Royals on the Farm 6/9

AAA - Omaha: off day

The O-Royals are 24-35 and 9 1/2 games out. They have today off, too, before starting their first series of the season with the Iowa Cubs tomorrow. As I decreed, lefty Horacio Ramirez is being released, so he won't join Omaha.

AA - NW Arkansas: off day

The Naturals are 27-28 and 4 games back. A 4-day, 5-game set with the Arkansas Travelers (23-32, AA Angels) starts tonight as Blake Wood (2-4, 6.10) faces Travs righty Jordan Walden (1-2, 5.76). The Nats are 5-6 versus the Travs thus far.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Blue Rocks 2, Salem 0

RF Orlando 2-4, RBI (14) -- .209
LF Ortiz 1-3, RBI (14) -- .256
3B Moustakas 0-4, K -- .268
DH C. Robinson 1-2, 2 BB, RS -- .286
SS Bianchi 1-4 -- .303
CF D. Robinson 0-4 -- .226
2B Giavotella 0-3, HBP, RS -- .211

Teaford 7 IP, 5 H, 4 K, 2 balks -- W, 7-1, 2.39 ERA
Villa IP, 2 H, K -- 3.18 ERA
Abreu IP, 2 BB -- SV, 5, 2.89 ERA

*** Wilmington pitchers enjoyed another lockdown night to pick up their third straight whitewash and second in 2 games versus the Red Sox. Everett Teaford gave up 2 hits in the 1st but left 2 in scoring position and then left 2 more in scoring position in a tough 2nd. He would retire the last 10 he faced, tho. With 1 out and the bases loaded in the 5th, the Rocks got on the board with an Adrian Ortiz RBI forceout. They stranded 2 in the 6th and dodged a bullet in the 8th as, with 2 out and a man at second, the runner tried to score on an infield single but the Rocks got him at the plate to keep it 1-0. Paulo Orlando hit a 2-out RBI single in the 8th for some insurance and Juan Abreu worked around 2 walks in the 9th for his 5th save. Starter Seth Garrison took the loss for Salem with 5 2/3 IP of an ER allowed on 3 hits and 2 walks with 2 Ks to drop to 2-7 with a 5.77 ERA. CF Che-Hsuan Lin and RF Matt Sheely had 2 hits for Salem.

The Rocks are 32-26 and 5 1/2 games back. They go for the sweep tonight with Ray Liotta (1-2, 5.40) on the mound versus Sox prospect and Salem righty Casey Kelly (0-1, 2.31) in his 3rd Salem start after pitching well in low-A ball.

A - Burlington: Cedar Rapids 11, Bees 5

RF Francis 1-4, RBI (34), 2 K, 2 OF assists at second -- .304
SS Jimenez 1-3, SF, RBI (12), 2 K, RS -- .221
LF Van Stratten 0-2, 3 BB, K, RS -- .338
CF Dyson 0-3, BB, HBP, 2 K, SB (7) -- .400
C Bonilla 1-4, K, RS -- .233

Casey 3 1/3 IP, 11 R (5 ER), 7 H, 4 BB, 2 K, balk -- L, 4-5, 3.53 ERA
B. Hardy 4 2/3 IP, 3 H, 3 K -- 2.52 ERA

*** The Kernels did only 2 innings worth of damage but made 'em count as 3 Bees errors didn't help Burlington's cause. David Wood led off the 2nd with a double and scored on a wild pitch to give the Bees a 1-0 lead. The Bees stranded 2 in the 3rd and the Kernels got to Bryan Casey for 3 runs that inning on 2 hits, a walk and a balk along with a Chase Fontaine throwing error at third. Things fell apart in the 4th as the Kernels rallied for 8 runs on 6 hits, a walk, and errors by Fontaine and 2B Fernando Garcia behind Casey and RP Blaine Hardy. Antonio Jimenez singled and scored on an error in the 5th and a Nick Francis single brought in 2 runs thanks to another Kernels miscue. Jimenez added a sac fly in the 6th but the Bees stranded 2 down, 11-5. RP Michael Kohn struck out the side in the 9th to finish it. Starter Ryan Chaffee got the win with 5 IP of 4 runs (3 ER) allowed on 3 hits and 4 walks with 6 Ks to move to 6-1 with a 2.98 ERA. Three Kernels had 2 hits as RF Ryan Groth had 2 hits and 2 RBI (8) with his 4th double, a walk and RS to move to .206. Three other Kernels drove in 2 runs each. 2B Alexia Amarista drove in 2 runs (19), stole his 21st base, and scored 2 runs but was 1-4 to drop to .335.

The Bees are 25-32 and 10 1/2 games out. A 4-day, 5-game home series with the Beloit Snappers (20-37, A Twins) starts tonight as Tim Melville (1-2, 5.51) takes on Beloit righty Michael Allen (0-8, 6.10). The Bees are 1-2 versus the last-place Snappers. According to BA, 3B Jason Taylor has been activated from his drug suspension, but the Bees roster doesn't reflect that yet.