Royals on the Farm 8/13

AAA - Omaha: off day

The O-Royals are 48-69. A 4-game set at the Portland Beavers (50-69, AAA Padres) starts tonight. The Royals will start newly acquired (from the Atlantic League, after a previous stint with the Padres) lefty Michael O'Connor (0-0, 5.84) against Portland lefty Aaron Poreda (main fruit of Peavy trade, 0-1, 12.27 thus far). Greg Holland was put on the DL to make room for O'Connor, who celebrates his 29th birthday Monday. The Beavers roster features Swinging Friars prospects lefty Wade LeBlanc (2-9, 4.25, 1.22 WHIP in 108 IP), 2B Matt Antonelli (on DL, .190/.625 OPS in only 57 games), Poreda (2.73 WHIP in first 2 PCL starts, oof), and righty Josh Geer (2-2, 4.71, 1.57 WHIP in 21 IP).

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 3, Midland 2

1B C. Smith 2-4, 2B (25), RBI (76), K -- .260
2B Mertins 2-4, 3B (5), K, RS -- .279
SS Bianchi 1-3, BB, 2B (12), RBI (30), 2 RS, SB (7) -- .324
LF Lucas 1-4, RBI (40), K, SB (12) -- .278
CF Lough 0-3, BB, K -- .338
RF Duarte 0-3, 2 K -- .257

B. Johnson 6 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, BB, 2 K, HRA, E (2) -- 4.56 ERA
Hartsock IP, nada -- BS, 1, 3.25 ERA, tough BS to take
Farnsworth 2/3 IP, H, BB -- 0.00 ERA
Abreu 1 1/3 IP, H, 2 BB, 3 K -- W, 1-1, 1.69 ERA

*** The Naturals blew the lead in the 7th but came back in the 8th to get the win. Kurt Mertins hit a 1-out triple and scored on a Jeff Bianchi groundout to make it 1-0 NWA in the 1st. The Naturals stranded 2 in scoring position in the 2nd but Bianchi doubled with 2 out in the 3rd and Corey Smith singled him home to make it 2-0. Blake Johnson took a 2-hit shutout into the 7th but gave up a solo homer to A's 1B prospect Chris Carter (his 22nd) and was pulled after an ensuing double. Aaron Hartsock came in and got the next three guys out but the tying run scored to earn Hartsock a blown save. Juan Abreu stranded the bases loaded in the 8th and Ed Lucas came through with the big RBI single after Bianchi singled and stole second in the bottom of the inning. Abreu stranded 2 in the 9th to lock down the win. RP Jon Hunton took the loss with an ER allowed in 2 IP to fall to 3-4 with a 3.86 ERA. Starter Graham Godfrey worked 5 IP of 2 ER allowed on 5 hits and a walk with 4 Ks to move his ERA to 3.72. DH Matt Spencer and LF Archie Gilbert had 2 hits for Midland. Spencer is hitting .318. Carter's longball gave him his 91st RBI.

The Naturals are 28-18 and 3 games up on first. They go for the sweep as Everett Teaford (3-5, 5.46) faces Midland righty Arnold Leon (1-1, 4.09). RP Kyle Farnsworth has had his rehab moved to NWA with Omaha on a road trip.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Winston-Salem 3, Blue Rocks 1

2B Giavotella 2-3, BB, SB (20) -- .262
C Eigsti 1-3, RBI (25), K -- .198
CF D. Robinson 1-4, K, 2 SB (56) -- .237
3B Moustakas 0-4, 3 K -- .255
1B Hosmer 0-4, 3 K -- .190
RF Van Stratten 1-3, BB, K, RS -- .284
DH C. Robinson 0-4, K -- .288
* LF Paulo Orlando had an OF assist at second.

Caldera 5 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 2 K, HRA, WP -- 4-10, 5.65 ERA
Z. Peterson 2 1/3 IP, ER, H, BB, 2 K, WP -- 1.00 ERA
Sisk IP, H -- 2.15 ERA

*** The Rocks offense fizzled as the Dash averted the sweep. The Dash picked up a run on 3 hits off Alex Caldera in the 1st and, after Wilmington stranded 2 in the bottom of the inning, the Dash added a solo homer from C Logan Johnson (his 10th) in the 2nd. The Dash stranded 2 in the 5th and Zach Peterson came in to strand the bases full in the 6th. The Rocks finally got some action in the 7th as Ryan Eigsti hit an RBI single but that was as far as the rally went. The Dash got the run back in the 8th and RP Santo Luis struck out the side in the 9th to earn his 9th save for the Dash. Starter Anthony Carter got the win with 4 hits and a walk allowed with 9 Ks over 6 IP to improve to 11-5 with a 3.98 ERA. 2B Dale Mollenhauer had 3 hits and 3B Brent Morel had 2 hits for the Dash. Morel hit his 26th double and drove in his 67th run for the Dash.

The Rocks are 29-16 and 2 1/2 games up on first. A pivotal 3-game home set with the second-place Potomac Nationals (27-19) starts tonight with Mario Santiago (6-11, 4.13) facing P-Nats lefty Tom Milone (8-4, 3.32). The Rocks are 7-10 versus the Nationals.

A - Burlington: Peoria 6, Bees 5

RF Francis 2-4, HR (13), 3 RBI (59), RS, CS (6) -- .269, back in the groove at the plate
C Graterol 2-3, HBP, RS -- .315
SS Molina 1-3, 2B (3), RBI (7) -- .236
2B F. Garcia 0-3, BB, RBI (20), CS (12) -- .262
CF Norris 1-2, K, picked off -- .244
DH Taylor 1-4, K, SB (7) -- .239
LF Griffin 1-4, 3 K, CS (4) -- .308

Melville 3 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 8 H, 3 BB, 5 K, 2 HRA, WP -- L, 4-7, 4.25 ERA
C. White 3 2/3 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 2 K, HRA -- 3.38 ERA
Thompson IP, nothing -- 3.04 ERA

*** Four early Bees runs went for naught as the Chiefs earned at least a split of the 4-game set. Nick Francis hit a 2-out, 2-run homer (his 13th) in the 1st that could have been a 3-run shot had Patrick Norris not gotten picked off in the inning. Peoria struck right back, tho, as DH Rebel Ridling went deep for a 2-run shot (his 15th) off Tim Melville and RF Kyler Burke followed with his 10th homer to make it 3-2 Peoria after 1. Yeldrys Molina stroked an RBI double and Fernando Garcia drove in a run with a groundout in the 2nd and the Bees had a 4-3 lead. Peoria tied it in the 3rd before Melville left the bases full and then got a run in the 4th before Melville was pulled for Cole White, who stranded 2. Burke took White long in the 7th for his 11th of the season and 2nd of the game and Peoria had a 6-4 lead. Francis hit an RBI groundout in the 8th and Shawn Griffin was caught stealing in the 9th to help stymie a possible rally. RP Chris Huseby picked up his 16th save for Peoria. Starter Jeffry Antigua got the win with 5 IP of 4 ER allowed on 7 hits and a walk with 4 Ks to move to 1-0 with a 4.91 ERA. 3B Ryan Flaherty was 4-4 with 2 RS to move to .261 and Burke was 3-4 with 2 HR and 3 RBI (63) to move to .305. Ridling's HR gave him 82 RBI on the season.

The Bees are 20-26 and 7 games back. The Chiefs go for 3 of 4 tonight with Tony Pena Jr. making a start versus Peoria righty Chris Archer (4-4, 2.76).

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 6, Billings 4

C S. Perez 2-4, 2 RBI (24) -- .322
CF H. Richardson 2-5, K, 2 RS -- .328
RF Llanos 2-4, RBI (4), K, 2 RS, SB (2) -- .206
3B Stovall 2-4, 2B (4), RS -- .302
2B D. Batista 1-5, 2 RBI (39), K -- .284
DH Lewis 1-2, BB, SF, RBI, K -- .333, first pro RBI
* LF Julio Aparicio had an OF assist at home.

Paukovits 3 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 3 K -- 5.60 ERA
Halliman 2 1/3 IP, 4 H, K -- W, 3-1, 5.58 ERA
Toribio IP, H, BB -- 4.24 ERA
Arias IP, nothing -- 5.32 ERA
Keating IP, H, 2 K -- SV, 4, 2.38 ERA

*** Idaho Falls answered a 4-run Billings 4th with one of its own and held on for the 4-game sweep. Billings stranded 2 in the 3rd and the Chukars took the lead with 2 in the frame on a 2-run Salvador Perez single. Bryan Paukovits was chased by a walk and 4 straight 2-out hits in the 4th as Billings moved ahead, 4-2. Pernell Halliman came in and gave up a single but Julio Aparicio nailed a runner at the plate to end the inning. He then led off the 4th with a triple and scored on a Joey Lewis sac fly to help kickstart a 4-run rally. Alex Llanos hit an RBI single and Deivy Batista hit a 2-run, 2-out single to make it 6-4 Chukars. Both teams had their chances to score but didn't cash in, and Patrick Keating pitched the 9th for his 4th save. Billings SP Luca Panerati took the loss with 4 IP of 6 ER allowed on 10 hits with 4 Ks to fall to 2-5 with a 6.80 ERA. Four Mustangs had multiple hits led by a 3-hit night from 2B Cristobal Rodriguez.

The Chukars are 6-4 and 3 games back. A 3-game home set with the Great Falls Voyagers (5-5, Pioneer League North first half champs, Rookie ChiSox) starts tonight with Santiago Garrido (1-1, 5.30) facing an unannounced Voyagers starter. The Voyagers roster features Pale Hose '09 draftees 6th round righty Justin Collop, 8th round righty Ryan Buch, 9th round righty Matt Hopps, 10th round OF Nick Ciolli and others.

Rookie - Burlington: Danville 5, B-Royals 2

C T. Jones 2-4, K, E (3), PB (6) -- .168
LF Pickett 0-3, HBP, K, SB (18) -- .281
RF Del Rosario 0-4, 3 K -- .308
DH F. Cruz 1-4, K -- .280
2B Tschepikow 1-4, K, RS -- .222

Fortuna 6 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 4 K, HRA -- L, 2-5, 4.71 ERA
Billo 2 IP, UER, H, K -- 2.16 ERA

*** Danville stayed perfect at 8-0 versus the Royals this season. The Braves got all they needed in a 3-run 2nd off Carlos Fortuna on 3 hits and a walk. The Royals got their first run in the 5th on a Braves throwing error but DH Robert Hefflinger went solo in the 6th for his 7th of the season and the Braves scratched out a run in the 7th to make it 5-1. The Royals stranded 2 in the 8th and a passed ball scored their only other run in the 9th. Danville SP Chris Masters worked 7 IP of an unearned run allowed on 3 hits and 8 Ks to improve to 5-4 with a 1.68 ERA. SS Mycal Jones and Hefflinger had 2 hits for the Braves. Jones had 2 doubles (15) and his 24th RBI. Hefflinger drove in his 34th RBI and scored twice.

The B-Royals are 18-32. Game 2 is tonight as Leondy Perez (1-4, 4.36) faced Danville lefty Tyler Stovall (2-1, 3.82). In the middle innings, Danville is headed toward 9-0 versus the Royals.

Rookie - AZL: wet-out

The game with the Mariners was cancelled because of wet grounds. The 5-10 Royals have tonight off.