Royals on the Farm 7/1 -- Cortes arrested

It's always a good day in the minors when your so-called top pitching prospect gets arrested for public urination and disorderly conduct. What a time to be a Royals fan! Jarrod Plummer ended up taking an extended break when an alcohol-related incident happened last year, now he's with the Red Sox....what will they do to Cortes?

AAA - Omaha: New Orleans 4, O-Royals 3 (13)

SS Lisson 2-5 -- .252
DH Buchanan 1-6, HR (4), 2 RBI (12), K, RS -- .263
C House 1-5, BB, RBI (29) -- .265, team hit 8-46 on game for .174 BA
1B Ka'aihue 1-6, 2 K -- .268
2B Falu 1-3, 3 BB, 2B (10), RS, E (6) -- .273, best line of night for Omaha
* RF Tommy Murphy had an OF assist at home.

Ponson 6 IP, 3 ER, 9 H, BB, 3 K, HRA -- 3.50 ERA, 82 pitches
Marte 2 IP, 2 BB, 2 K -- 3.78 ERA
Yabuta 2 IP, BB, 3 K -- 4.01 ERA
Hayes 3 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 2 K, balk -- L, 1-2, 2.79, 54 pitches

*** Omaha got a big homer from Brian Buchanan to tie it in the 8th but lost in 13. Tommy Murphy gunned down a runner at the plate to end the Zephyr 1st and the Royals stranded 2 in the 1st. C Brett Hayes took Sidney Ponson long in the 2nd for his 2nd homer of the season and New Orleans got 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk in the 3rd to make it 3-0. J.R. House got Omaha on the board with an RBI single in the 3rd and Omaha stranded 2 in the 4th. The game stayed 3-1 until Buchanan blasted his 4th homer of the season for a 2-run shot to tie it at 3 in the 8th. Neither team had a hit until Mario Lisson singled in the 11th and Chris Hayes had pitched 2 perfect innings for Omaha until giving up a run in the 13th on a single, balk, walk and Brett Hayes RBI single. Omaha's last 8 went down in order as RP Chris Mobley pitched 2 perfect innings for the win to move to 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA for New Orleans. Starter John Koronka allowed an ER on 4 hits and 3 walks with 4 Ks over 6 IP to move his ERA to 3.64. RF Michael Ryan and Hayes had 3 hits and 2 RBI each. Ryan is hitting .324. CF Cameron Maybin was 1-6 with his 5th triple and 2 Ks to fall to .324.

The O-Royals are 31-48. Game 2 is tonight as Brandon Duckworth (2-2, 4.64) faces Zephyrs righty Rick VandenHurk. Lefty Lenny DiNardo has been chosen to play in the AAA All-Star Game July 15 in Portland, Ore. Former Royal Esteban German will also play for the PCL in the game.

AA - NW Arkansas: TL North 2, TL South 1

C. Smith 2-3, HBP, 2B, K, RS -- named All-Star MVP
Mertins 1-1, RBI -- drove in eventual winning run
Strait 0-1, K -- forgot to note yesterday he was playing, oops, sorry Cody

Holland did not pitch

The Naturals are 4-1. A 3-game set at the San Antonio Missions (2-4, AA Padres, first-half TL South champs) starts tonight with Everett Teaford (2-1, 7.82) facing Missions former hot prospect righty Cesar Carrillo (4-4, 5.13). The Naturals are 3-3 versus the Missions this season. Alex Gordon's time in Omaha will apparently be brief as the NWA team site has him coming to AA for some rehab after AG appears for the O-Royals Friday. As noted at the top, SP Dan Cortes was arrested Wednesday after being discovered urinating on a fence outside a Fayetteville bar. He posted bond and was released. I don't see it as a monumental deal -- at least he wasn't driving, but still, not exactly the "family image" the Royals seem to want, even while signing guys like Guillen and Farnsworth. Is the bathroom in the bar that gnarly, that you go outside, or was it just a drunk decision? Probably the latter.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: rainout

The Rocks are 3-3 and 1/2 a game back. The finale with Frederick will be made up in August. A 4-game home set with the Kinston Indians (2-5) starts tonight with Danny Duffy (6-2, 3.43) facing K-Tribe lefty Russell Young (1-3, 5.00). The Rocks are 8-2 versus the Tribe this season.

A - Burlington: Bees 12, Quad Cities 5

SS Rivera 3-4, BB, RBI (5), K, 2 RS, SB (4) -- .244
C McCauley 3-5, 2B (7), RS -- .252
CF Van Stratten 2-6, 2B (14), 2 RBI (31), 2 RS -- .322
DH D. Wood 2-5, 2 RBI (27), RS -- .246
RF Francis 1-5, 2B (16), 2 RBI (46), 3 K, OF assist at second -- .286
3B Taylor 1-5, 2B, 2 RBI (3), K, RS -- .222
1B Hosmer 1-5, BB, RBI (41), K, 2 RS -- .247
LF Griffin 1-5, RBI (2), 2 K -- .167
2B Maddox 1-1, 5 BB (!), 3 RS, SB -- 1.000, what a game

Melville 4 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 5 K, WP -- 4.50 ERA
J. Garcia 4 IP, 3 H, BB, 5 K, WP -- W, 2-5, 4.62 ERA
R. Pena IP, ER, H, BB -- 4.70 ERA

*** Burlington scored runs in bunches to take a 12-5 win and even the series with Quad Cities. Nick Van Stratten hit an RBI double in the 1st and scored on an Eric Hosmer groundout to give the Bees a 2-0 lead. Tim Melville stranded 2 Bandits in the 1st but allowed 4 runs in the 2nd on 4 hits, a walk and wild pitch. Burlington went back to work in the 3rd as Van Stratten singled home a run, Jason Taylor hit a 2-out, 2-run double, and David Wood, Shawn Griffin and Juan Rivera hit RBI singles to make it 8-4 Bees. The rally ended only when Griffin was thrown out at the plate on a Marc Maddox single. Melville stranded 2 in the 3rd but would take no more damage. The Bees scored 3 in the 6th as Rivera scored on a wild pitch and Nick Francis hit a 2-run double to make it 11-4. Wood hit an RBI single in the 8th to finish Burlington's scoring, and Riquy Pena allowed a run in the 9th before finishing it out. Quad Cities SP Gary Daley took the loss with 2 2/3 IP of 6 runs (5 ER) allowed on 3 hits and 3 walks with 3 Ks to fall to 3-3 with an 8.23 ERA. C Charles Cutler and SS Jose Garcia had 3 hits for the River Bandits. Cutler made his 2nd error, 7th passed ball, walked twice and drove in his 41st run in improving to .368. DH Jarred Bogany drove in 2 runs (12).

The Bees are 3-3 and a game back. Game 3 is tonight as Mike Lehmann (2-3, 4.72) faces Bandits righty Kevin Thomas (3-3, 3.54). Righty Bryan Casey has been placed on the DL. Can't remember if I'd noted that or not.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 6, Casper 5 (7/G1)

2B-SS D. Batista 2-4, HR (3), RBI (11), K, 2 RS, 2 E (3) -- .394
RF Caldwell 2-3, BB, 2 RS -- .304
1B Espinosa 1-3, BB, RBI (4), K -- .182
C Theriot 1-2, 2 BB, 2B, RBI (4), RS, picked off runner -- .250
3B Morales 0-3, BB -- .000, IF debut
CF H. Richardson 0-1, 2 BB, SB (3), E -- .409
*LF Carlo Testa had an OF assist at first.

Marimon 3 2/3 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 6 H, BB, 2 K, WP -- 5.87 ERA
Lafferty 3 IP, UER, 4 H, BB, 2 K, WP -- W, 1-0, 1.50 ERA, first pro win
Folmer 1/3 IP, K -- SV, 2, 0.00 ERA

*** Idaho Falls got 5 late runs to come back and take a win from Casper. Deivy Batista homered as the second batter of the game for his 3rd of the season and IF had an early 1-0 lead. Sugar Ray Marimon struggled as the Chukars' starter as Casper scored 2 in the 1st on 3 hits, a walk, 2 hit batsmen and a wild pitch before the Ghosts left the bases loaded. Casper added 2 in the 2nd on 2 hits, a hit batsman, and a Hilton Richardson error in center to make it 4-1 Casper. Idaho Falls tied it with 3 in the 6th on a run-scoring passed ball and two run-scoring wild pitches before stranding 2. Tito Espinosa hit a 2-out RBI single in the 7th to give IF the lead and Ben Theriot hit an RBI double before the Chukars left 2 more on base. Richard Folmer came on with 2 on and 2 out in the 9th and allowed a run on an error before getting a K to end it with 2 on base. RP Clinton McKinney took the loss with 2 ER allowed over 1 1/3 IP to fall to 0-1 with a 3.18 ERA. Starter Ricardo Ferrer worked 5 innings of an ER allowed on 3 hits and 3 walks with 4 Ks to move his ERA to 4.66. Four Ghosts had 2 hits. LF Avery Barnes was 2-4 with his 1st RBI and stole 3 bases (4) in improving to .333.

Casper 4, Chukars 3 (9/G2)

1B Espinosa 2-4, 3B, K, RS -- .231
3B Morales 2-4, K, RS -- .286
2B D. Batista 1-4, 2B, RBI (12), 2 K, RS, E (4) -- .378
C Graterol 0-2, S, SF, RBI, K, 2 pickoffs defensively -- .286
SS Alfaro 0-3, BB, K -- .387
DH S. Perez 0-4 -- .379
CF Cooper 0-4, K, E -- .059

Arias 5 IP, 4 H, 8 K, WP -- 0.96 ERA, nice
Toribio 2 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 K, HRA -- BS, 1, 4.91 ERA
Hodge 1 1/3 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, BB, K -- L, 0-1, 12.00 ERA

*** The Chukars blew a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 7th, then lost another lead in the 9th. The game was scoreless until the 6th, when IF got an RBI double from Deivy Batista, who later scored on an error to make it 2-0 Chukars. Aneidy Toribio took over for Carlos Arias after a solid start through 5 and gave up a 2-run homer to C Brandon Whitby (his 1st) to tie the game in the 7th. IF stranded 2 in the 8th and Mitch Hodge came in and worked out of trouble in the Casper 8th. Tito Espinosa led off the 9th with a triple and scored on a Juan Graterol sac fly to make it 3-2 IF but Hodge gave up a single and RBI double to PH Chandler Laurent to tie the game before DH Eliezer Mesa hit a walkoff fielder's choice to end it. RP Alejandro Barraza got the win despite allowing the 9th inning run to move to 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA. Paul Bargas worked 2 scoreless innings for Casper to start to keep his ERA at 0. Whitby was 3-4 with his homer and 2 RBI (2) along with a K and 2 RS to move to .500. CF Nathan Hines was 2-3 with a walk and triple to move to .333.

Idaho Falls is 7-2 and 2 games up on first. Game 4 of the set is tonight as Ivor Hodgson (0-0, 4.50) faces Ghosts righty Juan Gonzalez (0-0, 3.60).

Rookie - Burlington: Bluefield 3, B-Royals 2

DH V. Soto 2-4, SB (3), CS -- .400
3B Culver 1-3, BB, HR (2), RBI (2), RS, SB -- .267, 2 straight games with longball
C F. Cruz 1-4, RBI (2), K -- .250, 2/4 SB against
SS R. Wood 0-4, BB, K -- .125
LF Del Rosario 1-3, BB, 2B, 2 K, RS -- .389
RF MacDougall 0-1, 2 BB -- .207, left with wrist injury

L. Perez 4 2/3 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K -- 2.79 ERA
Dennick 3 1/3 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 2 K, WP -- 4.26 ERA
Hudnall IP, UER, K, WP, E -- L, 0-2, 3.38 ERA

*** The Royals tied the game in the 8th but gave the game right back in the 9th as the O's averted the sweep. Malcom Culver hit a 1-out solo homer for his 2nd of the season and 2nd in two days in the 1st and the 1-0 lead held until Leondy Perez finally faltered in the 5th for a run on 2 hits before getting pulled for Ryan Dennick. Bluefield got a run off Dennick in the 7th to take a 2-1 lead but Fernando Cruz hit a 1-out RBI single in the 8th to tie the game. Jaeson Hudnall got a leadoff K in the 9th but a wild pitch on strike 3 allowed the runner to reach. Two errors on a pickoff attempt by Hudnall allowed the go-ahead run to cross the plate without the benefit of a hit. RP Josh Dowdy sat the Royals down in order in the 9th for his 1st save. RP Justin Anderson allowed a run over 3 1/3 IP to win and move to 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA. Starter Jorge Almanzar worked 4 2/3 IP of an ER allowed on 5 hits and 4 walks with 5 Ks to move his ERA to 0.93. Five O's had a hit each.

The B-Royals are 4-5 and 2 games back. A 3-game home set with the Kingsport Mets (2-7) starts tonight as Keaton Hayenga (1-0, 1.50) faces Mets righty and '09 22nd rounder Zach Von Tersch (0-0, 12.00). The Mets roster features '09 Mets draftees 4th rounder OF Darrell Ceciliani, 14th round OF R.J. Harris, 21st round 3B Joe Bonfe, Von Tersch and others. P Tyler Sample and OF Jovan Pickett, a NDFA out of Alabama, have joined the B-Royals roster.

Rookie - AZL: Rangers 9, Royals 3

SS-2B Piterson 2-5, RBI (3), picked off -- .346
C Moreno 1-3, BB, 2B, RBI (2), K, RS, PB (5) -- .118
LF Polonia 1-4, 3B (2), RBI (5), 3 K -- .269
CF Llanos 1-5, 2B, K, RS -- .273
3B A. Gordon 0-0, 3 BB -- .286
2B-3B Stovall 1-4, BB, K, E (2) -- .294
1B G. Baldwin 0-2, 2 BB, 2 K -- .241
* The Royals stranded 10.

Mozingo IP, H, K -- 0.00 ERA, rehab, first Harold sighting for a long while
Avinazar 4 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 7 K -- L, 1-1, 5.27 ERA
Keck 2/3 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 4 H, K -- 40.50 ERA, yeesh, a pro debut to forget
L. Roberts 2 1/3 IP, ER, 4 H, 2 K -- 1.42 ERA
Bavera IP, 2 H, K, WP -- 0.00 ERA

*** A 7-run Rangers 6th sealed the Royals' doom Wednesday. Harold Mozingo stranded 2 in scoring position in the 1st as he began working his way back from injury in game action. Luis Piterson hit an RBI single in the Royals 1st to make it 1-0. The Rangers tied it with a run on 3 hits in the 4th but Henry Moreno hit an RBI fielder's choice in the 4th and Juan Polonia hit a 2-out RBI triple to give the Royals a 3-1 lead. The Royals left the bases loaded in the 5th and the Rangers beat around Willian Avinazar, Jonathan Keck and, less so, Lee Roberts in the 7th for 7 runs on 8 hits and a passed ball to make it 8-3. Roberts allowed a run in the 8th to end the scoring, as the Royals would strand 2 in the 7th. RP Danniel Rodriguez pitched a hitless 1 2/3 innings for the win to move to 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA. Starter Carlos Melo worked 3 2/3 IP of 3 ER allowed on 4 hits and 6 walks with 2 Ks to move his ERA to 8.10. Six Rangers had multi-hit games. RF Ruben Sierra Jr. was 2-4 with his 2nd RBI, 2nd SB and an OF assist at first to move to .150. He also made me feel old for remembering well when his dad was just an up and coming prospect with the Rangers. Three Rangers also had 2 RBI.

The Royals are 4-5 and 2 1/2 games out. The Royals play the 4-5 Indians tonight.