Royals on the Farm 4/27

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 8, Oklahoma City 1 (7/G1)

2B Hulett 2-3, BB, 2B (9), 3 RBI (20), RS, SB -- .385
LF Lubanski 2-3, BB, 2B (5), 2 RBI (10), RS -- .318, both he and Tug had clutch hits
SS Hernandez 1-2, BB, 2 RBI (12), RS -- .339
RF Aldridge 0-2, HBP, RBI (12), 2 K -- .241
C House 0-3, BB, K -- .353
1B Ka'aihue 0-3, BB, 2 K, RS -- .182
3B Metcalf 0-4, K -- .286
DH Shealy 1-2, 2 BB, 2 RS -- .355

Hochevar 6 IP, UER, 4 H, 2 BB, 7 K, E -- W, 4-0, 1.44 ERA, leads PCL in wins
Hamulack IP, H, 2 K -- 7.88 ERA

*** The O-Royals battered Rangers prospect Neftali Feliz and Luke Hochevar was sharp as Omaha took the opener of the twinbill. Omaha stranded 2 in the 2nd and a Hochevar error helped lead to the RedHawks' only run in the 3rd. The Royals responded with a 5-run rally in the bottom of the 3rd as Chris Lubanski hit a bases-loaded, 2-out, 2-run double, Cory Aldridge was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and Luis Hernandez followed with a 2-run single off reliever Thomas Diamond to make it 5-0. Hochevar worked around a leadoff triple in the 5th and the Royals salted it further away with 3 runs in the 5th on a bases-loaded, 2-out, 3-run double by Tug Hulett to make it 8-1. Tim Hamulack stranded 1 in the 7th to finish the twinbill-shortened game. Feliz took the loss with 5 runs, all unearned, allowed on 3 hits and 4 walks with 3 Ks over 2 2/3 IP to drop to 1-1 with a 4.30 ERA. RF Greg Golson was 2-3 with his 1st triple to move to .353. 3B Esteban German drove in his 5th run but was 0-2 to drop to .278.

Oklahoma City 2, O-Royals 1 (7/G2)

DH Ka'aihue 2-3, 3B, K, RS -- .207
LF Lubanski 0-3, RBI (11), CS -- .304
3B Metcalf 1-3, K, E (2) -- .288
1B Shealy 0-2, HBP, 2 K -- .344
SS Hernandez 1-2, CS -- .345

Phillips 5 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K -- L, 1-2, 6.38 ERA
Atencio IP, 3 K -- 5.40 ERA, very nice
Hughes IP, K -- 1.17 ERA

*** A 2-run 1st was enough for the RedHawks and SP Doug Mathis to get the win. Heath Phillips had 1 on with 2 out in the 1st when a steal, walk and double steal were followed by a 2-run single by C Max Ramirez to make it 2-0 Oklahoma City. Omaha stranded 2 in scoring position in the 1st but Kila Ka'aihue led off the 4th with a triple and scored on a Chris Lubanski groundout to cut the lead in half. Lubanski got caught stealing in a strike-em-out/throw-em-out double play to end the inning and Luis Hernandez was caught on the basepaths the next inning to spoil possible rallies. The O-Royals went down in order in the 7th as Mathis got the complete-game win with 7 IP of an ER allowed on 6 hits and a walk with 6 Ks to move to 1-1 with a 2.16 ERA. The RedHawks had only 3 hits as Ramirez was 1-3 with 2 RBI (8) to move to .228.

The O-Royals are 11-8 and 1.5 games back after defeating the RedHawks in today's finale. Brandon Duckworth got his 1st '09 win while Elizardo Ramirez took the loss.

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 12, Springfield 6

DH Strait 3-4, HR (2), RBI (2), K, 2 RS, CS (2) -- .271
SS Lisson 2-4, BB, 2 RBI (10), 2 RS, SB (2) -- .245
1B McFall 1-4, 2 RBI (16), K -- .224
CF Duarte 2-5, RBI (5), K, 2 RS -- .327
RF Parraz 2-2, HBP, BB, RBI (8), RS, picked off, OF assist at home -- .340
C Howell 2-4, RBI (4), 2 E -- .346
3B C. Smith 1-5, RBI (5), K, RS, 2 E (4) -- .169
LF Dickerson 1-3, BB, 2B (2), RBI (6), 2 RS -- .208
2B Mertins 0-4, BB, 2 RS, SB (3) -- .286

Lerew 5 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 6 H, 2 BB, K, WP -- 3.66 ERA
de la Vara 2 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 3 K -- BS, 2, W, 1-0, 5.00 ERA
Nicoll 2 IP, H, 2 K -- 0.79 ERA

*** The Naturals churned out 6 runs in the 1st but had to rally again after blowing the lead in the middle innings. Starter Anthony Lerew gave up a run on 3 hits before stranding 2 in scoring position in the 1st, and the Nats came out ready to produce in their half. Mario Lisson and Corey Smith hit RBI singles before Brian McFall singled home 2 runs and Joe Dickerson doubled home a run, altho McFall was thrown out at the plate for the first out of the inning. Dickerson scored on a wild pitch and the Nats went into the 2nd with a 6-1 lead. Lerew ran into more trouble in the 3rd as the Cardinals scored 3 runs on 2 walks, a triple, a wild pitch and Jeff Howell error to cut it to 6-4. They also wasted another triple in the inning. Gilbert de la Vara took over in the 6th and gave up the tying runs on a walk and 3 hits to blow the lead. NWA responded in the bottom of the inning with 5 runs on a Howell RBI single, Jose Duarte RBI single, Lisson RBI single, steal of home by Kurt Mertins on a double steal with Lisson, and Jordan Parraz RBI single to make it 11-6. Cody Strait went long in the 7th for his 2nd homer of the season to make it 12-6 Nats. Chris Nicoll allowed a triple in the 9th but closed the door on the win. RP Eddie Degerman took the loss with 3 ER allowed on 3 hits and 3 walks with 2 Ks over 2 IP to fall to 0-1 with a 12.00 ERA. Starter Ryan Kulik lasted only 3 IP of 6 ER on 7 hits and a walk with a K to make his ERA 18.00. Four Cards had 2 hits, including 2B Daniel Descalso, who had 2 triples (4) and his 18th RBI to move to .375. DH Steven Hill hit his 6th double but his average actually dropped to .436 despite his 2-5 night. 3B Brett Wallace was 2-4 with his 11th RBI and 2nd error to improve to .303.

The Naturals are 8-9 and 3 games back of the Cards. Game 2 is tonight as Blake Johnson (0-2, 7.07) faces Springfield righty Brandon Dickson (1-0, 5.63).

A-Adv. - Wilmington: off day

The Rocks start a 3-game set at the Potomac Nationals (9-9, defending league champs) tonight as Eduardo Paulino (1-0, 5.19) faces Nationals lefty William Atwood (0-3, 16.03). The Potomac roster features Washington prospects OF Michael Burgess (top position prospect, .182 BA, .753 OPS, 12 RS, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 19 K, 4 SB in 18 games and 66 ABs) and 1B Chris Marrero (.319/.921, 13 RS, 6 2B, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 3 E in 18 games and 69 ABs).

A - Burlington: Clinton 10, Bees 2

DH Bonilla 1-3, HBP, HR, 2 RBI (7), RS, 2 SB -- .216, on rise?
1B Hosmer 1-4, K -- .185
RF Francis 1-4, 2B (5) -- .382
SS Alfaro 0-4, K, SB -- .191
C McCauley 0-4, 2 K, RS -- .174

Fisher 4 IP, 7 ER, 8 H, 3 BB, 3 K, HRA -- L, 0-1, 7.15 ERA
Saito 3 IP, 2 H, 3 K, WP -- 7.15 ERA, now keep it up
Thompson IP, 3 ER, 2 H, BB, 3 K, 2 HRA -- 9.00 ERA

*** Brent Fisher got drubbed and the Bees couldn't come back. Clinton scored 3 runs on 2 walks and 3 hits off Fisher in the 1st, added 2 runs on 3 hits in the 3rd and 2 more runs on a 2-run homer by 1B Scott Savastano (his 1st) to make it 7-0. Sean McCauley reached on an error to lead off the 4th and Jose Bonilla followed with a 2-run shot for his 1st of the season to cut the lead to 7-2. The Bees' only other threat came in the 8th when they left 2 in scoring position. James Thompson gave up 3 runs on 2 homers in the 9th and Clinton finished off the win. RP Bobby LaFromboise got the win with 3 IP of a hit and 2 Ks to move to 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA. Starter Blake Nation lasted 4 innings of 2 runs (1 ER) on 3 hits, a walk and 2 Ks to move his ERA to 4.91. 3B Nate Tenbrink and C Travis Howell had 3 hits each for Clinton and 2 others had 2 hits. Howell clubbed his 3rd homer with 2 doubles (3) and 2 RBI (5) with 2 RS to move to .290. Tenbrink had 2 RBI (8) and his 4th error to move to .340.

The Bees are 5-11. The series concludes tonight as Manauris Baez (1-0, 3.60) vies against Clinton righty Brett Lorin (2-0, 1.06), who already beat the Bees once this season. Nick Van Stratten has hit the DL with his hand injury. IF Fernando Garcia is taking his roster spot for the moment.