Royals on the Farm 9/16 -- TLCS tied, Bees against the proverbial wall

AA - NW Arkansas: Midland 7, Naturals 6 (best-of-5 tied, 1-1)

CF Dyson 3-5, 3B -- .320
1B C. Smith 2-4, RBI, K, RS -- .381
LF Lough 2-4, RS, E -- .500
C Clark 1-3, BB, 2B, 2 RBI (6), RS -- .294
2B Maddox 1-4, HR (2), 2 RBI (5), K, RS -- .250
DH V. Wilson 1-4, RBI (4), K, RS -- .412
SS Bianchi 1-4, K, RS -- .348

R. Hardy 5 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 8 H, BB, K, 2 HRA -- 3.55 ERA
Orvella 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, BB, K, HRA -- BS, 1, L, 1-1, 9.00 ERA
Swaggerty IP, BB, K -- 0.00 ERA
Hartsock IP, H, K -- 0.00 ERA

*** Both teams had 5-run rallies but it was Midland's that was the backbreaker in the series-tying game 2 win for the RockHounds. The Naturals squandered a Jarrod Dyson leadoff triple in the 1st as he was doubled off third to end the inning. Vance Wilson got NWA on the board to kickstart a rally in the 2nd with an RBI single followed by a 2-run Cody Clark double and 2-run Marc Maddox homer to make it 5-0 NWA. Rowdy Hardy gave up 2 runs in the 2nd to get Midland on the board and then stranded 2 in the 4th and 5th. Two solo homers in the 6th cut the lead to 1 and Hardy was pulled for Chad Orvella with 1 on and 1 out. Orvella gave up a single, and then the key hit, a 3-run blast by Hounds DH Jemile Weeks, to make it 7-5 Midland. Corey Smith hit a 2-out RBI single in the 8th but the Nats stranded 2 and left the tying run at first in the 9th. Midland SP Graham Godfrey got the win despite allowing 5 ER over 6 IP...other than the ugly 2nd he was very good. Three Hounds had 2 hits.

The teams take a day off before resuming with game 3 tomorrow in Springdale.

A - Burlington: Fort Wayne 2, Bees 0 (4-hitter, TinCaps lead best-of-5, 2-0)

2B F. Garcia 2-3, picked off, E -- .250
3B Morales 1-3, 2B, K -- .235
CF Norris 1-4, K -- .192
LF Ortiz 0-4, K -- .407
1B Taylor 0-3, K -- .478
C Bonilla 0-3 -- .087
SS R. Wood 0-3, K -- .154

Lehmann 2 1/3 IP, ER, 3 H, 3 BB, K, WP -- L, 0-1, 3.86 ERA
Lafferty 3 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 2 K, HRA -- 1.29 ERA
C. White 1 2/3 IP, BB, 2 K -- 1.80 ERA
Thompson IP, 2 H, K -- 0.00 ERA

*** Chris Fetter and 3 TinCaps relievers combined on a 4-hit shutout as the Fort Wayne juggernaut closed in on a MWL title. The only run Mike Lehmann allowed came on a wild pitch in the 2nd as he stranded 2 in scoring position. The Bees stranded 2 in the 3rd and Brendan Lafferty gave up a solo homer in the 6th for the other run of the game. The Bees stranded a runner at third in the 8th but went down in order in the 9th. Two 'Caps had 2 hits.

The Bees will try to survive tonight in a do-or-die game 3 at home as Manauris Baez (8-6, 3.41) faces TinCaps lefty Mike Watt (7-4, 4.17).