Royals on the Farm 7/22 -- Montgomery to Wilmington

The Royals' pen does know games are 9 innings, not 7, right? This is getting ridiculous. Not to make a crude analogy, but I said before the Royals season was in the toilet. Well, now the sewer line is clogged and there's Royal sewage all over the basement, and instead of putting on a plumber's cap, the organization seems to be eating spicy food and popping Ex-Lax. From 18-11 to this, now 37-57. Disgusting.

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 9, Iowa 6

RF Hulett 2-4, BB, 3B (3), 2 RBI (38), K, 2 RS -- .299
3B Lisson 2-5, 2 2B (9), RBI (23), 2 K, 2 RS -- .255
SS Hernandez 2-3, BB, RS -- .282
CF Maier 1-2, 3 BB, RBI (10), 2 RS, SB -- .314
2B Falu 1-4, S, RBI (30), K, RS -- .261
C Suomi 1-5, 2B, RBI (3), K -- .150
LF Thorman 0-4, SF, RBI (45), K -- .280
DH Ka'aihue 1-5, 2B (24), RS -- .260

Phillips 6 IP, 6 ER, 10 H, BB, 3 K, HRA -- W, 6-7, 5.96 ERA, need major run support to win with that line
Waechter IP, H, K -- 6.75 ERA
Rosa 2 IP, BB, 2 K -- SV, 6, 4.88 ERA, looked good lately

*** Omaha churned out 6 runs in the 1st 2 innings to get enough breathing room to take down the Cubs. The Royals scored 2 in the 1st on a run-scoring Cubs error and run-scoring wild pitch and then added 4 in the 2nd on a Mitch Maier RBI single, Irving Falu RBI single and Tug Hulett 2-run triple to make it 6-0. Omaha added 3 in the 5th on a Scott Thorman sac fly, Mario Lisson RBI double and John Suomi RBI double to make it 9-0. Omaha left the bases loaded. Heath Phillips had a 3-hit shutout going with 2 outs in the Iowa 5th but then a single was followed by a 2-run homer by CF Sam Fuld (his 1st) to lose the shutout. Five hits brought in 4 runs in the Cubs 6th as Iowa trimmed it to 9-6. Doug Waechter and Carlos Rosa encountered little resistance over the last 3 innings, tho, as Omaha took the win. Iowa starter Jose Ascanio took the loss with 1 2/3 IP of 6 runs (5 ER) allowed on 6 hits and a walk to fall to 2-3 with a 2.91 ERA. Four Cubs had 2 hits as Fuld's HR drove in 2 runs (29) and LF Matt Camp had a 3-run double (35 RBI) along with his 13th SB in the loss. 2B Darwin Barney hiked his BA to the Mendoza line at .200 with a 2-4 night. He also made his 3rd error.

The O-Royals are 39-57. The series ends tonight as Brandon Duckworth (2-4, 5.64) faces I-Cubs lefty Casey Fossum (1-2, 6.00).

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 6, Arkansas 5

SS Bianchi 3-5, 2 RBI (17), K, RS, picked off -- .330
CF Dyson 2-4, BB, 3B (2), K, 2 RS, SB (13) -- .275
RF Lough 2-4, RS, SB (6) -- .333, all 3 showing they belong in AA or better
C Clark 2-4, 2B (8) -- .323
DH V. Wilson 1-4, 2 RBI (13), K -- .333
1B C. Smith 1-4, HR (17), RBI (61), K, RS -- .251
2B Mertins 1-4, BB, K, RS -- .287

Lerew 6 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, BB, 6 K, HRA, WP -- W, 5-5, 4.94 ERA
Hartsock 1 1/3 IP, 2 ER, H, BB, K -- 4.56 ERA
de la Vara IP, ER, H, K -- SV, 1, 4.39 ERA

*** The Naturals pounced on Arkansas starter Tommy Mendoza but had to hold off the Travelers in the 9th to get the win and a shot at a 4-game sweep. Jeff Bianchi got things started with an RBI single in the 1st, Vance Wilson hit a 2-run single and a run-scoring Travs error made it 4-0 before NWA left the bases full. Arkansas got to Anthony Lerew for single runs in the 2nd and 4th, one coming on a solo homer by 1B Mark Trumbo for his 9th of the season, and Mendoza settled down. NWA chased him with 2 on and 1 out in the 6th and Bianchi hit an RBI single to make it 5-2 Naturals. Corey Smith led off the 7th with his 17th homer of the season and the Naturals had a 6-2 lead. Aaron Hartsock gave up a walk and single to start the 9th and was pulled for Gilbert de la Vara, who gave up a 2-run triple and RBI groundout before closing out the win for his 1st save of the season. Mendoza allowed 5 runs (4 ER) on 9 hits and 3 walks with 6 Ks to fall to 6-6 with a 3.51 ERA. Trumbo and RF Jeremy Moore had 2 hits each for Arkansas as Trumbo committed his 7th error and drove in his 50th RBI with his HR. He also scored twice as his average rose to .270. Moore drove in 2 runs (7) as his average climbed to .313. He also had an OF assist at the plate. DH Hank Conger was 0-2 with 2 walks and a RS to move to .293.

NWA is 16-8 and still 2 games up on first. The Nats go for the sweep tonight as Blake Johnson (6-5, 4.80) faces young Travs lefty Trevor Reckling (5-3, 2.66), who has taken 2 of his 3 losses at the hands of the Naturals.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Blue Rocks 7, Myrtle Beach 0 (4-hitter)

CF D. Robinson 2-5, 2 RBI (30), K, RS, 3 SB (49) -- .231, picked it up offensively of late, 4th in minors in SBs
DH C. Robinson 2-5, RS -- .277
SS Fontaine 1-2, BB, HBP, 2 RBI (7), K, RS -- .310
LF Orlando 1-4, HBP, RBI (24), K, RS -- .251
2B Giavotella 1-5, 2B (13), 2 K, RS, E (15) -- .250
3B Moustakas 0-5 -- .244, make it 0-32
1B Hosmer 1-4, BB, K, RS -- .250
RF Van Stratten 0-3, BB, HBP, RS, SB, picked off -- .167
* The Rocks stranded 10.

Godin 6 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 6 K -- W, 3-0, 1.63 ERA, very nice
Chavez 2 IP, BB, K -- 2.00 ERA
Sisk IP, 2 K -- 2.34 ERA

*** The Pelicans had 5 errors compared to only 4 hits as the Rocks cruised to a win behind another strong start from Jason Godin. Derrick Robinson singled and stole 2 bases in the 1st but was stranded, and the Rocks wouldn't take the lead until a 2-out run-scoring Myrtle Beach error in the 3rd. Chase Fontaine hit an RBI single in the 4th and Derrick Robinson hit a 2-run single before another run-scoring error made it 5-0 Rocks. Godin didn't exactly coast along but he didn't face significant trouble, either. He loaded the bases with 1 out in the 6th but got out of the jam with a 5-4-3 double play. Wilmington scored its last 2 runs in the 7th on bases-loaded HBPs by Paulo Orlando and Fontaine to make it 7-0. Chris Chavez got in and out of trouble in the 7th and that was the Pelicans' last threat. MB starter Richard Sullivan took the loss with 4 IP of 5 runs (3 ER) allowed on 7 hits and a walk with 3 Ks to fall to 2-7 with a 4.03 ERA. Four Pelicans had a hit each.

The Rocks are 12-13 and 4 1/2 games back. The series ends tonight as Dan Duffy (7-3, 3.40) faces rehabbing Braves righty Tim Hudson. Wednesday's win marked the Rocks' 11th shutout of the season. RP Eric Basurto and SP Mike Montgomery have been added to the Blue Rocks roster. I'm excited to see how Montgomery does, as he's slated to start Sunday.

A - Burlington: rainout

The Bees will make up the rainout with Great Lakes in a twinbill today. Yesterday's scheduled starters -- Sam Runion and Jon Michael Redding -- are set to square off in game 1. No announced starters for game 2. 5th rounder P Louis Coleman has been added to the Bees roster, but I think I read somewhere he's gonna pitch out of the pen. We'll see. As noted yesterday, RP Dusty Odenbach has also been added to the Burlington roster.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: off day

The Chukars are 16-9 and a game up on first. They start a 2 game set at the Orem Owlz (14-13, Rookie Halos) tonight as Ivor Hodgson (2-0, 2.18) tries to maintain his success versus Orem lefty Patrick Corbin (0-0, 4.70). The Chukars are 3-2 versus the Owlz. Also as noted yesterday, SP John Lamb has been added to the IF roster.

Rookie - Burlington: Bristol 5, B-Royals 0 (1-hitter)

1B D. Cruz 1-1 -- .229, hit came with 1 out in 8th
SS Espinal 0-4 -- .242
RF Del Rosario 0-4, 2 K, 2 SB (12), OF assist at second -- .347
2B R. Wood 0-3, 2 K -- .188
DH F. Cruz 0-3 -- .250

Billo 5 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, BB, 3 K, HRA -- L, 1-1, 3.65 ERA
D. De La Cruz 1 2/3 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 K -- 4.50 ERA
Sirrett 2 1/3 IP, H, 3 K -- 1.80 ERA

*** Sox starter Charles "Trey" Delk no-hit the Royals through 8 as Bristol shut down Burlington. Luis Del Rosario reached on an error and stole 2 bases in the 1st but was stranded at third. Delk retired 19 of the last 20 he faced thereafter. Greg Billo stranded 2 Sox in the 2nd but gave up a 3-run homer to 1B Leighton Pangilinan (his 2nd) in the 4th to give Bristol all it needed. The Sox added a run off Billo in the 5th and another off Deybi De La Cruz in the 6th to make it 5-0. Diego Cruz broke up the no-no off RP Philip Negus with 1 out in the 8th but was the last Royal to reach on the night. Delk struck out 7 over his 7 IP to improve to 2-3 with a 6.33 ERA. Pangilinan's 3 RBI gave him 5 on the season and two other Sox had 2 hits each. DH Brady Shoemaker was 1-4 with a K and RS to drop to .413.

The B-Royals are 8-20. The series with Bristol ends tonight as Leondy Perez (1-2, 2.45) faces Sox righty Goldy Simmons (0-3, 11.25).

Rookie - AZL: Rangers 6, Royals 5

2B Trapp 3-4, HBP, RBI (5), 2 RS, SB (3) -- .346
LF Lubanski 2-4, 2B (2), 2 RBI (4), 2 K -- .625, rehab stint looks good
RF S. Cabrera 2-4, 2B (3), K, picked off -- .218
C Howell 1-4, RBI (2), K -- .250
SS A. Martinez 1-4, RBI (8), K, RS, SB (8) -- .200
CF Howard 0-3, 2 BB, RS, CS (2) -- .212
1B G. Baldwin 0-3, BB, K, E (8) -- .274

E. Diaz 3 1/3 IP, UER, 3 H, BB, 4 K -- 3.07 ERA
Fisher 1 2/3 IP, H, BB, K -- 0.00 ERA
Amador 3 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 4 K, WP -- 7.24 ERA
Worrell 2/3 IP, ER, 2 H -- BS, 1, L, 0-3, 3.60 ERA

*** A 3-run 9th gave the Rangers a win. The Rangers scored a run on 2 hits and an error off Eric Diaz in the 1st but Chris Lubanski tied it with an RBI single in the 3rd before the Royals stranded 2. Brent Fisher got out of a bases-loaded jam in the 4th and the Royals took the lead with 2 in the 5th on a Justin Trapp RBI single and Lubanski RBI double to make it 3-1. Ezequiel Amador allowed a run in the 6th but Adrian Martinez hit an RBI forceout in the bottom of the inning to keep the lead at 2 runs. Amador allowed another run in the 7th but, again, the Royals matched it on a Jeff Howell RBI single. The Royals stranded 2 in the 8th and Amador was pulled for Josh Worrell with runners at the corners and 1 out in the 9th. Worrell allowed a sac fly and RBI double to tie it at 5, then gave up the go-ahead single. RP Ovispo De Los Santos got the win for the Rangers with an ER allowed over 3 IP to move to 2-2 with a 1.84 ERA. Starter Richard Alvarez allowed an ER on 2 hits and 3 walks with 3 Ks over 3 IP to move his ERA to 4.50. Four Rangers had 2 hits each. RF Santo De Jesus had 2 hits and his first 2 RBI to improve to .292.

The Royals are 8-18. They play the 12-13 Indians tonight.