Royals on the Farm 9/5

The fantasy draft is in the books....thanks to all who are playing....

AAA - Omaha: Round Rock 6, O-Royals 1

CF Raines 1-3, RBI (28) -- .236
2B Hernandez 1-4, K, CS (3) -- .303
DH Gordon 0-4, 2 K -- .322
RF Aldridge 0-4, 2 K -- .317
1B Ka'aihue 1-4, K, RS -- .255
SS Lisson 1-2, BB -- .243
* LF John Suomi had an OF assist at home.

Liotta 4 IP, 5 ER, 5 H, 4 BB, K, HRA, WP -- L, 0-1, 7.56 ERA
de la Vara 4 IP, ER, 4 H, BB, 2 K, pickoff -- 1.29 ERA

*** Journeyman and former Royals farmhand Andy Van Hekken held the Royals to 1 run over 8 IP and Omaha dropped game 2 of the set. Ray Liotta gave up 4 runs in the 2nd and another in the 3rd. Tim Raines Jr. singled home the Royals' only run in the 5th.

The O-Royals are 64-78. Game 3 of the set is tonight as Heath Phillips (8-7, 5.14) takes on RR lefty Mark McLemore (5-10, 4.87). Righties Victor Marte and Carlos Rosa were called up to KC along with lefty Dusty Hughes when RPs Kyle Farnsworth and John Bale went down with injuries. RP Tony Pena Jr. has been called up to Omaha for the last couple games. Guess pitching well in A-ball means AAA is the next stop! IF Luis Hernandez was also recalled to KC. The loss snapped a 5-game Omaha win streak.

AA - NW Arkansas: Tulsa 4, Naturals 3

C Clark 2-4, HR (6), RBI (29), K, RS -- .298
1B C. Smith 1-4, RBI (90), RS -- .253
CF Dyson 1-3, BB, K, SB (35) -- .261
SS Bianchi 1-4, K -- .309
LF Lough 1-4, K -- .328

Teaford 6 IP, H, 5 BB, 5 K -- 5.11 ERA, best AA start yet
B. Wood 2 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, BB, K, HRA, WP -- BS, 1, L, 2-8, 5.83 ERA

*** The Naturals were 3 outs from clinching the second-half division title when disaster struck in the form of Tulsa C Mike McKenry. Corey Smith and Cody Clark had RBI singles in the 2nd to spot NWA a 2-0 lead. Everett Teaford lost a no-hit bid in the 6th and Blake Wood gave up a run in the 7th. Clark went yard in the 9th for his 6th of the season to make it 3-1 NWA. Wood gave up 2 singles to start the Tulsa 9th, however, and then served up a 3-run bomb to McKenry (his 12th) to keep the Drillers' hopes alive.

The Naturals are 36-32 and a game up on first. They still only need a win to clinch the second half TL North title. Game 2 is tonight as Federico Castaneda (0-3, 4.63) faces Tulsa lefty Keith Weiser (9-14, 5.08).

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Frederick 8, Blue Rocks 3

Moustakas DNP
2B Giavotella 2-4, HR (6), RBI (50), 2 RS -- .259
DH C. Robinson 1-4, HR (13), RBI (57), RS -- .294
RF Walton 1-4, RBI (34) -- .244
CF Van Stratten 0-4, 3 K -- .272
LF Del Rosario 1-3, 2B -- .200

Duffy 6 IP, 4 H, BB, 8 K -- 2.98 ERA, another great start
Kelley 2/3 IP, 6 R (5 ER), 3 H, BB -- BS, 1, L, 0-1, 67.50 ERA, ungood level debut
Bowden 2 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 6 K, HRA -- 4.50 ERA

*** Luckily the Rocks have already clinched a second-half division title so Scott Kelley's collapse in the 7th made no difference. Jamar Walton singled home a run in the 1st and Danny Duffy took a 4-hit shutout through 6. Johnny Giavotella went solo in the 6th for his 6th of the season to make it 2-0 Wilmington. Kelley had 2 on with 2 out in the 7th when the wheels fell off. A catcher interference call was followed by a bases-loaded single and 3-run double turned the lead around and Barry Bowden gave up a 2-run double to make it 6-2 Frederick. Bowden served up a 2-run homer in the 9th and a Clint Robinson solo homer in the bottom of the 9th (his 13th) was meaningless.

The Rocks are 45-24 after another stellar start from Mike Montgomery today (6 IP, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K), setting up Monday's regular season finale.

A - Burlington: Bees 4, Cedar Rapids 0

2B F. Garcia 2-3, BB, SB (29), CS (15) -- .264
1B Graterol 2-4, K, RS, SB (2) -- .298
LF H. Richardson 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI -- .136
CF Ortiz 0-4, OF assist at third -- .250
DH Taylor 0-2, 2 BB, K, CS (9) -- .258
C Bonilla 0-4, 2 K, E (9) -- .216
3B Morales 0-3, BB, K, RS, SB (2) -- .306
SS R. Wood 0-3, BB, 2 K, RS, E (9) -- .240

Melville 5 IP, 4 H, BB, 6 K -- W, 7-7, 3.79 ERA
C. White 2 1/3 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K, WP -- 2.16 ERA
Thompson 1 2/3 IP, H, BB, 2 K -- 2.71 ERA

*** Tim Melville and 2 relievers combined on a 7-hit shutout to open the final series of the regular season. A wild pitch scored Burlington's first run in the 1st and the Bees added 2 in the 2nd on a 2-run Hilton Richardson double for his first A-ball RBIs. Another wild pitch scored an insurance run in the 7th.

The Bees are 35-32. Game 2 of the series is tonight as Manauris Baez (8-5, 3.40) faces Kernels righty Chris Scholl (3-2, 3.54).

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Casper 4, Chukars 3 (7/G1)

RF Stovall 2-4, 2B (13), RBI (12), 2 K, RS, OF assist at third -- .321
C S. Perez 2-4, RBI (35), RS -- .313
1B Espinosa 2-4, K -- .261
LF Pickett 2-2, HBP, RS, SB -- .276
CF D. Rodriguez 1-3, RBI -- .600
SS D. Batista 0-4, K, E (16) -- .272
DH Myers 1-4, K, SB (2) -- .349
3B Culver 0-3, K, E -- .000

Garrido 5 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 2 K, E (2) -- 5.06 ERA
Folmer 1 2/3 IP, 2 ER, H, 3 BB, 2 K -- BS, 2, L, 1-2, 4.97 ERA

*** Casper came from behind twice to win the first of 2 with IF and officially knock the Chukars out of the playoff hunt. An error scored Idaho Falls' first run in the 3rd and Derek Rodriguez hit an RBI single in the 2nd to make it 2-0. Casper tied the game in the 5th off Santiago Garrido but Ryan Stovall singled home a run in the 5th to make it 3-2 Chukars. Richard Folmer was stung by a run-scoring Malcom Culver error and a bases-loaded walk gave Casper a 4-3 lead in the 7th. The Chukars left the tying run on base in the bottom of the frame.

Chukars 2, Casper 0 (3-hitter, 7/G2)

1B Espinosa 2-3, RBI (23) -- .267
RF Stovall 1-3, RBI (13), K -- .321
SS D. Batista 0-2, BB, 2 K, RS -- .270
C Myers 1-3, K -- .348
DH Lewis 0-2, K -- .328

Wooley 2 IP, 2 K -- 4.60 ERA
Halliman 3 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K -- W, 5-1, 5.44 ERA
Hodge 2 IP, H -- SV, 2, 4.82 ERA

*** Casper got a runner to third only once as Idaho Falls got a shutout win. Both runs came in the 1st for IF on RBI singles by Tito Espinosa and Ryan Stovall before the Chukars left 'em loaded. Casper's best chance came in the 3rd when Pernell Halliman stranded runners at the corners.

The Chukars are 20-13 and out of the playoff hunt. Sugar Ray Marimon picked up the win in today's opener with the Ogden Raptors (17-16, Rookie Dodgers) in the first of 2 in the set. IF is 8-7 versus Ogden. OF Hilton Richardson was named to the Pioneer League All-Star team. Six others got honorable mention.