Royals on the Farm 4/29

AAA - Omaha: off day

The O-Royals are 11-8 and 1 1/2 games back of first. A 4-game set at the Nashville Sounds (11-9, AAA Brew Crew) starts tonight as Bruce Chen (0-1, 5.06) squares off with Sounds lefty Lindsay Gulin (1-0, 8.36). The Sounds roster features Milwaukee prospects 3B Mat Gamel (top position prospect, .394 BA, 1.260 OPS, 18 RS, 7 HR, 26 RBI, 12 BB/17 K, 7 E in 19 games and 71 ABs), SS Alcides Escobar (.265/.660, 13 RS, 11 SB, 3 E in 20 games and 83 ABs), C Angel Salome (.182/.524 in 44 ABs), and OF Cole Gillespie (.143/.548, 2 SB in 5 games and only 14 ABs).

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 9, Springfield 8 (12)

3B C. Smith 3-5, HBP, 2B (3), HR (2), 3 RBI (9), 2 K, RS -- .190
1B McFall 2-5, BB, 2B (8), 2 RBI (18), 2 RS -- .238
RF Parraz 1-6, 2 RBI (10), RS -- .321
C Suomi 2-5 -- .324
LF Strait 1-5, S, RBI (3) -- .265
SS McConnell 1-5, S, RBI -- .148
CF Duarte 0-4, 2 BB, 3 K, RS, CS -- .306
2B Mertins 1-4, 2 BB, K, 2 RS -- .268
DH Lisson 0-4, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 RS, CS (2) -- .217
* NWA stranded 11.

B. Wood 1 1/3 IP, 7 ER, 7 H, BB, 3 K, 2 WP -- 7.56 ERA, another season of Jekyll and Hyde?
Crist 2 2/3 IP, ER, 3 H, 2 K -- 7.56 ERA
Sencion 4 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K -- 3.45 ERA
Holland 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K -- 3.65 ERA
Nicoll 2 IP, H, 4 K -- W, 2-0, 0.68 ERA

*** The Naturals recovered from an 8-run Springfield 2nd to tie it in the 7th and win in 12 despite going only 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Starter Blake Wood struck out 2 in the 1st but ran into immediate trouble in the 2nd, as his inning went single, wild pitch, single, 2-run triple, RBI single, swinging K, walk, RBI single, RBI single, wild pitch, pulled for Kyle Crist. Crist allowed a 2-run double and RBI single before escaping thanks to a double play with the Nats down, 8-0. The Naturals started clawing their way back in the 3rd as they loaded the bases with 1 out and got a 2-out, 2-run single from Jordan Parraz, a 2-run double from Brian McFall and an RBI single from Cody Strait to cut the lead to 8-5. Carlos Sencion stranded 2 in the 5th and Mario Lisson walked and scored on a Corey Smith double in the bottom of the inning to trim it to 8-6. Smith came up big his next time up as he smoked a 2-run homer to left for his 3rd of the season in the 7th to tie the game at 8. Greg Holland loaded the bases with 1 out in the Springfield 9th but got a timely double play to escape the jam. The Naturals stranded 2 in the 10th but, in the 12th, McFall drew a leadoff walk, was sacrificed to second, advanced to third on an error and scored on a throwing error by P Elvis Hernandez to end the game. Hernandez took the loss with an unearned run on a walk and 2 Ks over 1 1/3 IP to drop to 3-2 with a 5.40 ERA. Starter Brad Furnish allowed 6 ER on 5 hits and 4 walks with 4 Ks over 4 1/3 IP to move his ERA to 4.29. Cards 2B Dan Descalso was 4-6 with his 6th double and 20th RBI along with a K and RS to move to .392. DH Tyler Henley was 3-6 with a triple, 2 RBI (7), K and RS to move to .333, and two other Cards had 2 hits, including 3B Brett Wallace, who was 2-5 with a walk, his 12th RBI, 3 K and a run scored to move to .293. C Steven Hill also had 2 RBI to move to 17 on the season.

The Naturals are 10-9 and a game back of the Cardinals as they go for the sweep tonight. Matt Kniginyzky (0-1, 4.20) is set to start versus Cards righty Tyler Herron (0-1, 9.00).

A-Adv. - Wilmington: rainout

The Rocks are 9-10 and 3 games back. The game will be made up as part of a twinbill today with Potomac. Game 1 pits Mario Santiago (0-2, 8.53) versus Nationals lefty Tom Milone (1-1, 3.45). Game 2 will see Everett Teaford (2-0, 2.20) take on Potomac righty Jeff Mandel (1-1, 3.78).

A - Burlington: Peoria 9, Bees 0

2B F. Garcia 2-4, 2B -- .500, season debut
SS Alfaro 1-4, 2B -- .182
1B Hosmer 0-2, 2 BB -- .200, .310 OBP, 10 BB/21 K in 60 AB
RF Francis 0-3, 2 K -- .339
DH McCauley 1-3, BB -- .173
C S. Perez 0-3, BB, E (2) -- .108, he's struggling, but he isn't even 19 until May 10
CF Norris 1-4, OF assists at home and third -- .196

Runion 5 IP, 6 ER, 10 H, 2 BB, K, HRA -- L, 1-3, 9.47 ERA, only had 1 start with ERA under 10 and less than 8 hits allowed
J. Garcia 3 IP, ER, 2 H, 3 K -- 1.69 ERA
Bowden IP, 2 ER, 2 H, BB, K, HRA -- 2.70 ERA

*** The Bees offense struggled again as Burlington was shut out for a second straight game and Sam Runion got drilled in the opener with Peoria. Runion had trouble getting through the 2nd as only a Patrick Norris assist from center at the plate helped end the inning to shut down a potential rally. He wasn't as lucky in the 3rd as the Chiefs churned out 4 runs on 3 hits plus a 2-run homer by LF Kyler Burke for his 2nd of the season. The Chiefs rallied for another run on a 2-out rally of 2 hits and a walk in the 4th, scored a run on 2 hits in the 5th, and then got another run off RP Justin Garcia on 2 hits in the 6th to make it 7-0. The Bees stranded 2 in the 7th but usually didn't have more than one baserunner per inning. They stranded 2 in the 8th again and then Barry Bowden gave up a 2-run homer to pinch-hitter Mario Mercedes for his 1st of the season to make it 9-0 in the 9th. The Bees didn't threaten in the 9th as RP Mike Perconte picked up the 3-inning save for his 1st of the season. Chiefs SP Alberto Cabrera got the win with 4 hits and 2 walks allowed with 2 Ks over 6 IP to improve to 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA. CF Tony Campana was 3-3 for Peoria with 2 walks, his 1st triple, his 5th RBI, 3 RS and 2 SB (10) out of the leadoff spot to move his BA to .280. Three other Chiefs had 2 hits, including DH Josh Vitters, who hit his 2nd double and scored a run to improve to .317. 1B Rebel Ridling (great name) was 1-5 with his 8th double and 2 RBI (20) in dropping to .305. Burke's 2 RBI gave him 9 on the season.

The Bees are 5-13. Game 2 is tonight as Luis Cota (0-1, 3.00) faces Peoria righty Aaron Shafer (2-1, 3.18).