Royals on the Farm 4/10

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 9, Albuquerque 5

LF Lubanski 3-4, HR (2), RBI (4), K, 3 RS, 2 SB, OF assist at home -- .625, Chris could use a hot start, we've seen what he can do on a hot streak
2B Hulett 3-4, 2 2B, RBI (3), 2 RS -- .500
1B Ka'aihue 1-4, SF, HR, 4 RBI, K, RS -- .125
RF Maier 1-3, BB, SF, 2B, 2 RBI (4), 2 K, RS, CS -- .500
3B Metcalf 1-3, BB, 2B, RBI, E -- .333, decent organizational debut
DH Shealy 1-5, 3 K -- .111
* CF Tommy Murphy also had an OF assist at second.

Hochevar 5 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 7 H, BB, K, HRA -- W, 1-0, 1.80 ERA, 87 pitches
Colon 2 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 3 K, WP -- 4.50 ERA
DiNardo 2 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, BB -- 9.00 ERA

*** A 3-run blast by Kila Ka'aihue was the key hit in the O-Royals' 4-run win as Luke Hochevar got off to a solid start to the season. Hochevar stranded 2 in the 1st and Chris Lubanski started a very nice game with a 2-out single in the 2nd, stole second, and scored on a Tug Hulett single to get Omaha on the board. A Luis Hernandez error helped lead to the Isotopes' first run in the 3rd but Lubanski stepped up in the 4th with a solo homer (his 2nd on the season) to make it 2-1 O-Royals. He then turned around and nailed Chin-lung Hu at the plate to end the Albuquerque 4th. Hulett led off the Omaha 5th with a double and scored on a Mitch Maier double. Jeff Weaver relieved starter Giancarlo Alvarado later in the inning with 2 on and 2 out and Ka'aihue greeted him with the 3-run homer for his 1st of the season to make it 6-1 Omaha. Hochevar gave up a solo homer in the 5th but it was Lubanski who stepped up again with a leadoff single in the 6th, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error on the play, then scored on a double by newest O-Royal Travis Metcalf. Tommy Murphy manufactured a run in the 7th with a single, steal, advance to third on a groundout and run scored on a sac fly by Ka'aihue to make it 8-2 Omaha. Roman Colon gave up a run in the 7th but Maier hit a sac fly in the 8th to get the run back. Lenny DiNardo came in for the 8th and allowed 2 runs on 2 hits and a walk but followed it up with a 1-2-3 9th to seal the win. Alvarado got the spot start as Eric Stults got a call-up to LA and took the loss with 5 ER on 5 hits and 3 BB with 4 Ks over 4 2/3 IP to set a 9.64 ERA. CF Xavier Paul was 3-4 with 3 doubles, a walk and RBI in the loss. Three other 'Topes had 2 hits, as RF Jason Repko hit his 2nd homer in as many games.

The O-Royals are 1-1. Game 3 of the set is tonight as lefty Heath Phillips takes on Isotopes lefty Eric Milton. Shane Costa has already hit the DL in Omaha as he aggravated a strained Achilles tendon in the opener. Shane didn't need that.

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 8, San Antonio 6

1B McFall 2-3, HBP, 2 2B (3), 2 RBI (3), K, RS, SB -- .571
LF Dickerson 2-5, 3B, 2 RBI, K, CS -- .222
C Suomi 2-3, BB, 2B, HR, RBI (2), 3 RS, E -- .400
RF Parraz 2-5, 2 K, RS -- .250
CF Duarte 1-4, BB, RBI, K, 2 RS, SB -- .250
SS Lisson 1-2, HBP, SF, RBI, SB, picked off -- .167
2B Mertins 0-4, E (2) -- .125

Lerew 3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, K -- 6.00 ERA, rough
Nicoll 3 IP, ER, 4 H, BB, 2 K -- W, 1-0, 3.00 ERA
Holland 2 IP, 2 H, 2 K -- 0.00 ERA
Hayes IP, 3 R (1 ER), 4 H, K -- 9.00 ERA

*** The Naturals got their first victory of the season in comeback fashion as an 8th inning rally helped put the game away. Anthony Lerew had a shaky 1st in his organizational debut as the Missions scored 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk before stranding 2. John Suomi got NW Arkansas on the board with a solo homer to lead off the 3rd for his 1st in the organization but the Naturals would later strand 2 in the inning. Lerew had a better 2nd and stranded 2 in scoring position in the 3rd as the Missions held their 2-1 lead. Chris Nicoll came in for the 4th and allowed a run on 2 hits to make it 3-1 SA. Suomi came through again as he led off the 5th with a double, advanced on a single and scored on a Joe Dickerson double-play ball. Suomi followed by throwing out a base stealer to stymie a Missions rally in the bottom of the inning and Brian McFall tied the game with an RBI double in the 6th. Jose Duarte drew a leadoff walk in the 7th, stole second, got to third on a Dickerson single then scored on a Mario Lisson sac fly to give the Naturals their first lead at 4-3. Greg Holland came in and worked around 2 hits in the 7th and the Nats put the bats to work in the 8th. Jordan Parraz hit a 1-out single and scored on a McFall double, then Duarte drove in McFall on a fielder's choice, and Dickerson followed with a 2-run triple to make it 8-3 NWA. Chris Hayes got his first action of the season in the 9th and was far from lockdown as the Missions pushed across 3 runs on 4 hits and a Kurt Mertins error before Hayes finally closed it out for the 8-6 win. Reliever Mike DeMark took the loss with an ER allowed in his lone IP on a hit and walk with 1 K. Starter Will Inman lasted only 4 frames of 2 ER on 5 hits and a walk with 4 K to set a 4.50 ERA. LF Luis Durango and 1B Craig Cooper both had 3 hits as Cooper chipped in 2 doubles. Two other Missions had 2 hits each, including hot OF prospect Cedric Hunter. Durango also stole 3 bases on the night as the Missions were 5/6 in that department.

NWA is 1-1. The teams play the rubber game of the set tonight as Blake Johnson faces Missions righty Cesar Carrillo.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Myrtle Beach 3, Blue Rocks 1

SS Bianchi 2-4, K -- .222
1B C. Robinson 1-4, RBI -- .429
CF D. Robinson 1-3, BB, K, SB (3) -- .429
2B Giavotella 1-3, BB, 2 K -- .286
3B Moustakas 0-4, 2 K -- .000
DH Ortiz 0-3, K -- .000

Duffy 4 2/3 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 6 K -- 1.93 ERA, nice, assume they held him to low pitch count
Godin 1 1/3 IP, K -- 0.00 ERA
C. Rodriguez IP, 2 ER, 2 H, BB, HRA -- L, 0-1, 18.00 ERA
Hartsock IP, 2 K -- 0.00 ERA

*** The Rocks finally got the game tied late only to see the Pelicans go up for good shortly thereafter. Starter Danny Duffy had 2 out and 1 on in the 1st when a steal, passed ball and RBI single gave the Pelicans an early 1-0 lead. Duffy stranded 2 and wouldn't allow another baserunner, including striking out the last 4 he faced. Mike Moustakas struck out swinging to strand 2 in the 3rd and the Rocks left the tying run at third in the 4th. David Lough led off the 7th with a HBP, advanced on a sac bunt by Paulo Orlando and then scored on a Clint Robinson single to tie the game at 1. Craig Rodriguez came in for the 7th and allowed a double and then a 2-run homer to LF Cody Johnson and the Pelicans jumped back ahead, 3-1. The Rocks got the tying run to bat in both the 8th and 9th but couldn't rally as Cory Gearrin picked up his 1st save of the season for Myrtle Beach. RP Thomas Palica picked up the blown save but also the win with 2 1/3 IP of an ER on a hit, walk and 2 Ks. Starter Jeff Locke worked a scoreless 5 innings with 3 hits allowed, a walk and 6 Ks. 1B Freddie Freeman was 2-3 with a double and RBI on the night. RF Jason Heyward was 0-4 with 2 K to fall to .125. Johnson's homer was his 2nd in 2 games.

Wilmington is 1-1. The set continues tonight as lefty Ray Liotta takes on MB lefty Carlos Rivas.

A - Burlington: Clinton 6, Bees 3

RF Francis 2-4, 2B, HR, RBI, RS -- .500
1B Hosmer 1-3, BB, 2B, K, RS -- .286
C McCauley 1-4, K, PB -- .125
LF Van Stratten 0-4, 2 K -- .143
3B Martin 0-3, BB, K, RS -- .143

Runion 4 IP, 6 ER, 8 H, 3 BB, 2 K, pickoff -- L, 0-1, 13.50 ERA, not the way he wanted to start the season
B. Hardy 5 IP, 7 K -- 0.00 ERA, impressive

*** Clinton pounded out 6 runs off starter Sam Runion in the first 2 innings and held on for two 6-3 wins in 2 games with the Bees. The LumberKings scored 2 runs on 3 hits, a walk, a passed ball and a steal of home in the 1st, then poured on 4 more runs in the 2nd on 4 hits and 2 walks. Nick Francis led off the Burlington 2nd with his 1st homer of the season to get the Bees on the board. Runion worked a quiet 3rd and 4th and then handed the ball to Blaine Hardy, who proceeded to K 7 'Kings and hold Clinton hitless the rest of the way. Unfortunately, Clinton starter Brett Lorin retired the last 14 he faced until leaving to start the 7th. Eric Hosmer walked and scored on a wild pitch and Kyle Martin scored on a balk that inning to cut the lead to 6-3. Francis doubled in the 9th but it went for naught as Jose Jimenez picked up his 1st save. Lorin got the win with 6 IP of an ER on 3 hits with 6 Ks to set a 1.50 ERA. CF Maximo Mendez was the offensive standout for Clinton in going 3-5 with 2 RS and his 2nd SB.

The Bees are 0-2 and will try to avoid the sweep tonight. Luis Cota takes the mound vs. Clinton righty Aaron Pribanic.