Royals on the Farm 5/31 & 6/1

Bah. Another 2-day post....

AAA - Omaha: Nashville 8, O-Royals 4 (Sun.)

LF Thorman 3-4, 2 HR (7), 2 RBI (14), 2 RS -- .227, seems to have recovered his stroke under the loving mercy of Dayton Moore
SS Lisson 1-4, HR, 2 RBI (4), RS -- .185
DH House 2-4 -- .306
1B Ka'aihue 0-4, 2 K -- .275
3B Metcalf 1-4 -- .240

Phillips 6 IP, 6 ER, 5 H, BB, 6 K, 3 HRA -- L, 2-5, 6.96 ERA
Rosa 2 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, BB, 2 K, pickoff -- 7.36 ERA

*** Omaha held a momentary 3-2 lead but Nashville used four 2-run rallies to take the series finale. RF Brendan Katin started a 3-homer barrage off Heath Phillips with a 2-run shot in the 1st for his 9th of the season to spot the Sounds a lead. Scott Thorman went long for his 6th of the season for a 1-out solo shot in the 4th and Mario Lisson hit his 1st AAA homer for a 2-run longball in the 5th to make it 3-2 Royals. Sounds LF Cole Gillespie turned the lead back to Nashville in the 5th with a 2-run homer for his 2nd of the season but Thorman led off the 6th with his 7th homer of the season and 2nd of the game to tie it at 4. Katin came up with 1 on and 1 out in the Nashville 6th and went long again for his 10th of the season and 2nd of the game and Nashville held a 6-4 lead it wouldn't give up. Two RBI singles in the 8th sewed it up for Nashville as Omaha squandered 2 singles to start the 9th. Sounds SP Tim Dillard got the win with 7 IP of 4 ER allowed on 6 hits and a walk with 2 Ks to improve to 7-2 with a 3.68 ERA. Katin was 3-4 with 2 HR and 5 RBI (40) and a K to improve to .293, SS Alcides Escobar was 2-4 with his 11th double and 2 RS to move to .294 and Gillespie's 2 RBI gave him 9 on the season.

off day (Mon.)

The O-Royals are 23-28 and 4 1/2 games out. A 4-game home set with the Round Rock Express (23-29, AAA 'Stros) starts tonight with Luke Hochevar (5-1, 1.17) facing Express righty Jeremy Johnson (3-3, 3.10). Omaha is 2-2 versus Round Rock. OF Jose Duarte has been returned to NWA after hitting .182 in his first taste of AAA. The Sarpy County, Nebraska, commission has approved a new stadium for the O-Royals slated to be ready in April 2011. It's still in the Omaha metro area.

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 6, Frisco 5 (Sun.)

DH C. Smith 2-3, BB, HR (8), 2 RBI (29), RS -- .237
1B McFall 2-4, RBI (33), K, RS, SB (2) -- .273
C Suomi 2-2, 2 BB, HR (7), RBI (14), RS -- .350
CF Strait 2-4, 2B (12), RBI (11), RS -- .309
2B Mertins 2-5, 2B (8), K, RS, CS (4) -- .274
RF Parraz 1-3, BB, RS, OF assist at second, E (4) -- .331
SS McConnell 1-4, RBI (10), 2 K -- .250
* LF Ed Lucas also had an OF assist at home.

Lerew 6 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 4 BB, 2 K, HRA -- 5.05 ERA
Nicoll 2 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, K -- BS, 2, W, 4-0, 2.27 ERA

*** The Naturals blew a late lead but a Chris McConnell RBI single in the 8th made the difference in a Nats victory. Anthony Lerew gave up a leadoff homer to CF Craig Gentry (his 3rd) to start the game but Corey Smith hit his 8th longball of the season for a 2-run shot in the bottom of the inning to make it 2-1 NWA. John Suomi went long for his 7th homer of the season in the 2nd as the solo blast made it 3-1. Ed Lucas gunned down a runner at the plate to end the Frisco 3rd. Brian McFall singled home a run in the 3rd and Cody Strait doubled home another run before Lucas was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. Frisco scored a run on 2 hits in the 4th to cut the lead to 5-2 and that lead held into the 7th. Chris Nicoll was brought in that inning with 2 out and 1 on and allowed 2 singles and a game-tying 2-run double to blow his 2nd save of the season. NWA stranded 2 in the 7th but got 2 in scoring position with 1 out in the 8th before McConnell's single scored Strait to break the game open. Nicoll finished it for his 4th win. RP Brennan Garr took the loss with an ER allowed on 2 hits and a walk in an IP to drop to 1-2 with a 4.00 ERA. Starter Michael Schlact allowed 5 ER on 8 hits and a walk with a K to bump his ERA to 9.69. Gentry was 3-4 with a walk, his 11th double, the HR and his 20th RBI with 2 RS to move to .264 and RF Mitchell Moreland was 2-4 with a run scored, 2 doubles (4) and 2 RBI (3) and an OF assist at the plate to move to .381. DH Marcus Lemon was 1-3 with a walk, his 15th RBI, a K and RS to move to .286.

Naturals 11, Frisco 2 (Mon.)

LF Lucas 4-5, K, 2 RS -- .270
3B C. Smith 3-5, HR (9), 6 RBI (35), K, 2 RS, CS (4) -- .246
2B Mertins 2-3, 2 BB, 2 2B (10), RBI (22), 4 RS -- .281
1B McFall 2-5, RBI (34), K -- .277
CF Strait 2-5, RBI (12), K, RS -- .311
RF Parraz 2-4, BB, K, RS, OF assist at first -- .336
DH Suomi 0-5 -- .329
SS McConnell 1-4, 2B (4), K, RS -- .250
C Clark 0-3, HBP, RBI (3), K -- .333

B. Johnson 7 IP, ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 K, HRA -- W, 3-4, 4.18 ERA
Hartsock 2 IP, ER, H, BB, 2 K -- 8.10 ERA

*** Blake Johnson pitched well and Corey Smith was a one-man wrecking crew on offense as the Naturals took the series. Smith got the Naturals started with an RBI single in the 1st and Kurt Mertins scored a second run to make it 2-0 NWA. Mertins hit an RBI double in the 3rd and Brian McFall and Cody Strait added RBI singles to stretch the lead to 5-0. The Naturals loaded the bases with 2 out in the 4th and Smith laced a 2-run single to make it 7-0. Johnson lost his shutout in the 5th on a solo homer by RF Adam Fox for his 3rd of the season. Johnson left 'em loaded in the 7th and Cody Clark hit an RBI forceout in the bottom of the inning to make it 8-1. Aaron Hartsock allowed a run in the 8th but the Nats finished off the scoring with 3 in their half on a 3-run blast by Smith for his 9th of the season. Frisco SP Jared Hyatt took the loss with 3 IP of 5 ER allowed on 8 hits with 3 Ks to drop to 0-3 with a 10.13 ERA. Fox was 2-4 with the homer and his 13th RBI to move to .233 and Lemon was 2-4 to improve to .291.

The Naturals are 24-25 and 4 games back. They have today off.

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

1B C. Robinson 1-4, HR (6), RBI (29), K, RS -- .298
CF D. Robinson 1-4, SB (27) -- .242
2B Giavotella 0-4, K, E (10) -- .223
DH Lough 1-2, BB, HBP -- .340
SS Bianchi 0-4, K -- .313
LF Ortiz 1-3 -- .268
PH Moustakas 0-1 -- .269
* C Ryan Eigsti picked off a runner at first.

Duffy 7 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 4 H, 2 BB, 7 K -- L, 5-2, 2.95 ERA
Liotta 2 IP, H, BB, 3 K -- 5.40 ERA

*** A quality start by Danny Duffy was wasted as former Royals farmhand Erik Cordier got the win for Myrtle Beach. All 3 Pelican runs came in the 4th as 3 hits and a walk scored 2 runs and 2 Rocks errors on 1 play scored a third run to make it 3-0. Cordier had a 2-hit shutout into the 6th when the Rocks left the bases full. Clint Robinson led off the 7th with his 6th roundtripper of the season for Wilmington's only run. Cordier pitched 6 1/3 innings of 1 ER allowed on 5 hits and a walk with 5 Ks to improve to 2-2 with a 2.87 ERA. RP Benino Pruneda pitched 2 hitless innings for his 2nd save. CF C.J. Lee was 2-4 with a K and OF assist at second to move to .284. LF Cody Johnson hit his 12th double with his 37th RBI to drop to .276.

Kinston 3, Blue Rocks 2 (Mon.)

C Eigsti 3-3, BB, 2 RBI (19) -- .259, threw out another 2 baserunners, leads CL with 26 CS
3B Moustakas 1-4, 2B (12), K -- .269
CF D. Robinson 0-5, K -- .235
2B Giavotella 0-3, BB, E (11) -- .219
SS Bianchi 0-1, 2 BB, S, K, RS, SB (11) -- .311
RF Lough 1-4, 3 K -- .338
1B C. Robinson 1-4, 2 K, RS, SB, E (4) -- .297
LF Ortiz 0-4, 2 K -- .261

Paulino 4 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 4 H, 3 BB, 3 K, HRA -- L, 1-3, 5.60 ERA
R. Hardy 4 IP, 3 H, BB, 3 K -- 4.91 ERA

*** All 5 runs in the game were scored in the 4th as the K-Tribe took the opener of the 3-game set. The Rocks left the bases full in the 3rd but scored twice in the 4th on a 2-out, 2-run Ryan Eigsti single. Eduardo Paulino served up a 2-run homer, however, to DH Lonnie Chisenhall (his 9th) and a Johnny Giavotella throwing error scored another run to make it 3-2 Indians. I guess it was actually 1B Clint Robinson that screwed up by running to the dugout thinking the third out had been recorded before Giavotella's throw. The Rocks left the tying run at third in the 8th and Rowdy Hardy got out of a bases-loaded jam that inning. RP Dallas Cawiezell pitched the 9th for Kinston for his 6th save. Starter Ryan Morris lasted 6 IP of 2 ER allowed on 4 hits and 4 walks with 6 Ks to move to 3-5 with a 5.25 ERA. Chisenhall had his HR and 2 RBI (42) with 2 K as he was 1-3 to move to .305. LF Lucas Montero and RF Ryan Blair had 2 hits for the Tribe.

The Rocks are 25-25 and 8 games back. Game 2 at the Kinston Indians (23-27) is tonight as Mario Santiago (1-5, 4.99) faces K-Tribe righty Bryce Stowell in his Kinston debut. The Rocks are 6-2 versus the K-Tribe.

A - Burlington: Fort Wayne 12, Bees 5 (Sun.)

1B Hosmer 2-4, BB, HR (3), 3 RBI (27), K, RS -- .267, keep it up
DH McCauley 3-4, RS -- .219
C S. Perez 2-3, BB, 2B (5), RS -- .175
SS Jimenez 0-3, BB, RBI (10) -- .211
LF-RF Van Stratten 1-5, K, RS, E (2) -- .336
RF Francis 0-3, 3 K -- .316
CF Norris 1-3, BB -- .221

Runion 3 IP, 7 ER, 10 H, 4 BB, K, HRA -- L, 2-4, 7.26 ERA
Bryant 3 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, BB, 3 K, HRA -- 5.16 ERA
J. Garcia IP, 2 BB, K, balk -- 5.63 ERA
Bowden 2/3 IP, UER, 2 H -- 2.11 ERA
D. Wood 1/3 IP, nothing -- 0.00 ERA

*** Fort Wayne rocked Sam Runion for 7 runs in the first 2 innings en route to the easy win. The TinCaps were all over Runion in the 1st for 5 runs on 5 hits and a walk, including a 3-run homer by 1B Matt Clark for his 6th of the season. The Bees answered with 2 runs on an error in the 2nd but the TinCaps got the runs back on 3 hits and 2 walks in the 2nd to make it 7-2. Eric Hosmer blasted a 3-run homer in the 5th for his 3rd as a pro to cut it down to 7-5 but the TinCaps scored 4 in the 5th on 4 hits and a walk off Carson Bryant, including a 2-run shot by Clark for his 7th of the season and 2nd of the game. Barry Bowden allowed an unearned run in the 8th and the TinCaps finished off the win. RP Eduardo Perez got the win with 2 shutout innings of work to move to 1-0 with a 7.04 ERA. Starter Erik Davis worked 4 innings of 2 runs (1 ER) allowed on 4 hits and 2 walks with 5 Ks to move his ERA to 3.38. Six Fort Wayne batters had multi-hit games. Clark was 3-4 with a walk, the 2 HR, 5 RBI (41) and 3 RS to move to .271.

Bees 4, Quad Cities 0 (6 (rain)/Mon.)

1B Hosmer 2-3, 2 RBI (29) -- .275
2B F. Garcia 2-2, HBP, 2 RS, SB (11) -- .307
RF Francis 0-3, RBI (32), 2 K -- .310
DH D. Wood 0-3, RBI (17), SB (3) -- .273
LF Van Stratten 1-3, RS -- .336
C Bonilla 1-3, K, SB (4) -- .241
CF Norris 0-1, BB, RS, SB (16) -- .219

Lehmann 6 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K -- W, 1-1, 2.70 ERA, nice

*** The Bees won a rain-shortened game behind some good pitching from Mike Lehmann. Eric Hosmer singled home a run in the 3rd and a River Bandits error scored another run to make it 2-0 Bees. Hosmer singled home another run in the 5th and a David Wood RBI fielder's choice made it 4-0. The rains came in the middle of the 6th and the game was called. Bandits SP Brett Zawacki took the loss with 4 IP of 2 ER allowed on 3 hits and a walk with 2 Ks to fall to 0-2 with a 5.14 ERA. Two Bandits had a hit each.

The Bees are 21-29. Game 2 with the Quad Cities River Bandits (23-27, A Cardinals) is tonight as the teams split a 4-game set. Mike Montgomery (0-1, 3.27) starts tonight versus Bandits righty Kevin Thomas (2-1, 2.40). The Bandits roster features Cards prospect SS Niko Vasquez (.195 BA/.533 OPS, 25 RS, 5 2B, 19 BB/49 K(!), 19 E (!!!) in 49 games/174 ABs). C Charles Cutler is leading the Bandit offense with a .923 OPS and .378 BA in 143 ABs. 1B Osvaldo Morales leads the team with 6 HR and 39 RBI but also has 55 Ks in 169 ABs. Righty Arquimedes Nieto has a 1.05 WHIP and 9 BB/43 K in 12 games (5 starts) and 43 IP. OF Wilson Tucker has been released. RP Barry Bowden was hit by a line drive in Sunday's loss that may put him on the DL. I guess X-rays were negative. OF Jarrod Dyson has been activated from his 50-game suspension.