Royals on the Farm 5/17 & 5/18

I hate Mondays....

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 11, Colorado Springs 5 (Sun.)

3B-2B Hulett 3-6, GS (2), 6 RBI (28), K, 2 RS -- .307
1B Ka'aihue 3-5, 2B (9), HR (7), 2 RBI (23), K, RS -- .270, picking up steam
RF Aldridge 3-5, RBI (23), RS -- .291
2B-LF Murphy 2-4, BB, 2B (5), 2 RS, E (2) -- .219
SS Falu 2-4, 2 BB, 3B (2), 3 RS, E (3) -- .280
DH B. Pena 1-4, BB, RBI (11) -- .320
LF Buchanan 1-4, HR (2), RBI (4), K, RS -- .219
C House 0-5, K, E -- .317
CF Duarte 1-5, picked off -- .235

DiNardo 6 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 4 H, 3 BB, 3 K -- W, 3-1, 4.15 ERA
Colon 3 IP, UER, 5 H, BB, K -- SV, 2, 3.09 ERA

*** Omaha turned on the offense in the 5th to build a big lead and coast to the win to even the series at a game each. Irving Falu led off the game with a triple and scored on a Tug Hulett groundout to give the O-Royals a quick 1-0 lead before Omaha stranded 2 in scoring position. Hulett came back up with the bases loaded and 1 out in the 2nd and smoked a grand slam to center for his 2nd homer of the season to make it Hulett 5, Sky Sox 0. Kila Ka'aihue threw a runner out at the plate to end the CS 3rd and Brian Buchanan extended Omaha's lead with a solo homer in the 5th for his 2nd of the season to make it 6-0. Hulett hit an RBI single in the 6th to stretch the lead to 7 but Lenny DiNardo finally gave up a run in the 6th as the Sky Sox offense showed signs of life. Ka'aihue got the run back with a solo homer in the 7th for his 7th of the season but DiNardo was pulled with a run in, 2 in scoring position and 0 out in the bottom of the inning. Roman Colon allowed 3 more runs to score before escaping the jam with Omaha up, 8-5. Brayan Pena and Ka'aihue hit 2-out RBI singles in the 8th to get some cushion back and Cory Aldridge singled in a run in the 9th to end the scoring. Sox SP Alan Johnson took the loss with 5 IP of 6 ER allowed on 7 hits, 2 walks and 3 Ks to drop to 4-1 with a 4.50 ERA. Four Sox had 2 hits, including RF Dan Ortmeier, who was 2-3 with 2 RBI (24) and a K to improve to .347. 3B Mike McCoy was 2-3 with his 2nd error, 3rd triple, 12th RBI, 2 walks and a run scored to improve to .382.

Colorado Springs 11, O-Royals 6 (Mon.)

1B Ka'aihue 4-5, 2 2B (11), RS -- .292
DH B. Pena 1-5, HR (2), 2 RBI (13), 2 K, RS -- .309
LF Murphy 1-4, 2 RBI (7), K, OF assist at second -- .220
CF Duarte 1-4, 3B, RBI (3), RS, 2 E -- .238
3B Metcalf 1-5, RBI (22), K, RS -- .284
2B Hulett 0-4, BB, K -- .298
C House 1-4, BB, 2B (5), RS -- .315
* Omaha stranded 10 and was 4-15 with RISP.

Phillips 6 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 3 K -- 8.05 ERA
Rosa IP, 6 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, K, 2 WP -- L, 0-4, 6.64 ERA, not taking well to bullpen
Hughes IP, 2 ER, 2 H, BB, K, WP -- 6.32 ERA

*** A disastrous 8th helped the Sky Sox race past Omaha to take a 2-1 series lead. Omaha scored first with 2 runs in the 2nd on a Travis Metcalf RBI single and Tommy Murphy RBI groundout to make it 2-0 Royals, but Omaha stranded 2. The Sky Sox took the lead off Heath Phillips in the 3rd with 3 runs on 3 hits, a walk and sac fly. Phillips stranded 2 in the 5th and Omaha tied the game in the 7th on a Jose Duarte triple followed by an RBI single from Murphy but Omaha again stranded 2. The Royals regained the lead in the 8th on a Duarte RBI groundout but again left 2 in scoring position. Carlos Rosa pitched a perfect 7th but allowed a single, walk, walk, RBI single, and two run-scoring wild pitches, then one more walk to get pulled for Dusty Hughes, who allowed 5 more runs to score thanks in part to a Duarte error as the Sox pulled ahead, 11-4. Brayan Pena hammered a 2-run homer in the 9th for his 2nd of the season but Omaha left 2 more on. RP Damian Moss got the win with an unearned run allowed on a hit and walk with 2 Ks over 1 2/3 IP to improve to 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA. Starter Jason Hirsh allowed 3 ER on 7 hits and a walk with 2 Ks over 6 1/3 IP to move his ERA to 5.13. 3B Mike McCoy was 3-4 with his 3rd error, 2 SB (11), a walk and 2 RBI (14) with a RS to move to .396. DH Kenny Perez was 2-4 with a walk and RS to move to .309, and 2B Eric Young Jr. added 2 RBI (10) and stole his 21st base.

The O-Royals are 19-19 and 2 1/2 games back. The series wraps tonight as Matt Wright (0-0, 6.75) faces Sky Sox lefty Kurt Birkins (0-1, 7.20). Ryan Shealy was finally placed on the DL with his swollen knee.

AA - NW Arkansas: off day Sunday

Naturals 3, Tulsa 1 (Mon.)

RF Parraz 1-4, RBI (17), 2 K -- .336
3B Lucas 1-4, RBI (2), SB -- .400
C Suomi 1-3, 2B (3), RBI (10), 2 K -- .321
LF Dickerson 0-2, 2 BB, RS -- .228
SS Lisson 1-3, K -- .207
CF Strait 0-3 -- .308
2B-SS McConnell 1-3, RS, SB (3) -- .185

Cortes 5 2/3 IP, ER, 5 H, 5 BB, 4 K, HRA -- W, 1-4, 4.35 ERA, gets elusive 1st W of '09
Hayes 1 1/3 IP, K -- 0.74 ERA, Disco is on fire...
Holland 2 IP, BB, 4 K -- SV, 2, 2.25 ERA

*** Both teams had 5 hits but NWA made more out of them to take the opener with Tulsa. Tulsa took the lead in the 3rd as RF Ryan Harvey clubbed a solo shot for his 5th of the season but Dan Cortes stranded 2 Drillers. Ed Lucas tied the game with an RBI single in the 3rd and John Suomi hit a 2-out RBI double in the 4th to make it 2-1 Naturals. Cortes was pulled for Chris Hayes with the bases full and 2 out in the 6th and Hayes got a forceout to escape the jam. He and Greg Holland retired 10 of the last 11 batters as Holland struck out the side around a walk in the 9th. Jordan Parraz singled home a run in the 8th to make the final 3-1. Tulsa SP Andy Graham took the loss with 4 IP of 2 ER allowed on 3 hits and 3 walks with 5 Ks to fall to 1-2 with a 6.18 ERA. 2B Rex Rundgren was 2-3 to improve to .190. Harvey's homer gave him his 18th RBI as his 1-3 day moved his BA to .218.

The Naturals are 18-18 and 2 games back. Game 2 with the Drillers (19-17, AA Rockies) is tonight as Blake Johnson (1-3, 5.04) faces Tulsa righty Jhoulys Chacin (3-3, 3.23, top organizational P prospect). Corey Smith's hitting streak was snapped at 14 games with an 0-4 night. The Nats are 3-2 versus Tulsa thus far.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Lynchburg 4, Blue Rocks 0 (Sun.)

Moustakas DNP
SS Bianchi 2-4, K -- .310
CF D. Robinson 1-3, BB -- .244
2B Giavotella 0-4 -- .211
RF Lough 1-4 -- .301
1B C. Robinson 1-4 -- .333
LF Ortiz 1-3, SB (4) -- .259

Santiago 6 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 5 K, 2 WP -- L, 1-4, 4.95 ERA
Villa 1 1/3 IP, 2 UER, 2 H, 2 BB, E -- 4.30 ERA

*** Three Hillcats pitchers combined on a 7-hit shutout as Lynchburg took 2 of 3 from the Rocks. The Hillcats scored a run on 2 hits off Mario Santiago in the 1st and that was all they really needed. Santiago stranded 2 in the 2nd but allowed another run in the 5th on 2 hits, a walk and wild pitch. The Rocks stranded a runner here and there as they just couldn't rally. The 'Cats scored 2 unearned runs off Kelvin Villa in the 8th on 2 hits, a walk and 2 Rocks errors in the inning. RP Michael Dubee pitched a perfect 9th to end it. Starter Matt McSwain silenced the Rocks over 6 IP on 4 hits with 2 walks but 0 Ks in improving to 3-1 with a 4.12 ERA. CF Alex Presley was 3-5 with his 9th RBI to improve to .280, 2B Ray Chang was 2-4 with 2 K and a RS to move to .345 and 3B Pedro Alvarez was 1-2 with 2 walks and his 31st RBI to move to .214.

Blue Rocks 5, Salem 2 (Mon.)

DH Lough 3-4, 3B, K, RS, 2 SB (4) -- .316
3B Moustakas 2-4, HR (7), 3 RBI (30), RS -- .276
CF D. Robinson 0-3, S, 2 K -- .239
2B Giavotella 0-3, BB, K, RS, E (7) -- .205, fast track is gonna be on hold
SS Bianchi 0-4 -- .300
1B C. Robinson 0-3, BB, 2 K -- .325
LF Ortiz 1-4, K, RS -- .259

Teaford 6 IP, H, BB, 5 K, 2 pickoffs -- W, 4-1, 2.56 ERA, get him to AA
Chavez 2 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 2 K -- 3.42 ERA
Abreu 1/3 IP, K -- SV, 2, 20.25 ERA

*** Mike Moustakas had the big blow and Everett Teaford was outstanding as the Rocks took the first of 4 with Salem. Paulo Orlando scored on a wild pitch in the 2nd to give the Rocks a lead and Teaford had 2 pickoffs in the early innings as he cruised. The Rocks broke it open in the 6th as Moustakas went long for his 7th homer for a 3-run shot and David Lough tripled and scored on a Salem error to make it 5-0. Salem got on the board off Chris Chavez in the 8th on 3 hits and a sac fly and then scored another run in the 9th on 3 hits off Chavez before Juan Abreu closed the door for his 2nd save. Salem SP Kyle Weiland took the loss with 6 IP of 5 runs (4 ER) on 6 hits and a walk with 6 Ks to drop to 1-4 with a 7.88 ERA. CF Che-Hsuan Lin was 2-3 with his 3rd error, a walk and his 11th RBI to move to .191 and RF Matt Sheely was 2-3 to move to .317. Lin also had an OF assist at second.

Wilmington is 18-19 and 6 games back. The series with the Salem Red Sox (20-18) continues tonight as Alex Caldera (0-2, 4.36) faces Sox lefty Jose Capellan (2-1, 6.61, the young version). Sunday's shutout victimized the Rocks for the 6th time with a blanking this season. The Rocks are 2-3 versus Salem.

A - Burlington: Cedar Rapids 1, Bees 0 (2-hitter, Sun.)

LF D. Wood 1-4, K, SB (2) -- .273
SS Jimenez 1-3 -- .202
RF Van Stratten 0-3, BB, K, E -- .344
1B Hosmer 0-4 -- .236
C Bonilla 0-3, K -- .247
CF Norris 0-3, 2 K -- .208

Montgomery 4 1/3 IP, H, 4 BB, 7 K -- 0.00 ERA, great debut other than BB
Saito 3 2/3 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 3 K -- L, 1-3, 4.21 ERA
Bowden IP, nothing -- 2.63 ERA

*** The teams combined for 6 hits but only 2 came from the Bees as 4 Kernels pitchers combined on the blanking. The dismal offensive night spoiled a solid A-ball debut from Mike Montgomery as he held the Kernels in check over 4 1/3 innings of work. He stranded 2 in the 2nd but didn't give up a hit until his final batter in the 5th. The problem was the Bees were also no-hit into the 5th by Kernels SP Tyler Chatwood. David Wood led off the Bees' half of that inning with a single but the Bees made nothing of it. The Kernels took the lead in the 8th on 2 hits and a double steal of second and home that broke the game open. RP Vladimir Veras pitched a perfect 9th for his 5th save. RP Andrew Taylor ended up with the win after pitching a perfect 7th and striking out the side to improve to 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA. Chatwood allowed a hit with 2 walks and 6 Ks over 6 IP to drop his ERA to 1.93. Four Kernels had a hit each.

Cedar Rapids 3, Bees 2 (Mon.)

1B D. Wood 2-2, 2 BB, RS -- .294
PH-RF Francis 2-2 -- .307
3B Martin 0-1, 2 BB, SF, RBI (13) -- .186
RF-LF Van Stratten 0-4, BB, 3 K, RS -- .324
DH Hosmer 0-5, 5 K -- .225, wow, do they even have a slang term for a 5-K night? ouch
CF Norris 1-4, 3 K, SB (13) -- .210
2B F. Garcia 1-3, 2 BB, CS (3) -- .304
* The Bees stranded 10.

Lehmann 3 1/3 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 3 K -- 2.70 ERA
J. Garcia 3 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 5 K, HRA -- L, 1-2, 5.31 ERA
Thompson 2 IP, H, K -- 3.79 ERA

*** The Kernels held off the Bees to earn at least a split of the set as Mike Lehmann made his '09 debut for Burlington. David Wood hit a 1-out single in the 2nd, advanced to third on an error and scored on a wild pitch to get the Bees the lead. Lehmann had allowed only a hit over 2 frames but the Kernels tied it in the 3rd on a walk and hit along with 2 steals in the inning. Justin Garcia relieved Lehmann and stranded 2 in the 4th and the Bees stranded 2 in the 4th. Garcia served up a leadoff homer to C Anel De Los Santos (his 3rd) in the 5th and another run in the inning made it 3-1 Kernels. Kyle Martin hit a sac fly in the 6th to cut the lead to 1 but the Bees again stranded 2. The Bees left 2 in scoring position in the 7th and then left the bases full in the 8th before RP Michael Kohn finished the game in the 9th for his 2nd save. Starter Ryan Chaffee got the win with 5 IP of an unearned run allowed on 2 hits and 2 walks with 8 Ks to improve to 2-1 with a 2.77 ERA. De Los Santos was 2-4 with his homer and 7th RBI along with 2 K and a RS to improve to .273 and 3B Dwayne Bailey was 2-2 with his 1st SB, a walk and RS to move to .280.

The Bees are 14-22. The series ends tonight as Bryan Casey (2-3, 2.25) faces Kernels lefty Will Smith (0-1, 6.00).