Royals on the Farm 5/13

Bannister pitches OK, but once again the offense disappoints. I hope this isn't the cold splash of reality water in the face to Royals fans it looks like. The AL Central is winnable this season.

AAA - Omaha: Salt Lake 13, O-Royals 12

1B Ka'aihue 3-5, BB, 2 HR (5), 3 RBI (18), K, 3 RS -- .240, that's what we've been waiting for
LF B. Pena 3-6, HR, 4 RBI (7), K, 2 RS -- .353
DH House 3-6, HR (4), RBI (18), K, 2 RS -- .331
2B Hulett 3-6, RS -- .293
RF Aldridge 2-4, BB, 2 RBI (19) -- .253
3B Metcalf 2-4, BB, RS -- .284
C Tupman 1-5, 2B, RBI (5), RS -- .286
CF Murphy 2-4, BB, picked off -- .211
* Omaha stranded 11.

Phillips 3 IP, 10 ER, 10 H, 4 BB, 2 K, HRA -- L, 1-4, 8.72 ERA, gone from great first start to point I'm wondering how long he'll be in organization
Hughes 2 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, BB, 2 K, 2 HRA -- 5.52 ERA
Atencio 2 IP, BB, K -- 7.07 ERA
Colon IP, K -- 2.89 ERA

*** Salt Lake pounded out its 13 runs in the first 5 innings then held off a Royal comeback to win despite getting outhit, 20-15. Heath Phillips had a dismal outing as he allowed 5 runs in the 1st on 4 hits (3 doubles) and 3 walks. Omaha answered with 3 in the 2nd on a Matt Tupman RBI double and 2-run single by Cory Aldridge before stranding 2. Phillips had a quiet 2nd and Omaha got another run in the 3rd on a run-scoring Bees error to cut it to 5-4. Phillips got smashed in the 3rd for another 5-run rally on 5 hits and a walk, including 4 more XBH counting a leadoff homer by SS Brandon Wood for his 7th of the season. Dusty Hughes came in for the 4th and served up another leadoff homer to Wood for his 8th of the season to make it 11-4. Kila Ka'aihue got the Omaha offense restarted in the 5th with a 2-run homer for his 4th of the season but the Royals would strand 2. Hughes gave up another solo homer, this time to LF Chris Pettit (his 2nd) and another run on 2 hits before stranding the bases full in the 5th. With the score 13-6, Omaha gradually inched closer. Brayan Pena slammed a 3-run homer in the 6th for his 1st in Omaha this season and then hit an RBI single in the 7th to cut it to 13-10, but Omaha once again stranded 2. J.R. House led off the 8th with his 4th homer of the season but, again, Omaha stranded 2 with the score 13-11. Greg Atencio and Roman Colon provided 3 innings of good relief and, after a Pena double play ball in the 9th, Ka'aihue hit his 2nd homer of the game and 5th of the season to cut the lead to 1. House struck out swinging to end it as RP Jeremy Hill got his 7th save. Former Omaha P Brad Salmon got the win in relief with an unearned run allowed on 2 hits over 1 1/3 IP to move to 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA. Starter Mike MacDonald allowed 6 runs (5 ER) on 10 hits and 3 walks with 2 Ks over 4 2/3 IP to move his ERA to 6.12. Five Bees had multiple hits, including Wood, who was 3-4 with a walk, his 4th double, 2 HR, 3 RBI (15) and 3 RS to move to .351. I'd like to see the Royals try to pick him up. Pettit was 2-4 with the walk, HR, 2 RBI (25), a K, 9th SB and 3 RS to move to .415.

The O-Royals are 17-16 and 2 games back. Game 3 is tonight as Matt Wright makes his '09 debut versus Salt Lake righty Brad Knox (2-1, 5.27). IF Ed Lucas was demoted back to NWA to make room for Jose Duarte. Lucas, again, wasn't hitting AAA pitching.

AA - NW Arkansas: Springfield 9, Naturals 8

1B C. Smith 3-5, HR (5), 2 RBI (18), K, RS, E (8) -- .246, 11-game hit streak
2B Mertins 3-5, 2B (5), RBI (13), RS -- .270
DH Lisson 2-5, 2 RBI (15), RS -- .216
SS McConnell 1-3, 2 SF, 2 RBI (6), 2 K, RS -- .167
3B J. Johnson 1-3, BB, RBI (3), K, RS -- .231
LF Dickerson 0-4, HBP, K -- .242
RF Parraz 0-4, HBP, RS -- .348
CF Strait 1-2, 3 BB, K, RS -- .301
C Suomi 1-5, 2B (2), RS -- .321

B. Johnson 4 2/3 IP, 6 R (5 ER), 12 H, 2 BB, 2 K, HRA, pickoff -- L, 1-3, 5.04 ERA, BP out there
Sencion 2 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, BB, 3 K -- 4.64 ERA
Holland 2 1/3 IP, BB, K -- 2.50 ERA

*** The Naturals had a better night in their second try versus Cards SP Trey Hearne but Springfield also had its way with 2 NWA pitchers as the Cardinals squeaked out the win in the opener. Blake Johnson had trouble from the get-go as the Cards rapped out 2 runs on 4 hits and a walk before stranding 2. The Cards added 2 more runs on 2 hits and a Corey Smith fielding error to make it 4-0 in the 2nd. Chris McConnell got the Naturals on the board with a sac fly in the 2nd and Josh Johnson added an RBI single to cut it to 4-2. Smith hit his 5th homer for a solo shot in the 3rd to cut it to 4-3 but Springfield rallied for 2 more runs in the 5th on 3 hits and a walk, including a 2-run HR by RF Steven Hill (his 9th). McConnell hit another sac fly in the 6th to cut it to 6-4 but the Cards scored 3 in the 7th on 3 hits and a walk off Carlos Sencion to make it 9-4. Mario Lisson hit a 2-run bases-loaded single in the 7th but stranded 2 and Kurt Mertins and Smith had RBI singles in the 8th to cut it to 9-8 but Lisson popped out to strand the tying run at third. RP Francisco Samuel pitched a scoreless 9th for his 8th save. Hearne picked up the win with 5 IP of 4 ER allowed on 6 hits and 2 walks with 3 Ks to improve to 2-1 with a 3.44 ERA. C Tony Cruz was 3-5 with his 6th double and 3 RBI (15) with a RS to move to .247. Five others had multi-hit games for Springfield. Hill was 1-4 with the walk, his HR, 2 RBI (23), a K, RS, and his first 2 errors to move to .314. 3B Brett Wallace was 0-3 with 2 walks, a K and RS to drop to .276.

The Nats are 15-17 and 3 games back. Game 2 is tonight as Anthony Lerew (1-2, 6.00) faces Cards lefty Ryan Kulik (0-1, 5.65).

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Blue Rocks 3, Kinston 2

CF D. Robinson 2-3, BB, RS, SB (17) -- .235
SS Bianchi 2-4, K -- .306
3B Moustakas 1-4, 2 RBI (23), SB (2), E (8) -- .276
C Eigsti 1-3, HR, RBI (10), K, RS -- .246
1B C. Robinson 0-4, 2 K -- .340, they move him to cleanup, he doesn't hit, drop him to 7th, he whales, weird
RF Lough 1-4 -- .286
LF Ortiz 1-3, K, RS -- .274

Teaford 6 1/3 IP, ER, 5 H, BB -- W, 3-1, 3.03 ERA, no Ks, but good start otherwise
Swaggerty 1 2/3 IP, 2 BB, 2 K, WP -- 3.09 ERA
Abreu IP, ER, H, BB, 3 K -- SV, 1, 9.00 ERA, '09 debut

*** Everett Teaford held the K-Tribe in check and the bullpen held the lead late to give Wilmington an assured series win. Neither team had a hit until the 3rd. The Rocks scored their first run that inning on a Mike Moustakas RBI forceout before leaving 2 in scoring position. Ryan Eigsti hit a 2-out solo shot in the 4th for his 1st homer of the season and Moustakas hit an RBI single in the 5th before Wilmington again stranded 2. Teaford finally relented a run in the 7th on 3 hits before Ben Swaggerty came in and got a bases-loaded double play to escape the jam. Swaggerty stranded 2 in the 8th and Juan Abreu made his Rocks '09 debut in the 9th and gave up a walk and 2-out RBI triple before getting a game-ending K with the tying run at third. Kinston SP Eric Berger took the loss with 5 IP of 3 ER allowed on 7 hits and 2 walks with 4 Ks to drop to 3-2 with a 2.12 ERA. Six Indians had a hit each. 3B Lonnie Chisenhall was 0-2 with a walk and HBP to fall to .326.

Wilmington is 15-17 and 5 games back of first. The Rocks go for the sweep tonight with Alex Caldera (0-2, 4.97) facing Kinston righty Paolo Espino (0-0, 0.00).

A - Burlington: rainout

The Bees are 12-18. The game is being made up as part of a doubleheader today. Bryan Casey will start one while Sam Runion (1-3, 8.67) will start the other. Yesterday's scheduled Kane County starter, Anthony Capra, will start one game for the Cougars. No announced second starter for KC that I see.