Royals on the Farm 4/26

AAA - Omaha: rainout

* Game 3 with Albuquerque was rained out and will be made up in July. Anthony Lerew starts Tuesday's series finale for Omaha. The Royals claimed OF Jai (pronounced like Jay) Miller off waivers from Oakland after he hit .118 in 10 games with AAA Sacramento. He had been with the Marlins' organization until being released in early April. He's 25 and has hit his best the past couple seasons in the high minors with an .821 OPS in AAA in 2008 and an .870 OPS in AAA in 2009. He's right in Dayton Moore's wheelhouse, the toolsy CF type, tho he does have some pop in the bat. Only thing missing is the ex-Brave element. Must have something on the ball, as he had signed to play baseball and basketball at Stanford before he signed with the Marlins. They put Josh Fields on the 60-day DL to put Miller on the 40-man. Could be curtains for OF Jose Duarte or IF Ed Lucas once Miller makes it to the Royals clubhouse.

AA - NWA: Naturals 6, Springfield 2

C Howell 4-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI, K, 2 RS -- .800, the week for big 2010 AA debuts
2B Giavotella 2-3, 2 BB, 2B (3), RBI (7), SB (3) -- .377
1B C. Robinson 2-5, 2B (5), 2 RS, E (2) -- .286
RF Van Stratten 1-5, RBI (6) -- .268
CF D. Robinson 1-3, 2 BB, K, RS, 4 SB (12) -- .308
3B Moustakas 0-4, HBP, RS -- .381
NWA stranded 12.

Paulino 7 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 K, HRA -- W, 1-0, 3.78 ERA
Bl. Johnson 2 IP, BB, 3 K -- 11.57 ERA, nice

* The Naturals took the early lead and hung strong to win in the start of a key early-season series. The Naturals left the bases full in the 2nd but got a Nick Van Stratten RBI groundout and a 2-run Jeff Howell homer in the 3rd to take a 3-0 lead. Eduardo Paulino took a no-hitter into the 5th before a solo homer broke that up. Howell slammed another 2-run homer in the 7th and Johnny Giavotella hit an RBI single in the 8th to make it 6-1. Blake Johnson allowed an inherited runner to score in the 8th but that was all the Cards would get. Starter Nick Additon took the loss for Springfield with 3 ER over 6 IP. Three Cardinals had a hit each. The Naturals are 10-7 and a game back of the Cards. Mike Moustakas and Edgar Osuna were named as the Texas League's Player and Pitcher of the Week. Moustakas hit .471 (8-for-17) with 3 home runs and 8 RBI in his first 4 AA games. Osuna pitched 7.0 scoreless innings last Thursday and is 2-1 with a 0.00 ERA in 3 starts. As Howell was sent back to NWA from Omaha and C Ben Theriot was sent back to A-Adv. Wilmington from NWA.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Blue Rocks 7, Salem 6

1B Hosmer 3-4, BB, 2 2B (5), RBI (13), 2 RS -- .446
LF Romak 3-5, 2B (3), RBI (12), K, RS -- .265
RF Ortiz 3-5, K, RS, SB (8) -- .277
3B Taylor 2-4, BB, HR (2), 2 RBI (9), K, RS, picked off -- .203
DH Prasch 1-4, BB, 2B (3), RBI (5), K, RS -- .375
C S. Perez 0-4, K -- .304

Hodgson 5 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, BB, 3 K, HRA, 2 WP -- W, 2-0, 4.85 ERA
Baumann 2 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, WP -- 2.13 ERA
Basurto 1 1/3 IP, nothing -- SV, 2, 3.86 ERA

* The Rocks took the lead and held on to take the opener from the Red Sox. Adrian Ortiz led off the 1st with a single, got sacrificed to second, stole third and scored on a throwing error and Jamie Romak hit an RBI single as the Rocks took a 2-0 lead. Ivor Hodgson stranded 2 in the 1st but allowed 2 runs in the 2nd on 3 hits. Wilmington scored a run on a double play ball in the 3rd and added 2 in the 4th on a Jason Taylor RBI groundout and a Salem error to make it 5-2. Eric Hosmer hit an RBI double in the 6th but Hodgson gave up a solo homer and got pulled with 2 on and 2 out in the Salem 6th. Buddy Baumann walked 2 batters to force in a run before stranding the bases full. Taylor led off the 7th with his 2nd homer to make it 7-4 but Baumann gave up a run in the 7th allowed another run in the 8th before Eric Basurto came in to strand 2. The Rocks stranded 2 in the 9th and Basurto had a 1-2-3 9th for his 2nd save. Salem SP Fabian Williamson allowed 5 ER over 5 IP to take his 1st loss of the season. Three Sox had multiple hits led by 3-hit games from CF Peter Hissey and C Tim Federowicz. Federowicz also had 2 errors. Former Royal IF Carlos Febles is Salem's hitting coach. The Rocks are 9-9. Chris Dwyer starts Tuesday's game 2. Mike Montgomery was named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for a second straight week for April 19-25. Over 2 starts he was 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA, 14 Ks/3 BB in 12 2/3 IP. It's actually Montgomery's 3rd straight Carolina League Pitcher of the Week award as he won the award for the last week of the '09 season.

A - Burlington: Bees 4, Beloit 3 (delay/9)

* The Bees are up by a run late as Sam Runion and Deivy Batista helped blow a 2-run lead in the 8th but the Bees got a Rene Oriental RBI single in the bottom of the inning to retake the lead. Matt Lehmann walked the leadoff guy in the 9th before action was delayed.