends tonight as righty Ed Cegarra (5-7, 5.02) takes on Tribe southpaw Kelvin De La Cruz (3-2, 6.35). The Rocks' magic number for a playoff spot is 5. Chambliss is also 2 saves from tying the team record.

A - Burlington: Bees 4, Beloit 2

RF Francis 2-3, BB, 2 RBI (11) -- .260
CF Lough 2-5, HR (16), RBI (56), K, RS -- .269, on HR tear of late
3B Moustakas 2-3, BB, 2B (23), RS -- .269
LF Walton 1-4, RBI (49), K -- .266
1B Taylor 0-3, BB, K, RS, E (18) -- .237
DH C. Robinson 1-2, 2 BB, K, RS -- .262
* The Bees stranded 10.

Mitchell 2 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 2 K -- 3.47 ERA, left with forearm injury, manager says not serious
Herrera 5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 K -- W, 2-0, 1.13 ERA
Sisk 2 IP, 5 K -- SV, 1, 1.59 ERA, very nice

*** Beloit was shut out on 3 hits after the 2nd as three Bees pitchers combined to keep the team streaking. A Jason Taylor error helped the Snappers get on the board in the 1st but David Lough led off the Burlington 1st with his 16th homer of the season to tie the game. The Bees left the bases loaded and Beloit regained the lead in the 2nd on 2 hits off Matt Mitchell, who left the game after warming up for the 3rd with a forearm injury. Kelvin Herrera pitched well in relief with 5 scoreless innings of work. Jamar Walton retied it with an RBI single in the 3rd but Nick Francis was thrown out at third on the play to cut the rally short. Herrera retired 13 of the last 15 he faced and the Bees took walks to load the bases with none out in the 5th before Francis hit a 2-run single to make it 4-2 Bees. Brandon Sisk took over for Herrera in the 8th and pitched 2 perfect innings for his 1st save. Starter Shooter Hunt took the loss for Beloit with 4 IP of 4 ER allowed to fall to 1-3 with a 4.60 ERA. C Greg Yersich was 2-4 with a double and RS.

Burlington is 38-21 and 4.5 games up on first with the win streak now at 8 games. Game 3 is tonight as Danny Gutierrez (4-3, 2.87) tries to keep the Bees rolling vs. Beloit's Michael McCardell (9-3, 2.81). The Bees' magic number for the division title is 7 but it's only 2 for a wild-card playoff spot at least.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 4, Ogden 2

CF Norris 3-5, 2B (11), SB (27), picked off -- .263
3B Jimenez 3-5, K, SB (19) -- .304
C S. Perez 2-4, 3B, RBI, RS -- .500, decent IF debut
2B F. Garcia 1-2, 2 BB, RBI (14), K, RS, 2 SB (15), CS (7) -- .227
SS Alfaro 1-5, RBI (46), K, CS (2) -- .284
LF Griffin 0-3, 2 BB, 3 K, RS, SB (10) -- .241
RF Testa 0-2, 2 BB, K, RS -- .285

Beach 6 1/3 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 5 K, HRA -- W, 3-3, 5.40 ERA, good start
B. Hardy 2 2/3 IP, ER, 4 H, 4 K, HRA -- SV, 3, 4.40 ERA

*** The Chukars held off a late Ogden comeback to win the opener. IF took the lead in the 3rd on a 2-out J.D. Alfaro RBI single but Alfaro was caught stealing home to end the inning. The Chukars tacked on a run in the 5th as Salvador Perez made his IF debut and hit a triple before scoring on a Fernando Garcia single to make it 2-0. Colby Beach had a 1-hit shutout through 6 and IF left the bases full in the 6th. Patrick Norris was thrown out at the plate to end the Chukar 7th and Beach gave up a solo homer in the bottom of the inning before getting pulled with 1 on and 1 out. Blaine Hardy finished the inning and the Chukars got some insurance in the 8th with 2 runs on a 2-out Perez RBI single and run-scoring Raptor wild pitch. Hardy allowed a solo homer in the 9th to cut it to 4-2 but stranded the tying run at first for his 3rd save. Ogden starter Geison Aguasviva took the loss with 2 ER allowed over 5 innings to fall to 3-4 with a 2.90 ERA. CF Travis Vetters was 3-4 and RF Kyle Russell was 2-4 with 2 HR (10) and 2 RBI in the loss.

IF is 13-11 and 5.5 games back. Game 2 is tonight as Ivor Hodgson (2-5, 3.56) faces Ogden's Michael Watt (6-4, 4.68). Hosmer is set to join Idaho Falls' roster today but won't debut until Monday as the DH. I guess he hit a ball into the fountains during BP at Kaufmann yesterday.

Rookie - Burlington: B-Royals 10, Pulaski 1

DH Vittek 2-5, 2 HR (8, one was grand slam), 7 RBI (33) (!), K, 2 RS -- .294, wow
LF D. Wood 2-5, 2B (10), RBI (20), 2 RS -- .294
2B A. Franco 2-5, RBI (25), K, 2 RS -- .263
CF Aparicio 2-5, 2 K, RS -- .252
3B F. Cruz 2-5, K, E (9) -- .238
SS J. Gutierrez 0-3, SF, RBI (11), K, E (6) -- .233
1B Morales 1-4, HBP, RS -- .193
C Moctezuma 1-3, BB, RS, PB (14) -- .160

Flanagan 6 IP, 3 H, 3 K -- W, 3-3, 2.56 ERA, good one
Farinas 2 IP, 4 K -- 8.20 ERA, best outing of season
Mieles IP, UER -- 5.21 ERA

*** Josh Vittek singlehandedly took down the Mariners with 2 HR and 7 RBI and John Flanagan was no slouch on the mound in pitching 6 shutout innings as the Royals routed Pulaski. Flanagan never was in any trouble in any inning and the Royals surged ahead with 5 in the 3rd on a 1-out Vittek grand slam for his 7th pro homer and a Jorge Gutierrez sac fly. The Royals put it away in the 6th as Angel Franco hit an RBI single, David Wood hit an RBI forceout and Vittek hit a 2-out, 3-run homer for his 8th of the season and 2nd of the game to make it 10-0. Edwin Mieles got the first 2 outs in the 9th then a hit batsman, passed ball and Fernando Cruz error spoiled the shutout. KU product SP Nick Czyz took the loss for Pulaski with 5 ER allowed over 3 IP to fall to 6-5 with a 4.08 ERA. Three M's had a hit each.

The B-Royals are 24-38 and only a 1/2 game back of Princeton to get out of the cellar with 4 games left in the season. The series ends tonight with no announced starters on the team site. Despite the loss, the M's clinched the division title.

Rookie - AZL: who knows?

*** The team site doesn't show a result from last night's game with the Cubs, so I'm not sure they played the game. It's the only game from yesterday that doesn't have a line score on the league scoreboard. Maybe there were power problems or something. The Royals are set to play the 8-14 A's tonight.