Royals on the Farm 9/2

AA - NW Arkansas: playoff time

*** Game 1 between the Naturals and the Arkansas Travelers (AA Angels) has already been rained out and the series will begin instead Thursday in North Little Rock. Dan Cortes is set to start for NWA. I'm gonna hold off on stat recaps for the three Royals minors playoff teams until their seasons are done. The Naturals took the season series from Arkansas with a 4-game sweep last week.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: playoff time

*** Game 1 of the best-of-5 between the Blue Rocks and the Potomac Nationals is tonight. Wilmington pitcher of the year Matt Kniginyzky will start for the Rocks. Righty Luis Atilano is set to start for the Nationals. The Rocks are 7-13 versus the Nationals. The Rocks ended up leading the minors with 256 steals as a team.

A - Burlington: playoff time

*** The best-of-3 with the Kane County Cougars (A A's) starts tonight in Burlington. Danny Gutierrez will start for the Bees vs. Kane County's Carlos Hernandez. The Bees were 4-8 versus the Cougars this season.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 4, Casper 0 (3-hitter)

C S. Perez 3-4, K, 2 RS, E (2) -- .432
RF Testa 2-4, HR (5), 2 RBI (34), 2 K, 2 RS, SB (12), OF assist at third -- .305, has really heated up last month or so
LF Griffin 1-3, BB, K, CS (5) -- .250
2B F. Garcia 1-3, BB, SB (20) -- .235
CF Norris 0-5, 2 K -- .263
SS Alfaro 0-4 -- .266

Hodgson 6 IP, H, BB, 7 K -- W, 3-6, 3.14 ERA
J. Garcia 3 IP, 2 H, 5 K -- SV, 3, 3.00 ERA

*** A day after Colby Beach shut the Ghosts down on 1 hit over 6 innings, Ivor Hodgson matched the effort and IF took game 2 from Casper. IF left 2 in scoring position in the 3rd but scored 2 runs in the 4th on a 2-run Casper error. Carlo Testa ripped a 2-run homer in the 6th for his 5th as a pro and Hodgson retired 18 of the 20 batters he faced. Testa threw a runner out at third in the 7th and Casper stranded a runner at third in the 8th off Justin Garcia. Garcia bounced back with a perfect 9th for his 3rd save. Casper SP Edwar Cabrera took the loss with 6 IP of 4 runs (2 ER) allowed to fall to 0-4 with a 7.80 ERA. Three Ghosts had a hit each.

IF is 17-18. Game 3 of the set is tonight as Ryan Morgan (0-4, 7.28) faces Casper's Dan Houston (6-4, 4.34).