Royals on the Farm 8/22

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 5, Oklahoma City 4

LF Thorman 2-4, RBI (52) -- .268, in the interest of accuracy, his homer Friday was his first in 31 games, not 33 as reported yesterday
SS Falu 2-5, 2 RS -- .260
1B House 2-4, 2B (23), K -- .248
DH Buchanan 1-4, 2 RBI (24), K -- .243
RF Aldridge 1-4, BB, RBI (59), K, OF assist at second -- .304
2B Hulett 1-3, 2 BB, RBI (52), K, 2 RS, SB (9) -- .294
3B Lisson 1-4, 2B (15), 3 K -- .219

Liotta 4 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 4 K -- 4.15 ERA, AAA debut
Hayes 3 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, BB, 2 K -- 4.24 ERA
Godin IP, H, 3 K -- W, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, win in AAA debut

*** Omaha lost a lead in the 7th but Cory Aldridge came through in the 9th to give the O-Royals a walkoff win. Ray Liotta got off to a shaky start as the RedHawks pushed home a run in the 1st. The offense didn't pick him up until the 3rd, when Omaha scored 3 runs on a Tug Hulett RBI single and 2-run Brian Buchanan single. Liotta left 2 in scoring position in the 4th and was pulled with 2 on and 1 out in the 5th. Chris Hayes allowed 1 inherited runner to score before stranding the bases full. Scott Thorman hit an RBI single in the 5th to get the run back and make it 4-2 Omaha. Hayes lost the lead on a walk, 2 singles and a sac fly in the 7th and the 4-4 tie held into the 9th. Jason Godin struck out the side around a Chris Davis single in his first career AAA appearance in the 9th. Mario Lisson led off the Omaha 9th with a double but was thrown out trying to stretch it to third. Irving Falu hit a 2-out single, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Aldridge's walkoff single to end it. RP A.J. Murray allowed an ER over 1 2/3 IP to fall to 2-2 with a 3.30 ERA. Starter Brandon McCarthy allowed 4 ER on 7 hits and 3 walks with 7 Ks over 7 IP to move his ERA to 5.74. Davis was 4-5 with 2 RBI (30) to move to .342. SS Joaquin Arias had 3 hits and CF Brandon Boggs had 2 hits for OKC. 1B Justin Smoak was 1-3 with 2 walks, a K and RS to move to .235.

Omaha is 54-72. The Royals play a twinbill with the RedHawks today as game 1 pits Chris Nicoll (0-1, 14.54) versus OKC righty Bryan Corey (6-6, 5.14) and game 2 sees Chris Chavez (0-0, 0.00) make a spot start vs. OKC righty Elizardo Ramirez (7-10, 4.86). As noted, P Jason Godin has been called up from AA to fill out a spot in the bullpen. Godin had pitched only 11 2/3 innings in AA prior to the call-up. OF Chris Lubanski was placed back on the DL.

AA - NW Arkansas: Frisco 3, Naturals 2

C Howell 2-4, K -- .264
DH V. Wilson 0-4, RBI (25) -- .287
2B Mertins 0-3, SF, RBI (52), K -- .282
LF Lough 1-4, K -- .337
CF Dyson 1-4, RS, 2 SB (27) -- .250
SS Bianchi 0-3, BB, SB (10) -- .320

R. Hardy 5 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 WP -- L, 3-3, 2.72 ERA
J. Bannister 2 1/3 IP, H, BB, 2 K, pickoff -- 6.11 ERA

*** Rowdy Hardy didn't have his best control as he had 2 wild pitches and hit 4 batters as the Naturals couldn't take advantage of 4 Frisco errors. NWA stranded 2 in the 1st and Hardy did the same in the Frisco 1st. He wasn't as lucky in the 2nd as Frisco scored all 3 of its runs thanks in part to the wild pitches and one of the hit batsmen. NWA left 2 in scoring position in the 3rd and it wasn't until Frisco starter Blake Beavan was pulled to start the 8th that the Naturals could get anywhere. Jarrod Dyson scored on an error in the 8th and Kurt Mertins hit a sac fly to cut the lead to 1 but Chris McConnell was caught trying to steal second to end the rally. The Nats went down in order in the 9th as RP Beau Vaughan picked up his 5th save. Beavan allowed only 5 hits and a walk with 2 Ks over 7 IP to move to 3-4 with a 4.42 ERA. Frisco only had 4 hits. 2B Renny Osuna drove in 2 runs (16).

The Naturals are 29-25 and now a game back of first. Game 2 is tonight as Anthony Lerew (8-6, 4.40) faces Frisco righty Omar Poveda (9-5, 4.57). SP Blake Wood was activated from the DL, as was RP Gilbert de la Vara. I wonder if Wood's activation might kick Matt Kniginyzky to the pen.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: suspended in 3rd tied at 1

The game will be completed today before the series finale. Danny Gutierrez (0-0, 2.70) is set to pitch the regular tilt versus Kinston lefty Russell Young (5-5, 3.40). RP Barry Bowden has gotten the call to Wilmington after pitching well as Burlington's closer.

A - Burlington: Bees 12, Quad Cities 4

DH Ortiz 3-5, S, 2B (6), 3 RBI (18), RS -- .235
3B Taylor 3-5, 2B (10), RBI (22), K, 2 RS -- .253
2B F. Garcia 3-5, 2B (12), RBI (21), K, 3 RS, SB (27) -- .265
CF Norris 3-6, K, RS -- .247
1B D. Wood 2-4, HR (8), 2 RBI (60), K, 2 RS -- .271
RF Francis 2-5, HR (15), RBI (65), K, RS -- .279
C Bonilla 2-4, BB, 2 RBI (34), RS -- .227
LF Griffin 1-5, 2B (13), RBI (18), RS -- .299
SS R. Wood 1-5, 2B (5), RBI (4) -- .234

Hodgson 6 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 4 K, WP -- W, 3-1, 4.50 ERA
R. Pena 1 1/3 IP, 2 ER, H, BB, 2 K -- 4.83 ERA
J. Garcia IP, 2 BB, K -- 4.40 ERA

*** The Bees went on an offensive rampage from the 3rd through the 7th to coast past the Bandits and earn at least a series split. The Bees stranded 2 in the 1st and Ivor Hodgson allowed a run on 2 hits in the inning. The Bees tied it in the 3rd as Adrian Ortiz hit an RBI single, then took the lead with 3 runs in the 4th on a Jose Bonilla RBI single, Ryan Wood RBI double and Fernando Garcia RBI groundout to make it 4-1. David Wood led off the 5th with his 8th homer and Nick Francis made it back-to-back jacks with his 15th homer to extend the lead to 6-1. The Bees rattled off 5 runs in the 6th on RBI singles by Ortiz, David Wood and Jason Taylor, a Shawn Griffin RBI groundout and Jose Bonilla RBI single. An Ortiz RBI double in the 7th made it 12-1 Bees. Hodgson had pitched well after the 1st and finally faltered again in the 7th as he allowed another run and was pulled for Riquy Pena. Pena gave up 2 runs in the 8th but he and Justin Garcia managed to finish the game. Starter Eric Fornataro took the loss with 4 IP of 4 ER allowed on 9 hits with 2 Ks to fall to 0-3 with an 8.82 ERA. 1B Xavier Scruggs had 3 hits and his 23rd RBI to move to .324 and 3B Richard Racobaldo had 2 hits, both doubles (5), an RBI (7) and 2 RS to move to .254. He also stole his 3rd base.

The Bees are 25-29 and 9 games out but are now ahead of Clinton and QC for a playoff spot by a game. They need the win today as Sam Runion (3-10, 7.04) faces Bandits righty Scott McGregor (6-9, 6.02) in the series finale.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 3, Great Falls 2

C S. Perez 0-3, SF, RBI (26), K -- .306
CF H. Richardson 1-3, BB, RS -- .312
DH Lewis 0-3, BB, 2 K -- .269
3B Stovall 1-4 -- .313
LF Aparicio 1-3, K, OF assist at home and two at second -- .212
RF Llanos 1-3, RS, two OF assists at second -- .227

Paukovits 5 IP, ER, 5 H, 4 K, HRA -- 5.13 ERA
Halliman 3 IP, ER, 3 H, 2 K -- W, 4-1, 6.82 ERA
Keating IP, 3 H, K -- SV, 7, 2.13 ERA

*** A 3-run rally in the 9th kept the Chukars rolling against the Voyagers. Julio Aparicio gunned a runner down at the plate to end the 2nd and the game stayed scoreless until GF LF Nick Ciolli hit his 5th homer of the season for a solo shot in the 4th. IF stranded 2 in the 5th and the Voyagers added a run in the 6th. Idaho Falls was being shutout on 5 hits going into the 9th when a 2-run throwing error by RP Nelson Curry tied the game. Salvador Perez added a sac fly and the Chukars all of a sudden had a 3-2 lead. Aparicio had a key OF assist at second in the 9th as Patrick Keating escaped with his 7th save. Curry blew his 3rd save and took the loss with 3 unearned runs in an inning of work to fall to 3-3 with a 3.26 ERA. Starter Brandon Kloess worked 5 shutout innings of 5 hits allowed with 3 Ks to lower his ERA to 2.37. Three Voyagers had 2 hits.

The Chukars are 12-7 and 5 games back. They go for the 4-game sweep today as an unannounced starter faces GF lefty Matt Wickswat (1-1, 4.02).

Rookie - Burlington: B-Royals 5, Johnson City 3

C W. Myers 1-4, 3B, 3 RBI (4), K -- .125, made the most of his 2 B-Royal hits
RF G. Beltre 1-3, BB, 2B (11), RBI (25), K, 2 RS, CS (4), E (5) -- .230
CF Pickett 1-4, K, RS, SB (21) -- .264
LF Del Rosario 1-3, BB, RS, SB (19) -- .281

Hayenga 6 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K, WP -- W, 3-6, 3.95 ERA
D. De La Cruz 3 IP, ER, 4 H, BB, 3 K -- SV, 2, 3.82 ERA

*** The Royals made the most of their 4 hits to snap a losing streak. After Keaton Hayenga stranded 2 Cardinals in the 1st, Geulin Beltre hit an RBI groundout in the bottom of the inning to give Burlington the lead. With 2 out and the bases loaded in the 3rd, Wil Myers came through with his first pro triple to score 3 and make it 4-0 Royals. Hayenga escaped a bases-loaded situation in the 4th but finally gave up 2 runs in the 6th to cut the lead in half. Beltre doubled and scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the inning to restore a 3-run lead. Deybi De La Cruz left the bases full in the 7th but gave up a run in the 9th before shutting the door. JC starter Randy Santos took the loss with 4 IP of 4 runs (3 ER) allowed on 3 hits and 2 walks with 4 Ks to fall to 1-6 with a 4.87 ERA. 3B Kleininger Teran and DH Audry Perez had 2 hits for the Cardinals.

The B-Royals are 19-39. A 3-game set at the Princeton Rays (30-26) starts today with an unannounced Royals starter facing Rays lefty Julius Dettrich (3-5, 3.62). The Royals are 3-3 versus the Rays. Ten games remain on the Burlington schedule.

Rookie - AZL: Indians 6, Royals 3

RF L. Adams 2-4, 3B (2), 2 RS, SB (13) -- .230
CF Howard 1-2, 2 BB, HR, 2 RBI (10), K, RS, SB (9), E (3) -- .190, first pro homer
SS A. Martinez 1-4, RBI (18), K, CS (3), 2 E (9) -- .218
DH Trapp 0-3, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 SB (11) -- .269
1B G. Baldwin 0-5, K -- .248, season has gone downhill after great start
* The Royals stranded 10.

Peacock 5 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 7 H, 4 K, E, pickoff -- L, 0-4, 4.86 ERA
Amador 3 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, BB, 4 K, WP, pickoff -- 6.39 ERA

*** The Royals made 4 errors and couldn't get much offense going in the loss. Brian Peacock labored somewhat in the 1st but only allowed 1 run, then gave up another run in the 3rd on 2 hits. Anthony Howard tied the game in the 4th with a 2-run homer for his 1st pro longball but Peacock allowed a run on 2 hits in the 5th. Ezequiel Amador got a rough introduction to the game as the Indians scored 3 in the 6th. The Royals left 2 in scoring position in the 7th but got a leadoff triple from Lane Adams in the 8th. He scored on an Adrian Martinez groundout but that was all the Royals would get. RP Dale Dickerson pitched the 9th for his 2nd save for the Tribe. RP Francisco Valera blew his 3rd save but got the win with 4 IP of 2 ER allowed to move to 4-2 with a 4.26 ERA. Juan Salas made the start but only went an inning to make his ERA 20.25. Four Indians had multiple hits led by a 3-3 game from DH Kevin Fontanez, who scored twice in his season debut. Two others had 2 RBI for the Tribe.

The 7-14 Royals play the 10-12 Rangers tonight as the AZL season also winds down.