Royals on the Farm 8/15

Again, I wouldn't necessarily count on a report tomorrow. Nice to see the Royals get a win today.

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 3, Portland 2

DH Aldridge 3-5, 2B (13), HR (17), RBI (57), 2 K, RS -- .314
2B Metcalf 3-4, 2B (18), K -- .223
1B Ka'aihue 1-5, HR (16), RBI (49), K, RS -- .261
CF Raines 1-4, HR (4), RBI (17), K, RS -- .217
3B Lisson 0-3, BB, K -- .232
* Omaha stranded 10.

DiNardo 8 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, BB, 8 K -- W, 8-5, 3.24 ERA
Marte IP, BB -- SV, 4, 2.48 ERA

*** Lenny DiNardo pitched the Royals to another win as they passed Portland to get out of the worst record in the PCL. Kila Ka'aihue put Omaha on top with a 2-out solo homer in the 1st for his 16th of the season but Omaha would strand 2. The Royals left the bases loaded in the 4th and the Beavers tied it on 2 hits in the bottom of the inning. Cory Aldridge continued his strong season with a solo homer in the 5th (his 17th) to make it 2-1 Omaha but Portland tied it on 2 doubles off DiNardo in the inning. Tim Raines Jr. went solo with 2 outs in the 6th for his 4th homer of the season and, this time, the Royals held on. DiNardo retired 10 of the last 11 he faced and Victor Marte pitched the 9th for his 4th save. RP Mike Ekstrom gave up Raines' homer in an inning of work to take the loss and fall to 3-2 with a 2.14 ERA. Starter Josh Geer allowed 2 ER on 7 hits and a walk with 3 Ks over 5 IP to move his ERA to 4.50. SS Russ Adams had 2 hits for Portland.

Omaha is 50-69. Game 3 is today as Dusty Hughes (1-3, 4.00) faces Beavers righty Josh Banks (6-5, 3.36). OF Jordan Parraz was put on the DL. He last played Aug. 9 and the team site has mentioned no injury.

AA - NW Arkansas: Frisco 11, Naturals 6

SS Bianchi 4-5, 2B (13), 2 RS -- .335
3B Lucas 3-4, HBP, 2 RBI (42) -- .282
DH Mertins 2-4, SF, 2 RBI (50), K -- .281
CF Lough 2-5, 2B (7), 2 K, RS -- .338
RF Duarte 2-4 -- .260
1B C. Smith 1-4, SF, RBI (78), K, RS -- .258
LF Dyson 1-3, BB, S, 2B (3), K, 2 RS, OF assist at second -- .252
2B McConnell 0-4 -- .217, return to lineup
* The Naturals stranded 10.

Kniginyzky 3 2/3 IP, 6 ER, 8 H, 3 BB, K -- 5.15 ERA
Chavez 2 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 2 K -- L, 0-1, 3.86 ERA
Hartsock 2 IP, ER, 4 H -- 3.32 ERA
J. Bannister IP, 2 ER, 2 H, BB -- 6.68 ERA, organization debut

*** Five late runs gave Frisco the win. The Naturals struck for 2 runs in the 1st on a run-scoring RoughRider error and 2-out Kurt Mertins RBI single before stranding 2. Matt Kniginyzky worked out of a jam in the 2nd but Frisco scored a run in the 3rd. Corey Smith hit a sac fly in the 3rd and Mertins hit a sac fly to make it 4-1 NWA. Kniginyzky fell apart in the 4th as Frisco scored 5 runs on 3 doubles, a single, walk and hit batsman before he was pulled with the bases loaded and 2 out. Chris Chavez walked in 2 of the runs before getting out of the jam with NWA down, 6-4. The Nats tied it in the 5th on a 2-run Ed Lucas single but again stranded 2. The 6-6 tie held into the 7th when Frisco broke it open with 2 runs off Chavez and Aaron Hartsock. The Naturals loaded the bases with none out in the 7th but couldn't get a run home. Frisco scored a run in the 8th, the Naturals stranded 2, then the 'Riders finished it with 2 runs in the 9th off new Natural John Bannister. RP Corey Young got the win with 2 scoreless IP to move to 1-0 with a 9.00 ERA. Starter Blake Beavan allowed 6 runs (5 ER) on 10 hits and a walk with 2 Ks to move his ERA to 4.85. Six RoughRiders had multiple hits led by a 3-hit game from 3B John Whittleman, who walked twice, hit his 28th double, drove in 2 runs (47) and scored twice to move to .237. 1B Chad Tracy also had 2 RBI (94) and 3 other Frisco batters scored twice.

The Naturals are 28-20 and 2 games up on first. Game 2 is under way as Rowdy Hardy (3-1, 2.61) took the mound versus Frisco righty Omar Poveda (8-5, 4.49).

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Potomac 3, Blue Rocks 1

CF D. Robinson 2-5, RBI (42), 3 SB (59) -- .236
DH C. Robinson 1-4, K -- .285
2B Giavotella 0-4 -- .259
RF Van Stratten 0-4 -- .259
1B Hosmer 0-3, BB -- .200
PH Moustakas 0-1, K -- .252

Duffy 4 IP, H, 2 BB, 7 K -- 3.38 ERA, nice
Villa 2 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 6 H -- L, 4-7, 3.92 ERA
Basurto 2 1/3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K -- 0.93 ERA

*** A 3-run Potomac 7th spoiled the Rocks' shutout bid and pulled the Nationals within a 1/2 game of the division lead. Danny Duffy stranded 2 in scoring position in the 1st and Derrick Robinson gave Wilmington its only run with an RBI single in the 3rd. Duffy retired the last 9 he faced and Kelvin Villa took the 1-0 shutout into the 7th. Two 2-out triples brought in 2 runs and a single made it 3-1 Potomac and chased Villa from the game. Wilmington stranded 2 in the 7th and 9th as RP Cole Kimball got the last out for his 7th save. Starter Brad Peacock pitched 6 innings of an unearned run allowed on 3 hits and 2 walks with 2 Ks to improve to 2-1 with a 4.71 ERA. C Devin Ivany and CF Boomer Whiting had 2 hits each for Potomac.

The Rocks are 29-19 and now 1/2 a game back of Potomac after the Nationals won today's series finale with Brandon Sisk taking the loss for Wilmington. Mike Montgomery made the start.

A - Burlington: Bees 8, Kane County 1

1B D. Wood 4-5, 2B (18), 3 RBI (55), K, RS -- .267
SS R. Wood 4-5, 2B (2), RBI (3), 2 RS -- .205
CF Norris 3-5, 2 RBI (19), K, RS, OF assist at first -- .247
RF Francis 3-4, BB, RBI (61) -- .274
C Bonilla 1-3, 2 BB, RBI (29), RS -- .221
LF Ortiz 1-5, K, 2 RS -- .204
3B Taylor 0-5, K, E (11) -- .224
* The Bees stranded 13.

Baez 6 IP, UER, 6 H, BB, 3 K, WP, pickoff -- W, 6-5, 3.62 ERA
Thompson 3 IP, H, 3 BB, 4 K -- SV, 6, 2.88 ERA

*** The Bees rolled to the win over the Cougars in the series opener. The Cougars had put on some early pressure on Manauris Baez but the Bees struck first with 2 runs in the 3rd on a 2-out, 2-run double by David Wood. The Bees stranded 2 but piled on 4 more runs in the 4th on a 2-run Patrick Norris single and RBI singles by David Wood and Nick Francis before stranding 2. A Jason Taylor error in the 6th helped the Cougars get their only run but Jose Bonilla took a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the inning and Ryan Wood hit an RBI single to finish the scoring. Cougars SP Murphy Smith took the loss with 5 IP of 6 ER allowed on 11 hits and 3 walks with 3 Ks to fall to 0-2 with a 4.38 ERA. C Petey Paramore had 3 hits and 2 passed balls and 2B Nino Leyja had 2 hits for the Cougs.

The Bees are 21-27 and 7 games back. Game 2 is ongoing as Ivor Hodgson (2-1, 4.84) started versus KC righty Kenny Smalley (9-5, 2.34).

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 6, Great Falls 5

DH D. Batista 2-4, BB, HR (10), 4 RBI (43), K, 2 RS, 2 SB (8) -- .284
CF H. Richardson 2-4, BB, 2B (10), K, 3 RS, 2 SB (17), OF assist at first -- .336
C Theriot 0-2, 2 BB, K -- .308
1B Lewis 1-3, BB, 2B, K -- .333
3B Stovall 0-3, BB, K, E (3) -- .283
RF Llanos 0-4, 3 K -- .214

Marimon 3 2/3 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 7 H, BB, 3 K, HRA, WP, E -- 6.47 ERA
Lafferty 5 1/3 IP, ER, 5 H, 7 K -- W, 3-1, 2.75 ERA

*** Great Falls got a run in the 9th but IF countered with a big 2 in their half to get the walkoff win. Two Chukar errors in the 1st helped the Voyagers take a 1-0 lead and Deivy Batista hit an RBI single in the bottom of the inning to tie the game. Neither starter really settled down and Sugar Ray Marimon gave up 3 runs in the 4th including a 2-run homer by RF Jordan Cheatham for his 2nd of the season. Batista came up in the 5th and clubbed a 3-run homer (his 10th) to tie the game. The 4-4 tie held into the 9th when Great Falls scored a run on 2 hits off Brendan Lafferty. Hilton Richardson led off the IF 9th with a double, advanced on a groundout, and after an intentional walk to Batista, Batista stole second and both he and Richardson scored on a throwing error on the play to end it. RP Matt Hopps took the loss with 2 unearned runs allowed over 1 1/3 IP to fall to 1-4 with a 4.80 ERA. Starter Jimmy Ballinger worked 4 1/3 IP of 4 runs (3 ER) allowed on 3 hits and 5 walks with 7 Ks to make his ERA 3.86. Cheatham had 3 hits, including his 8th double and the HR, and 2 RBI (28) to move to .355. Two others had 2 hits.

The Chukars are 7-5 and 4 games out. The series wraps today as John Lamb (1-1, 3.79) faces an unnamed Voyager starter.

Rookie - Burlington: Danville 7, B-Royals 1

C T. Jones 1-3, 2B (6), RBI (10), K -- .168
DH F. Cruz 1-4, RS -- .279
RF Del Rosario 0-4, 2 K, E (4) -- .295
2B Tschepikow 0-2, BB -- .182, getting BB, but would be nice to see a hit now and then

Hayenga 5 IP, 7 R (5 ER), 8 H, 2 K, HRA -- L, 2-6, 4.25 ERA
Dennick 3 IP, 4 H, 5 K, WP -- 2.63 ERA

*** Braves starter Matt Crim stymied the Royals and the Braves swept the 10-game season series. A Jake Kuebler error scored the Braves' run in the 1st but Travis Jones tied it with an RBI double in the 2nd. The Royals wouldn't have a hit after the 5th. Danville scored 2 in the 3rd and 3 in the 4th off Keaton Hayenga and then got a solo homer from DH Osman Marval (his 1st) in the 5th to finish it off. Crim and RP Luis Avilan combined to retire 13 of the last 14 Royals. Crim got the win with an ER allowed on 4 hits with 4 K over 6 IP to move to 9-0 with a 2.89 ERA. Avilan got his 2nd save. Three Braves had 2 hits. CF Cory Harrilchak stole his 15th base and drove home his 37th RBI.

The B-Royals are 18-34. A 3-game home set with the Pulaski Mariners (21-28) starts tonight with Tyler Sample (2-2, 4.11) facing M's righty Brandon Maurer (2-4, 4.42). The Royals are 3-3 versus the Mariners.

Rookie - AZL: Angels 10, Royals 4

C Moreno 2-4, RBI (8), K, RS -- .230
RF Cooper 2-4, RBI, RS, SB (5) -- .235
3B Piterson 1-4, RBI (10), K -- .298
DH Figueroa 0-2, HBP, SF, RBI (22), K -- .269
2B Trapp 1-3, BB, SB (9), CS (4) -- .292
1B G. Baldwin 1-4, 2 K -- .270
CF L. Adams 1-4, K, SB (11) -- .247
LF Howard 1-4, K, RS -- .197

Avinazar 4 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 4 BB, 5 K, WP, pickoff -- L, 3-4, 6.13 ERA
Keck 2/3 IP, 4 ER, H, 3 BB, WP -- 8.10 ERA
Bavera 2 IP, H, BB, K -- 0.52 ERA
S. De La Rosa 2 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 K, pickoff, E -- 7.53 ERA

*** The Royals had only 1 hit less than the Angels but the game wasn't that close. Willian Avinazar walked in a run in the 2nd before leaving the bases full. The Angels then added 3 in the 3rd on 2 hits and 2 walks. Yunior Figueroa got the Royals started with a sac fly in the 3rd and Luis Piterson singled home a run to cut it to 4-2. Jonathon Keck came in to pitch the 5th and allowed 4 runs before getting pulled. The Royals got their other 2 runs in the 7th on a Henry Moreno RBI groundout and Chanse Cooper RBI single. The Angels answered with 2 in the 8th. Starter Ariel Pena got the win with 6 IP of 2 ER allowed on 6 hits and a walk with 6 Ks to move to 5-3 with a 3.67 ERA. SS Rolando Gomez and RF Matt Long had 2 hits for the Angels. Three Angels scored multiple times and 4 had multiple RBI.

The 5-11 Royals play the 8-9 Brewers tonight.