Royals on the Farm 8/24

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 5, Memphis 4 (10)

1B Ka'aihue DNP (wrist)
2B Labandeira 2-4, RS -- .176
C B. Pena 1-3, BB, SF, HR (4), 2 RBI (25), K, RS, CS (2) -- .291
LF Lubanski 1-4, 2B (19), 2 RBI (51), K -- .231
CF Bigler 0-0, 4 BB, SF, RBI (2), RS, CS -- .308, what a weird line
1B Shealy 1-3, 2 BB, 2B (19), RS -- .282
3B Spann 1-5, 2 K -- .293

Bale IP, 3 ER, 2 H, BB, HRA -- 10.38 ERA
Gobble IP, H, BB -- 6.35 ERA
Wright 6 2/3 IP, ER, 8 H, BB, 5 K, WP -- 5.32 ERA
Lowery 1 1/3 IP, BB, K -- W, 1-1, 1.94 ERA

*** Omaha tied it in the 7th and won it in the 10th to take 3 of 5 from the Redbirds. John Bale gave up a 3-run homer in the 1st in his only inning of work and Omaha stranded 2 in the 2nd before Memphis added a run in the 3rd on 3 hits off Matt Wright. Wright stranded 2 in the 4th and Brayan Pena slugged his 4th homer as a Royal to lead off the Omaha 4th and cut it to 4-1. The Royals loaded the bases with none out in the 7th and Chris Lubanski doubled home 2 runs before Pena tied it with a sac fly. Devon Lowery relieved Wright with 2 on and 2 out and allowed a walk to load the bases before getting a forceout to end the inning. The game went to the 10th and Omaha loaded the bases with 1 out before Brett Bigler, who had walked 4 times, came through with a sac fly to end it. RP Matt Scherer took the loss with an ER allowed over 1 1/3 IP to drop to 2-3 with a 4.15 ERA. Starter Jess Todd allowed 2 ER over 6 IP to move his ERA to 2.41. RF Nick Stavinoha was 3-5 with a run scored and 3B David Freese was 2-4 with his 25th homer and 3 RBI.

Omaha is 59-77, and Iowa has clinched the division title. The Royals continue their final homestand with 4 games versus the New Orleans Zephyrs (63-73, AAA Mets) starting tonight. Starters: NO RH Ruddy Lugo (7-11, 4.94) vs. RH Roman Colon (4-5, 4.75). Omaha is 9-3 versus the Zephyrs. P Josh Newman is heading back to Omaha in Brandon Duckworth's place. Kila Ka'aihue was named Texas League Player of the Year today. No Royals were named to the PCL end-of-season all-star team. C Todd Balduf has been added to the Royals' roster from A-ball as P Carlos Rosa was placed on the DL. IF Jorge Gutierrez has also been added to Omaha's roster from the rookie leagues.

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 3, Tulsa 1

2B Maddox 2-2, BB, S, HR (4), RBI (30), RS -- .280
3B Lucas 2-4 -- .302
1B Richardson 1-4, 2B (34), RBI (73) -- .291
RF McFall 0-3, SF, RBI (56), 2 K -- .243
CF Duarte 1-4, BB, 2 K, RS -- .254
* SS Mario Lisson stole his 30th base.

Cortes 6 IP, ER, 4 H, 4 BB, 4 K -- W, 9-4, 3.98 ERA
Nicoll 3 IP, BB, 4 K -- SV, 3, 3.02 ERA

*** Dan Cortes and Chris Nicoll pitched an efficient game and the Naturals set up a chance at a 3-game sweep tonight. Marc Maddox started his night with a bang in the form of a solo homer in the 1st for his 4th of the season. Tulsa got a sac fly in the 4th to tie it but Brian McFall hit a sac fly and Juan Richardson roped an RBI double to make it 3-1 NWA in the 5th. Cortes stranded 2 in the 6th and Nicoll pitched 3 hitless innings for his 3rd save. Tulsa SP Chaz Roe went 7 IP and allowed 3 ER to fall to 5-4 with a 4.35 ERA. Four Drillers had a hit each and CF Eric Young Jr. stole his 46th base.

NWA is 36-26 and still tied for first. The series is ending tonight as Blake Wood started for NWA. As noted, Kila Ka'aihue was named TL Player of the Year and Cortes was named to the league postseason all-star team along with Kila.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Myrtle Beach 4, Blue Rocks 1

LF Ortiz 1-3, RBI (7), K -- .298
CF D. Robinson 1-4 -- .245
DH Correll 1-4 -- .279
1B Seratelli 1-3, 2B (16), 2 K, RS -- .229
RF Strait 0-4 -- .298

Santiago 7 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 9 H, BB, 4 K, HRA, E -- L, 7-8, 3.52 ERA
Hartsock IP, H, K, WP -- 3.65 ERA

*** The Rocks spoiled a 1-hit shutout in the 8th but couldn't overcome a deficit to the Pelicans. Mario Santiago gave up a solo homer in the 2nd but stranded 2 before allowing another run on 2 hits and his own error in the 3rd. Derrick Robinson's single in the 2nd was the lone Rocks hit through 7 and the Pelicans added 2 runs in the 6th on 2 hits and a walk. Adrian Ortiz hit a 2-out RBI single in the 8th but a double play in the 9th ended it and gave Pelicans RP Nick Fellman his 8th save. Starter Kyle Cofield pitched 6 scoreless innings to improve to 8-6 with a 3.26 ERA. Three Pelicans had 2 hits led by 1B Ernesto Mejia, who was 2-4 with his 46th double and 2 RBI.

Wilmington is 31-32 and 2.5 games out, but still has a solid lead on a wild-card playoff spot. Game 2 was tonight but was rained out. It'll be made up tomorrow.

A - Burlington: Beloit 7, Bees 2

1B Martin 2-4, HR (7), RBI (23), K, RS -- .312
LF Evangelho 2-3, K -- .204
RF Francis 1-4, 2B (5), RBI (12), 2 K -- .250
3B Moustakas 0-3, BB, 2 K, E (22) -- .269
2B Giavotella 1-5 -- .298
DH C. Robinson 0-1, 2 BB, HBP, K, RS -- .261

Fisher 3 2/3 IP, 6 R (4 ER), 8 H, BB, 4 K -- L, 1-1, 2.92 ERA
Augustine 3 1/3 IP, ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 K -- 3.59 ERA, back from DL
Raglione 2 IP, BB -- 7.48 ERA

*** Brent Fisher had a rough night on the mound and Beloit coasted past the Bees. A passed ball and Mike Moustakas error helped the Snappers to a run in the 1st and Beloit plated another run on 2 hits in the 2nd. A 4th inning surge made a big difference as Beloit scored 4 runs on 4 hits, 2 walks and a passed ball off Fisher and Joe Augustine to make it 6-0. Augustine allowed another run on 2 hits in the 5th. The Bees stranded 2 in the 5th but got an RBI double from Nick Francis in the 6th. They stranded 2 in scoring position in the 7th but Kyle Martin led off the 8th with his 7th homer of the season to cut it to 7-2. That was it for the Bees, however, as Beloit SP David Bromberg worked 6 2/3 IP and allowed an ER to move to 8-10 with a 4.47 ERA. LF Andrew Schmiesing was 3-4 with a double, 2 RBI and RS along with his 2nd error. Four other Snappers had 2 hits.

The Bees are 39-22 and 4.5 games up on first. A 4-game home set with the Quad Cities River Bandits (31-31, A Cards) starts tonight. Luis Cota started and got drilled, to put it bluntly. The Rocks are 9-8 versus Quad Cities, and this is the final home series of the season. OF Julio Aparicio has been added to the Bees' roster from rookie Burlington. The Burlington Hawk Eye contradicts yesterday's team site report by stating this will be the first team playoff appearance since 2002. The team site said 1999.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 18, Ogden 7

3B Van De Keere 4-6, 3B, 2 HR (6, one was grand slam), 7 RBI (24) (!), 4 RS -- .297, very nice night at plate
2B F. Garcia 3-6, HBP, 2 RBI (16), K, 2 RS, SB (16) -- .237
CF Testa 3-6, 2B (5), 2 RBI (28), 3 RS -- .302
C Graterol 3-5, HBP, 2B (3), RBI (14) -- .284
SS Alfaro 2-5, BB, 2B (20), 3 RBI (51), K, 2 RS, SB (7) -- .286, has piled up RBI quickly
LF Griffin 2-4, 2 BB, RBI (22), 4 RS -- .241
RF A. Perez 2-5, BB, 3B (2), K, 2 RS -- .258
1B Espinosa 1-6, RBI (14), 2 K, RS -- .201
* IF stranded 10.

Morgan 2 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, K -- 7.18 ERA
Rada 3 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, BB, 3 K, HRA -- W, 4-2, 3.89 ERA
J. Garcia 3 1/3 IP, 2 K -- SV, 2, 3.00 ERA

*** The Chukars roared out of the gates and swamped Ogden for the easy win. With 2 out and 2 on in the 1st, Devery Van De Keere started his big game with a 2-run triple and scored on a Juan Graterol single to make it 3-0 IF. Shawn Griffin hit a 2-out RBI single in the 2nd and DVDK followed with a grand slam for his 5th homer of the season to make it 8-0. Ryan Morgan allowed 3 runs in the 2nd on 3 walks and 3 hits before stranding 2. IF got the runs back in the 3rd as Fernando Garcia hit an RBI single and a 2-run Ogden error made it 11-3 Chukars. Orlando Rada came on for the 3rd and stranded 2 in the 4th. Garcia hit an RBI single in the 5th but Ogden answered with 2 runs off Rada on a 2-run homer in the bottom of the inning. DVDK hit his 6th homer of the season and 2nd of the game in the 6th for a solo shot but 2 doubles scored 2 runs to chase Rada in the 6th with IF up, 13-7. The Chukars gained some space back in the lead with 4 runs in the 8th on a Tito Espinosa RBI forceout, a Carlo Testa RBI forceout and a 2-run J.D. Alfaro double. Testa singled home another run in the 9th for gravy as Justin Garcia pitched well to lock down the 18-7 win. Ogden SP Jon Michael Redding went only 2 IP and allowed 8 runs (3 ER) to fall to 0-4 with a 5.72 ERA. Three Raptors had 2 hits and three had 2 RBI as well.

IF is 14-12 and 5.5 games out. The series continues tonight as Aneidy Toribio starts on the mound and, more importantly, Eric Hosmer makes his organizational debut at DH. He was hit by a pitch in his first pro AB, or I guess I should say plate appearance since it wasn't an official AB. Hosmer, however, is not the youngest Chukar as C Salvador Perez is 7 months younger and just turned 18 in May.

Rookie - Burlington: Danville 4, B-Royals 0 (4-hitter)

3B F. Cruz 1-3, 2B (9), K -- .238
DH Vittek 1-4, 2 K -- .289
LF D. Wood 1-4, K -- .297
CF Caldwell 0-3, BB, K -- .195
C Moctezuma 0-3, K, E -- .155

Runion 5 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, K -- L, 3-4, 3.35 ERA
J. Rodriguez 3 IP, 2 ER, H, BB, 5 K -- 3.51 ERA
Hudnall IP, H, K -- 3.38 ERA

*** A pair of 2-run innings was enough for Danville in the win. The Royals had a whopping 5 baserunners in the game and no more than 1 in any inning. Sam Runion pitched 5 innings and allowed 2 runs in the 5th on a single, triple and squeeze bunt. Jacob Rodriguez came on for the 6th and served up another triple as part of a 2-run inning. SP Steven Kent got the win for Danville with 6 scoreless IP to improve to 1-0 with a 3.68 ERA and RP Rico Reid pitched 3 innings for his 2nd save. CF L.V. Ware was 2-4 with a triple, RBI, K and RS along with his 13th SB.

The Royals are 24-41 after falling tonight in game 2. Barry Bowden took only his 2nd loss of the season. The season wraps up Tuesday night.

Rookie - AZL: Padres 8, Royals 4

2B Nilsen 1-1, HR (3), 2 RBI (14), RS -- .277
2B Jose 1-2, 2B (3), RBI (17), K, RS -- .261
CF H. Richardson 1-3, K, CS, E -- .474
C Matos 0-3, K, E (2) -- .257
RF Llanos 0-2, BB, K, RS -- .191
3B Kuebler 0-3, E (14) -- .185

Sirrett 4 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 6 H, BB, 2 WP -- L, 2-2, 3.08 ERA
Hentges IP, 2 ER, H, 2 BB, WP -- 4.11 ERA
B. Richardson 2 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, K, WP -- 1.37 ERA
J. Smith 2 IP, 3 H, BB, K -- 1.20 ERA

*** The Padres scored 5 in the 5th to get the victory. The Pads rallied for a run with 2 out in the 1st off Onassis Sirrett thanks in part to an error and 2 wild pitches. Lifete Jose hit an RBI double in the 3rd and scored on a Hilton Richardson caught stealing to make it 2-1 Royals. The Padres tied it in the 4th and took command in the 5th with 5 runs on 3 hits, 2 walks, a wild pitch and Royals error off Sirrett and Chase Hentges. Brett Richardson allowed a run in the 6th and James Nilsen slammed a 2-run homer in the 8th for his 3rd as a pro but the Royals would get no closer. SP Stiven Osuna pitched 6 innings of 2 ER allowed to get the win and move to 7-2 with a 2.26 ERA. CF Jaff Decker was 3-4 with a walk, double, 9th SB, RBI, K and 2 RS. Two other Pads had 2 hits as C Robert Lara drove in 3 runs and RF Aaron Murphree drove in 2 runs.

The Royals are 7-17. They have today off and 4 games left in the season.