Royals on the Farm 9/10 -- Bees sweep

Let's have a moment of silence at the start of this post to remember the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks....

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And let's wish Mike Moustakas a happy birthday. I wonder what it's like to have something like that happen on your birthday. It'd put a definite damper on things.

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 12, Springfield 7 (NWA leads best-of-5, 2-0)

LF Lough 4-5, 2B, HR, RBI, K, 2 RS -- .625, must have liked being named NWA player of the year
3B Mertins 2-4, SF, 2B, 4 RBI (5), E -- .375
2B Maddox 2-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, K, 2 RS -- .375
SS Bianchi 2-5, HR (2), RBI (3), K, RS -- .333
C Clark 1-3, HBP, BB, HR, 2 RBI, 3 RS -- .167
DH V. Wilson 1-3, BB, SF, 2 RBI, RS -- .286
CF Dyson 1-5, BB, K, RS -- .222

B. Johnson 1 2/3 IP, 5 ER, 7 H, BB, K -- 27.00 ERA, lucky to escape with no-decision
Orvella 3 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 5 K -- W, 1-0, 5.40 ERA
Swaggerty 1 2/3 IP, H, BB, 3 K -- 0.00 ERA
Hartsock 2 1/3 IP, BB, 3 K, E -- SV, 1, 0.00 ERA

*** Both starters were gone by the end of the 5th as NWA came back from a 7-4 deficit with 8 unanswered runs. Blake Johnson gave up a run on 2 hits in the 1st but NWA scored 4 in the 2nd on a David Lough leadoff homer and 2-out, bases-loaded 3-run double by Kurt Mertins. Johnson didn't survive the 2nd, tho, as Springfield battered him for 4 runs to take a 5-4 lead. Chad Orvella gave up 2 runs in the 3rd but NWA pulled within 1 in the 4th on a 2-run Marc Maddox homer. Orvella stranded 2 in the 4th and NWA tied it at 7 in the 5th on a Vance Wilson sac fly after Cards SP Lance Lynn got pulled. Mertins hit a sac fly and Jeff Bianchi launched a solo homer for his 2nd of the playoffs to make it 9-7 NWA in the 6th. Vance Wilson hit an RBI single and Cody Clark slammed a 2-run homer in the 9th to help get the Naturals some insurance. Aaron Hartsock pitched out the win for a save.

Game 3 is tonight back in Springdale as Rowdy Hardy (4-4, 3.43) faces Cards righty Brandon Dickson (8-10, 3.78) and NW Arkansas tries to break out the brooms.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Lynchburg 1, Blue Rocks 0 (best-of-5 tied, 1-1)

2B Giavotella 2-4, 2B (2), SB -- .333
CF D. Robinson 1-4, 2 K, SB -- .333
3B Moustakas 0-3, BB -- .286
DH C. Robinson 1-4, K -- .125
1B Hosmer 0-4, K -- .111
RF Van Stratten 0-4, K -- .000
LF Del Rosario 1-3, K -- .250

Duffy 6 IP, ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 K, WP -- L, 0-1, 1.50 ERA, very tough loss
Z. Peterson 2 IP, 2 H, BB, K -- 0.00 ERA

*** The Rocks outhit the Hillcats but couldn't get to starter Rudy Owens or 3 Lynchburg relievers for a run. Johnny Giavotella was thrown out trying to stretch a double to a triple in the 1st and the Hillcats scored the only run of the game on 2 hits and a walk in the 2nd. Giavotella was stranded at third in the 4th and the Rocks stranded 2 in the 5th. Derrick Robinson was stranded at third in the 8th and the tying run was left at first in the 9th. Owens allowed 4 hits and a walk with 6 Ks over 6 IP.

A pivotal game 3 is tonight as Mike Montgomery (4-1, 2.25) faces 'Cats lefty Jeff Locke (5-8, 4.59). Jamar Walton was put on the DL and IF/OF Ryan Stovall was called up from Idaho Falls to fill out the roster.

A - Burlington: Bees 4, Kane County 0 (3-hitter, Bees win series, 2-0)

RF Ortiz 3-5, RBI (2), K, RS, CS -- .700
1B D. Wood 3-5 -- .333
3B Taylor 3-4, BB, RS -- .750
2B F. Garcia 2-4, RBI -- .333
C Bonilla 0-4, RBI (2) -- .111
CF Norris 1-5, RS, SB -- .333
SS R. Wood 0-4, K, RS -- .125
LF H. Richardson 0-4, 2 K -- .000
* The Bees stranded 10.

Melville 6 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 3 K -- W, 1-0, 0.00 ERA
C. White 2 IP, H, K -- 0.00 ERA
B. Hardy IP, BB, K -- 0.00 ERA

*** Tim Melville and 2 relievers combined on a 3-hit shutout and the Bees swept the Cougars. Two errors helped the Burlington cause in the 2nd as Jason Taylor scored on one and Fernando Garcia hit an RBI single to make it 2-0. Melville left the bases full in the 3rd and another error scored a Bees run as the 2-0 lead held in the 8th. The Bees left the bases full and picked up an Adrian Ortiz RBI single in the 9th. Blaine Hardy pitched the 9th to finish Kane County's season.

The Bees move on to face the Cedar Rapids Kernels (78-60 overall, A Angels) in a best-of-3 set starting Saturday in Burlington. The Bees are 7-8 versus the Kernels, who swept Peoria in the other first-round series in the division.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 5, Casper 4

3B Culver 1-3, BB, 2 RBI (5), picked off -- .267
DH Myers 1-2, 2 BB, RBI (13), RS -- .422
1B Espinosa 1-4, RBI (27), K, RS -- .271
SS D. Batista 0-3, SF, RBI (56), K, RS, E (18) -- .266
CF Llanos 0-5, RS -- .214
C S. Perez 0-3, BB, RS -- .310
* LF Julio Aparicio and RF Derek Rodriguez had OF assists at third.

Garrido 6 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 4 H, 2 BB, 5 K, HRA -- W, 3-3, 5.01 ERA
Folmer 3 IP, 3 H, 3 K -- SV, 8, 4.36 ERA

*** The game was scoreless after the 5th as Idaho Falls held on to the 1-run win. Santiago Garrido put the Chukars down by serving up a 3-run homer in the 1st and Casper added a run in the 3rd to make it 4-0. Wil Myers and Tito Espinosa got the Chukars on the board with RBI singles in the 4th and a 2-run Malcom Culver single tied the game. Deivy Batista put IF on top with a sac fly in the 5th and Garrido and Richard Folmer combined to retire 12 in a row. Folmer got an assist from Derek Rodriguez at third in the 8th to help quell a Ghosts rally and worked around a triple in the 9th to finish his 8th save.

The Chukars are 23-14 and finish the season versus Casper tonight as Sugar Ray Marimon (3-3, 6.23) faces an unannounced Casper starter. Fifteen Chukars have been invited to play in the fall instructional league.