Royals on the Farm 7/30

You've gotta love trade deadline day in MLB. I'm a transactions nut so it's the best time of the MLB season for me. I'm hoping the Royals pull the trigger on a Teahen, DeJesus or Bloomquist deal, and Bannister could go too, if the price is right. There's no reason to be over-possessive of guys that aren't helping us win now, anyway. The former "Wait until '08!" crowd is now crying "Wait until '11!" but I'll believe it when Moore produces it. Very little he's done to this point makes me think he can pull off the big moves. Kinda sours my deadline day as a Royals fan. But I hold true to the Shawshank Redemption's tenet that "hope is a good thing."

AAA - Omaha: Iowa 6, O-Royals 1

3B Lisson 1-3, 2B (10), RBI (25), K, E (13) -- .244
DH Hulett 0-4, K -- .311
LF Lubanski 0-3, BB -- .298, finally back in AAA action
RF Parraz 0-3, K -- .000
Ka'aihue DNP -- hope if that's a sign, and not just a day off, it's a callup and not a trade

Hughes 4 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 4 K -- L, 0-2, 4.24 ERA
Yabuta 2 IP, ER, 3 H, K -- 3.53 ERA
Rosa 2 IP, 2 H, 3 K -- 4.92 ERA
Hamulack IP, H -- 5.44 ERA

*** The I-Cubs victimized Dusty Hughes and Omaha could amass only a meager 4 hits in the loss to Iowa. The Cubs scored 2 in the 1st off Hughes, then piled on 3 in the 2nd on 3 hits and a walk to make it 5-0. Mario Lisson hit an RBI double in the 2nd to get Omaha on the board but Iowa SP J.R. Mathes retired 15 of the last 18 he faced. Yas Yabuta allowed a run in the 5th to make it 6-1 Iowa and Omaha didn't threaten again. Mathes picked up the win with 7 IP of an unearned run on 4 hits and a walk with 4 Ks to move to 10-5 with a 3.64 ERA. LF John-Ford Griffin had 3 hits, including his 17th double, plus his 24th RBI in moving to .283. RF So Taguchi had 2 hits and 2 RBI (19) and 2B Darwin Barney drove in 2 runs (8) for the Cubs.

Omaha is 43-61. Game 4 is tonight as the Royals try to take 3 of 4. Kyle Davies (4-2, 2.06) is set to start versus Iowa righty Esmailin Caridad (5-10, 4.35).

AA - NW Arkansas: Tulsa 8, Naturals 1

2B Mertins 2-3, BB, RBI (45) -- .284
CF Dyson 2-4, RS, 2 SB (16), OF assist at third -- .277
SS Bianchi 0-4, 2 K -- .348
RF Lough 0-4, OF assist at third -- .347
DH V. Wilson 0-2, 2 BB -- .342
C Clark 0-3, BB, K, E (3) -- .320
LF Duarte 1-4, 2 K, OF assist at first -- .252, all 3 OFs had an assist on the night

Kniginyzky 6 2/3 IP, 4 R (1 ER), 6 H, 2 BB, 3 K -- L, 4-8, 4.96 ERA
de la Vara 1 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, BB, K -- 5.04 ERA

*** The game was tight going into the bottom of the 7th but was anything but tight thereafter as Tulsa ran away to take 3 of 4 in the series. NWA stranded 2 in the 1st and Tulsa took the lead in the 3rd off Matt Kniginyzky, although Jose Duarte turned a double play from LF to first to cut the rally short. Tulsa scratched out another run thanks to a Naturals error in the 5th but Kurt Mertins hit an RBI single in the 7th to cut the lead to 2-1. Kniginyzky was pulled with 2 on and 2 out in the 7th and Gilbert de la Vara allowed 4 runs to score before the dust settled. Tulsa poured on 2 more runs in the 8th to get the 8-1 win. Starter Chaz Roe worked 6 2/3 IP of an ER allowed on 6 hits and 4 walks with 5 Ks to move to 4-2 with a 3.30 ERA. Four Drillers had 2 hits and CF Cole Garner drove in 2 runs (47).

The Naturals are 21-12 and now only a game up on first. A 4-game home set with the Springfield Cardinals (14-18) starts tonight. Rowdy Hardy (2-1, 3.32) faces Cards righty Scott Gorgen (1-3, 5.23) in game 1. The Naturals are 14-10 versus the Cards, including winners of the last 4.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Blue Rocks 4, Salem 3

2B Giavotella 2-4, 2B (15), RBI (36) -- .254
SS Seratelli 2-2, BB, RS, SB (14), E (17) -- .288
DH C. Robinson 1-2, 2 SF, 2 RBI (42) -- .287
CF D. Robinson 1-4, 3B (3), 2 RS, SB (51) -- .225
3B Moustakas 0-2, 2 BB, K -- .249, hey, he took a couple walks
1B Hosmer 1-4, 2 K -- .237
RF Van Stratten 1-4, K -- .143

Santiago 5 IP, 3 ER, 11 H, 2 K, WP -- 4.26 ERA, lucky to only give up 3 ER
Rivas 2 IP, nothing -- W, 3-3, 5.80 ERA
Basurto 2 IP, H, 3 BB, K -- SV, 1, 2.08 ERA

*** A 2-run 7th proved to be the key in the Rocks' 6th straight win. Mario Santiago pitched BP in the 1st as Salem scored 2 runs on 4 hits. Derrick Robinson led off the Rocks 1st with a triple and scored on a Clint Robinson sac fly to cut the lead to 2-1. Wilmington tied it on a Johnny Giavotella RBI double in the 3rd but Santiago gave up another run in the 5th on 2 extra-base hits. Salem held the 3-2 lead into the 7th, when the first 2 Rocks reached base. A passed ball scored the tying run and Clint Robinson hit the go-ahead sac fly to make it 4-3. Salem had runners at the corners with 1 out in the 9th off Eric Basurto but Basurto ended up leaving the bases full to tightrope to his 1st save. RP Armando Zerpa blew his 1st save and took the loss with 2 ER allowed in 2 IP to fall to 0-2 with a 3.55 ERA. Starter Kyle Weiland allowed 2 ER on 5 hits and 2 walks with 3 Ks over 5 IP to move his ERA to 3.92. Five Sox had multiple hits led by a 3-hit night from CF Kris Negron, who also stole his 19th base. RF Dan Nava had 2 hits and drove in his 12th run to improve to .351.

The Rocks are 19-14 and 3 1/2 games back while on a 6-game win streak. Game 2 with the Red Sox is tonight as Mike Montgomery (0-0, 1.93) makes his 2nd Wilmington start versus Salem righty Bryan Price (1-6, 6.54).

A - Burlington: West Michigan 3, Bees 2

C Bonilla 2-4, RS -- .227
LF Griffin 2-4, K -- .333
1B D. Wood 0-3, SF, RBI (37), K -- .247
CF Norris 0-3, BB, RS, 2 SB (37), OF assist at second -- .258
DH Ortiz 0-3, S -- .225
RF Francis 0-4, 3 K -- .255, has been kind of a hot-or-cold season for Francis
SS R. Wood 0-3, S, K -- .167

Lehmann 5 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 3 K, 2 WP -- 4.59 ERA
R. Pena 2 2/3 IP, ER, H, 2 BB, 2 K -- BS, 1, L, 1-2, 5.09 ERA

*** A 2-0 Burlington lead fell apart in the 6th as the Whitecaps took the series. The Bees manufactured a run without a hit in the 1st as Patrick Norris walked, stole second, advanced on a bunt and scored on a David Wood sac fly to make it 1-0. A West Michigan error scored a Bees run in the 2nd but the Bees left the bases full. Mike Lehmann left the bases full in the WM 2nd as well and then stranded 2 in the 5th to take a 3-hit shutout into the 6th. Two 1-out Lehmann wild pitches in the 6th helped the Whitecaps score their first run and Riquy Pena came in to load the bases before a 2-run single gave the Whitecaps a 3-2 lead. Fifteen of the last 16 Bees went down. Starter Brayan Villarreal allowed 2 runs (1 ER) on 3 hits and 2 walks with 7 Ks over 6 IP to move to 4-1 with a 1.40 ERA. RP Tyler Stohr notched his 15th save. RF Avisail Garcia had 2 hits and 2 RBI (23) along with his 7th SB to move to .254.

The Bees are 14-18 and 5 games out. A 3-game set at the Dayton Dragons (14-18, A Reds) starts tonight with Manauris Baez (5-4, 3.57) facing Dayton righty Curtis Partch (8-7, 4.67). The Bees are 1-2 versus the Dragons.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 4, Orem 1 (2-hitter)

SS D. Batista 2-4, 2B (3), HR (8), 2 RBI (31), K, 2 RS -- .317
RF Testa 2-4, 2B (7), HR (5), 2 RBI (18), K, RS -- .318
3B Morales 2-2, RS -- .308
DH S. Perez 1-4 -- .276
C Theriot 0-4 -- .315
3B Stovall 0-1 -- .182
CF Cooper 1-3, K -- .157

Marimon 5 IP, ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 3 K, WP -- W, 1-3, 6.92 ERA, best start I've seen from Sugar Ray
Lafferty 4 IP, 2 BB, 7 K, WP -- SV, 2, 3.47 ERA, very nice outing

*** Sugar Ray Marimon and Brendan Lafferty held the Owlz in check as the Chukars salvaged the series finale. Carlo Testa hit an RBI double in the 1st to give IF the lead and the Chukars left 2 in scoring position in the 2nd. Testa led off the 3rd with his 5th homer of the season to make it 2-0. Orem got a run in the 4th to cut the lead in half but Deivy Batista clubbed a 2-out, 2-run homer in the 4th for his 8th of the season to make it 4-1 Idaho Falls. Lafferty allowed only 2 Owlz to reach in the last 4 innings to lock down his 2nd pro save. Orem SP Orangel Arenas took the loss with 4 ER allowed on 8 hits and a walk with 3 Ks over 4 IP to fall to 1-3 with a 5.46 ERA.

The Chukars are 19-14 and 2 games out going into a pivotal 3-game home set with the division-leading Ogden Raptors (22-13, Rookie Dodgers) to end the first half. One loss means the Chukars' hopes to win the division in the first half are done. No announced starters on the team site. The Chukars are 1-2 versus the Raptors.

Rookie - Burlington: Danville 3, B-Royals 1

1B D. Cruz 0-3, RBI (3), K -- .200
LF Pickett 1-4, 3 K, SB (12) -- .286
RF Del Rosario 0-4, 3 K -- .294
C Moctezuma 0-3, K -- .296

Sample 6 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, BB, 5 K, pickoff, E -- L, 0-2, 4.87 ERA, good start, tho, for the most part
D. De La Cruz 3 IP, ER, 4 H, BB, 3 K -- 3.71 ERA

*** The Royals again had more errors than hits, 4-3, which is never a good recipe. Burlington made errors in the first 2 innings but only 1 ended up costing them a run. Danville capitalized on another Royal error in the 5th to take a 2-0 lead and Braves SP Julio Teheran took a perfect game into the 6th. Victor Soto broke it up with a 2-out triple in that inning but the Royals didn't break up the shutout until Diego Cruz hit an RBI groundout in the 8th. Deybi De La Cruz allowed an insurance run in the 9th and the Royals left the would-be tying run at third in the bottom of the inning as RP Casey Hodges got his 2nd save for the Braves. Teheran allowed an ER on 2 hits and a walk with 11 Ks over 8 IP to improve to 2-1 with a 2.68 ERA. No Brave had more than a hit. C Osman Marval scored twice for Danville.

The B-Royals are 10-26. A 3-game set at the Elizabethton Twins (25-9) starts tonight with an as-yet unannounced starter taking on Twins righty Tom Stuifbergen (3-0, 3.46). The Royals are 0-3 versus the Twins.

Rookie - AZL: off day

The 1-3 Royals face the 3-1 Giants tonight.