Royals on the Farm 8/16 and 8/17

REMINDER: I set up a 12-team ESPN Fantasy Football league, if anyone is interested. I set the draft up for 1 p.m. CT on Aug. 29, it's a live online draft. Pretty deep rosters, including defensive players. Either comment with your e-mail address or e-mail me at kennethlassiter@yahoo.com with your e-mail and I'll send you an invite. It's free by the way.

As in last Tuesday's report, I'll do a shorter summary of Sunday's games....

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 1, Portland 0 (2-hitter, Sun.)

2B Falu 2-4, 2B (15), RS -- .251
DH Aldridge 2-4, 2B (14), K -- .317
RF Hulett 1-3, BB, 2B (23), RBI (47) -- .296
1B Ka'aihue 0-3, BB -- .259
SS Lisson 0-4 -- .228

Hughes 5 1/3 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 4 K -- W, 2-3, 3.69 ERA, has earned spot in rotation
Yabuta 2 1/3 IP, 2 BB, 4 K -- 3.09 ERA
Hayes 1 1/3 IP, nada -- SV, 2, 4.05 ERA

*** Shutout No. 16, tied for second all-time for Omaha in a season. No other team in the league has more than 9.

Portland 7, O-Royals 1 (Mon.)

RF Hulett 2-2, 2 BB, HR (10), RBI (48), RS -- .300
DH Aldridge 0-4, K -- .312
1B Ka'aihue 1-4 -- .259
SS Lisson 0-4, K -- .225
* LF Scott Thorman had an OF assist at second.

Phillips IP, H, BB, pickoff -- 5.37 ERA, no injury noted in recap, only 15 pitches thrown
Hamulack 3 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, K -- L, 2-3, 6.04 ERA
Rosa 1 2/3 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 2 K -- 5.03 ERA
Buchanan 2 IP, ER, H, BB, HRA -- 9.00 ERA

*** Omaha scored first but Portland scored the rest to avoid the 4-game sweep. Tug Hulett hit a 1-out solo homer in the 1st for his 10th of the season but Omaha would struggle to get anything the rest of the way. Portland tied it off Tim Hamulack, who came in for Heath Phillips after the 1st, in the 3rd and then took the lead with 2 in the 4th. The Beavers piled on 2 more runs in the 5th and starter Wade LeBlanc handed the lead over to the pen in the 7th. Portland added runs in the 6th and 8th and Omaha stranded 2 in the 8th and 1 in the 9th. LeBlanc allowed an ER on 3 hits and a walk with 5 Ks over 6 IP to move to 3-9 with a 4.11 ERA. 3B Craig Stansberry had 3 hits, including his 20th double, and 31st RBI, and SS Sean Kazmar had 2 hits and 2 RS for Portland. C Eliezer Alfonzo drove in 2 runs.

The O-Royals are 51-70. A 4-game set at the Tacoma Rainiers (59-64, AAA Mariners) starts tonight with Brandon Duckworth (3-6, 5.31) facing Tacoma righty Gaby Hernandez (5-9, 6.21). Tacoma's roster features M's prospects C Adam Moore (.770 OPS), 1B Mike Carp (.823 OPS), DH Matt Tuiasosopo (.828 OPS), OF Mike Wilson (.462 OPS), and lefty Justin Thomas (1-4, 5.15, 1.91 WHIP in 50 2/3 IP). The Royals have demoted 3B Alex Gordon to Omaha to make room for....Kyle Farnsworth. Sweet sweet lord, why am I a fan of this team? Not that Gordon's hitting anything....

AA - NW Arkansas: Frisco 7, Naturals 4 (Sun.)

CF Lough 4-5, 2B (8), HR (8), RBI (26), K, 2 RS, SB (10) -- .353
SS Bianchi 2-5, RBI (31), RS, SB (9) -- .337
DH Maddox 1-4, 2 RBI (13) -- .196
LF Dyson 1-4, BB, K, SB (23) -- .251

R. Hardy 6 IP, 5 R (1 ER), 8 H, 3 BB, 4 K, E (2) -- L, 3-2, 2.45 ERA
Swaggerty 3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, BB, 2 K, 2 HRA, balk -- 3.82 ERA

*** A 4-run Frisco 1st put the Naturals on their heels and they recovered, but couldn't overcome the RoughRiders. At least David Lough raked and Bianchi had another 2-hit night.

Naturals 2, Frisco 1 (Mon.)

DH V. Wilson 2-4, walkoff HR (8), RBI (24), RS -- .293
3B Mertins 2-3, 2B (22), RBI (51) -- .283
CF Lough 0-4 -- .344
LF Dyson 1-4, SB (24) -- .251
SS Bianchi 1-4, K -- .335

Lerew 6 IP, 4 H, BB, 7 K -- 4.40 ERA, tough no-decision
Farnsworth 2 IP, 2 K -- 0.00 ERA
Abreu IP, ER, H, K, HRA -- BS, 2, W, 2-1, 2.31 ERA, vultured the win

*** A 9th inning Frisco homer tied the game but a 9th inning NWA homer won it. Ed Lucas was thrown out trying to score in the 2nd and neither team threatened until Kurt Mertins was left at third in the 5th. Mertins came back up in the 7th and hit an RBI single and Juan Abreu took on the 4-hit shutout in the 9th. With 2 out, 1B Chad Tracy took Abreu out of the park for his 23rd homer and the 'Riders had new life. It lasted 2 batters into the NWA 9th as Vance Wilson went long off Thomas Diamond for his 8th of the season to end it. Diamond allowed the ER in 1 IP to fall to 0-3 with a 3.02 ERA. Starter Michael Ballard allowed an ER on 7 hits and a K to move his ERA to 4.35. Five 'Riders had a hit each. Tracy's HR gave him his 97th RBI.

The Naturals are 29-21 and 2 games up on first. They have today off.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Potomac 4, Blue Rocks 3 (10/Sun.)

CF D. Robinson 3-4, S, HR (3), RBI (43), K, RS, picked off -- .241, 59/78 SB on the season, 75.6 percent success rate
RF Orlando 3-5, K -- .270
2B Giavotella 0-5 -- .256
3B Moustakas 1-3, 2 BB, K -- .252
DH C. Robinson 0-4, BB, 2 K -- .282
1B Hosmer 0-4, BB, 2 K -- .191
* The Rocks stranded 10.

Montgomery 6 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 5 K, pickoff -- 2.63 ERA
Z. Peterson 2 1/3 IP, 2 H, BB -- 0.92 ERA
Sisk 1 2/3 IP, ER, 2 H, BB -- L, 2-3, 2.25 ERA

*** The Rocks tied it in the 7th to eventually force extras but Brandon Sisk faltered in the 10th. Derrick Robinson continued his improved performance at the plate. An error and wild pitch accounted for 2 of Wilmington's runs.

off day Monday

The Rocks are 29-19 and 1/2 a game back of Potomac after the sweep. They have lost 4 in a row for the first time since early May. A 3-day, 4-game set at the Frederick Keys (25-24, A-Adv. O's) starts tonight as Danny Gutierrez (0-0, 0.00) makes his second start of the season versus Keys lefty and MU product Richard Zagone (0-3, 5.96).

A - Burlington: Bees 6, Kane County 3 (Sun.)

DH Bonilla 2-4, 2B (11), HR (5), 2 RBI (31), RS -- .225
1B D. Wood 2-4, BB, 2B (19), RS -- .270
LF Ortiz 2-4, BB, 3B (2), RS, OF assist at first -- .214
2B Molina 1-4, 3B (2), RBI (8), RS -- .226
CF Norris 0-5, 2 K, RS -- .243, something about leadoff just doesn't sit right with him
C Graterol 1-2, 2 BB, RS, SB -- .321
SS R. Wood 1-3, BB, E (4) -- .213
* The Bees stranded 10.

Hodgson 5 IP, 3 ER, 8 H, BB, 4 K, pickoff -- 4.94 ERA
J. Garcia 2 IP, H, BB, K -- W, 3-6, 4.72 ERA
B. Hardy 2 IP, 2 K -- SV, 7, 2.22 ERA

*** A 6th inning rally got the Bees the win. Three Cougars errors in the 5-run 6th keyed the rally.

Kane County 7, Bees 5 (Mon.)

3B Morales 3-4, 2B (3), HR, 2 RBI (4), 2 RS -- .304
1B Graterol 1-4, RBI (4), RS -- .317
LF D. Wood 1-4, RBI (56), picked off -- .269
CF Norris 0-4, BB, K, SB (40), OF assists at third and home -- .240
2B F. Garcia 0-4, 2 K, E (16) -- .259
RF Francis 1-4, K, RS -- .273
C Bonilla 0-4, E (8) -- .222
DH Taylor 1-3, BB, 2B (7), K, RS, SB (8) -- .226
SS R. Wood 0-4 -- .196

Runion 5 IP, 3 ER, 9 H, BB, 3 K, WP -- 7.04 ERA, beat(ing) goes on
T. Pena IP, 3 R (2 ER), 3 H, BB, K, HRA, WP -- L, 0-2, 13.50 ERA, I've seen enough
C. White 1 1/3 IP, ER, 3 H, 2 BB -- 3.86 ERA
Odenbach 1 2/3 IP, H, BB, 2 K -- 3.71 ERA

*** Tony Pena Jr. made it 2 losses in 2 Bees appearances. Jason Taylor put Burlington up by hitting a double and scoring on a wild pitch in the 2nd. Kane County tied it off Sam Runion in the 3rd but Jason Morales doubled and scored on a David Wood single in the 3rd to make it 2-1 Bees. Juan Graterol hit a 2-out RBI single in the 4th to make it 3-1. Four hits scored 2 Cougar runs in the 5th and a Fernando Garcia error helped Pena give up 2 runs in the 6th to make it 5-3 KC. Pena gave up a leadoff homer to 3B Michael Spina in the 7th (his 7th) and the Cougars tacked on a run off Cole White in the 8th. Morales went deep in the 9th for a 2-run shot for his 1st as a Bee but that's where the rally stopped. KC SP Anvioris Ramirez worked 6 IP of 3 runs (2 ER) allowed on 4 hits and 2 walks with 3 Ks to move to 3-2 with a 3.47 ERA. 1B Stephen Parker had 4 hits, including 2 doubles (7), and 4 RBI (29) for the Cougs. Spina had 3 hits and 2 others had 2 hits.

The Bees are 22-28 and 8 games back. Tim Melville (4-7, 4.25) starts the series finale tonight versus Cougars righty Mathieu LeBlanc Poirier (3-6, 4.20). OF Nick Francis was named MWL Hitter of the Week for Aug. 10-16. He hit .520 (13-25) with 1 HR, 8 RBI and 3 RS on the week.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 5, Great Falls 3 (Sun.)

3B Stovall 3-4, 2B (5), 3B (2) -- .320
1B Espinosa 2-4, 3B (2), 2 RBI (17), 2 RS -- .248
DH Lewis 2-3, HBP, 2B (2), RBI (2), K -- .417
C S. Perez 2-4, 2B (9), K, RS, PB (4) -- .325
2B Franco 2-4, BB, CS (5) -- .238
LF Aparicio 1-2, 2 SF, 2 RBI (13) -- .219
CF H. Richardson 0-4, BB, 3 K, SB (18) -- .326
SS D. Batista 1-4, BB, 2 RS -- .283
RF Llanos 0-4, 2 K, OF assist at third -- .196
* IF stranded 10.

Lamb 7 IP, 3 H, BB, 10 K -- W, 2-1, 2.77 ERA, I'll take that
Folmer 1 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, BB, 2 K -- 3.79 ERA
Keating 1/3 IP, nada -- SV, 5, 2.35 ERA

*** John Lamb was dealing and the Chukars offense cranked out enough runs to win. The Chukars took a 3-hit shutout into the 9th, so it wasn't really as close as it looks.

Billings 12, Chukars 5 (Mon.)

RF Llanos 3-4, 2B (2), RBI (5), picked off, E (2) -- .240
DH Theriot 2-4, RBI (15), RS -- .317
C S. Perez 2-4, 2 2B (11), 2 RS -- .329
CF H. Richardson 1-3, BB, SF, RBI (14) -- .326
LF Aparicio 1-4, 2B (11), RBI (14), RS -- .220
3B Alfaro 1-4, RBI (14), RS -- .228
SS D. Batista 0-4, 2 K, E (13) -- .277

Wooley 6 IP, 6 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 5 K, HRA -- L, 3-2, 4.91 ERA
Kelley IP, BB, K -- 0.00 ERA
Halliman 2/3 IP, 6 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 2 WP -- 7.18 ERA, Halliman of old
Morgan 1/3 IP, BB -- 6.16 ERA

*** An Idaho Falls comeback attempt fell apart in a 6-run Billings 8th. Billings scored 3 in the 2nd off Nick Wooley and then got a leadoff homer from LF Efrain Contreras (his 1st) in the 3rd to make it 4-0. The Chukar offense struggled against Billings SP Blair Carson and the Mustangs added 2 in the 6th to make it 6-0. Julio Aparicio doubled home the Chukars' 1st run to chase Carson in the 7th, J.D. Alfaro followed with an RBI single, an error scored a run and Hilton Richardson hit a sac fly to cut the lead to 6-4. Ben Theriot singled home a run in the 8th to cut it to 6-5 but Billings put it away by drilling Pernell Halliman for the 6-run rally. Ryan Morgan came in to strand 2 and IF stranded 2 in the 9th. RP Brian Pearl went 1 1/3 IP for his 4th save. Carson was credited with 3 ER on 7 hits and a walk with a K to move to 1-3 with a 4.55 ERA. Three Mustangs had 2 hits and 3 had 2 RBI.

The Chukars are 8-6 and 4 1/2 games back. Game 2 with Billings is tonight as Carlos Arias (2-3, 5.32) starts versus Mustangs righty Leonardo Astorga (2-4, 4.44). IF is 4-1 versus the 'Stangs. John Lamb was named Pioneer League Pitcher of the Week for Aug. 10 to 16. He had 2 wins and only 1 run allowed on the week.

Rookie - Burlington: Pulaski 6, B-Royals 5 (Sun., completed Monday)

2B Tschepikow 2-4, HR, 2 RBI (7), RS -- .216, first pro homer, that's more like it
CF G. Beltre 2-3, BB, HR (5), 2 RBI (23), 2 RS, CS (3) -- .221
SS Espinal 1-4, RBI (15), K, 2 E (16) -- .216
LF Pickett 0-4, K -- .267
RF Del Rosario 0-4, K -- .289
C F. Cruz 1-3, BB, 3B, RS -- .280

Sample IP, ER, H, HRA -- 4.26 ERA, game suspended in 1st
Hentges 4 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 3 K, WP -- 5.18 ERA
L. Roberts 2 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, BB, 3 K, HRA -- L, 2-1, 3.86 ERA

*** Tyler Sample only got an inning of work in and allowed a homer in that inning. Play resumed Monday and a 3-2 Pulaski advantage in 9th inning scoring got the Mariners the win. Ben Tschepikow picked up his 1st pro homer with a 2-run shot in the 9th but the Royals couldn't get the tying run on.

Pulaski 10, B-Royals 6 (7/reg. Mon. game)

1B D. Cruz 2-4, HR, 3 RBI (7), RS -- .224
SS Espinal 2-3, HBP, 2B (5), HR (5), RBI (16), 2 RS -- .223
DH F. Cruz 2-3, BB, RBI (17), RS -- .288
CF G. Beltre 2-4, RBI (24), K, RS -- .227
2B Tschepikow 2-4, K -- .244
* The Royals stranded 10. LF Derek Rodriguez had an OF assist at second.

D. De La Cruz 4 1/3 IP, 6 ER, 8 H, 3 BB, 3 K -- L, 2-2, 3.90 ERA
Sirrett 2 2/3 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 6 H, 4 K -- 3.72 ERA

*** The Royals couldn't withstand the Pulaski barrage. Yowill Espinal went yard for his 5th homer of the season in the 1st but the Royals stranded 2 and the Mariners tied it in the 2nd off Deybi De La Cruz, but also stranded 2. Geulin Beltre hit a 2-out RBI single in the 3rd but Burlington again stranded 2. Pulaski tied it in the 4th and, after the Royals stranded the bases full in their half, the M's broke out with 5 in the 5th off De La Cruz and Onassis Sirrett. Diego Cruz kept the Royals in it with a 3-run homer in the 5th for his 1st of the season to cut it to 7-5. Pulaski scored a run in the 6th and the Royals matched it on a Fernando Cruz RBI single. The M's finished it with 2 runs in the 7th and the Royals couldn't respond in the shortened game. RP Chris Sorce went 2 1/3 IP for his 1st save. RP Ogui Diaz got the win with 1 2/3 IP of 3 runs (2 ER) allowed to move to 1-0 with a 10.80 ERA. Starter Yao Wen Chang allowed 2 ER on 5 hits and 2 walks over 3 IP to move his ERA to 6.57. Five M's had multiple hits and 3 had 2 RBI.

The B-Royals are 18-36. The series ends tonight as Greg Billo (2-1, 2.16) faces M's righty Brandon Maurer (2-4, 4.42).

Rookie - AZL: Brewers 14, Royals 0 (3-hitter)

RF L. Adams 1-3, BB, 2B (2) -- .250
C Matos 1-3 -- .310
CF Polonia 1-2, BB, K, SB (9) -- .202
SS Trapp 0-4, K, 2 E (11) -- .280
1B G. Baldwin 0-4 -- .262
DH Howard 0-3, K -- .188

B. Wood 1 1/3 IP, UER, H, BB, K, 2 WP -- L, 0-1, 0.00 ERA
E. Diaz 2 IP, 7 R (6 ER), 5 H, 4 BB, 2 K, HRA, 3 WP -- 6.14 ERA
Yambati 3 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 2 H, 3 BB, 5 K, 4 WP -- 11.25 ERA, were they having a WP contest?
Worrell 1 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, BB, 3 K -- 4.38 ERA
J. Adams 1/3 IP, H -- 2.20 ERA

*** The Brewers drilled the Royals, who had more errors (4) than hits (3).

Cubs 9, Royals 3

2B A. Martinez 2-4, BB, RBI (16), K, RS -- .229
3B Figueroa 1-4, 2B (6), 2 RBI (24), K -- .262
SS Trapp 1-4, K, RS, E (12) -- .278
DH G. Baldwin 0-3, K -- .257
RF L. Adams 0-4, K, OF assist at second -- .238
LF Howard 0-4, K -- .178

B. Peacock 4 2/3 IP, 7 R (5 ER), 8 H, 3 BB, 2 K, HRA, pickoff -- L, 0-3, 5.08 ERA
Amador 4 1/3 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K -- 6.23 ERA

*** The Cubs scored 7 straight to get the win. Brian Peacock gave up a 2-run rally in the 1st but the Royals matched it on a 2-run Yunior Figueroa double. Peacock allowed a run in the 2nd and 3 in the 3rd, then gave up a solo homer to 3B Jordan Petraitis (his 3rd) in the 5th before getting pulled. Ezequiel Amador allowed 2 runs in the 6th, and the Royals got their last run in the 7th on an Adrian Martinez RBI single. RP Luis Liria pitched 2 scoreless innings for the win to move to 2-1 with a 5.75 ERA. Starter Carlos Rojas allowed 2 ER on 2 hits and a walk with 4 Ks over 3 IP to move his ERA to 6.08. Three Cubs had multiple hits as 2B Dwayne Kemp had 3 hits, including his 5th triple, and 11th RBI with 2 RS to move to .250. Petraitis drove in 3 runs (14) and had 2 hits and 2 errors (5).

The Royals are 5-13. They play the 11-8 Cubs again tonight. Only 9 games remain.