Royals on the Farm 6/25 -- Colon in the fold

The big news is, of course, the signing of Christian Colon, who will report to the Carolina League in Wilmington. I don't know how to handle the Royals signing their first round pick before August, much less getting it done before the end of June. This is new territory. The last first pick they signed this early was Billy Butler, which was before I started The Pipeline. No contract squabbles? No dead silence for two months followed by a signing at the 11th hour? Wha? I figured they'd start him at AA, but his hitting will be tested in Frawley Stadium.

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 10, Iowa 7

LF Gordon 3-5, 3B (2), HR (11), 3 RBI (35), K, 3 RS -- .340
DH Thorman 2-5, 2 2B (18), 2 RBI (42), RS -- .267
RF Parraz 2-3, BB, HR (7), RBI (35), RS -- .263
1B Ka'aihue 1-3, 2 BB, HR (13), 2 RBI (48), K, 3 RS -- .313
3B Lucas 1-4, BB, 2 RBI (23), K, 2 E (7) -- .346, maybe best to keep him at 2B
CF Lough 1-4, HBP, K, RS -- .273

Bullington 6 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 5 K, 2 HRA -- W, 4-1, 2.67 ERA
Herges IP, ER, 2 H, BB -- 4.69 ERA
B. Hardy IP, H, 2 BB -- 2.04 ERA
Rupe IP, ER, 2 H, HRA -- 2.10 ERA

* Omaha took an 8-0 lead and held on to win. Alex Gordon hit an RBI triple in the 1st and Kila Ka'aihue followed with a 2-run homer for his 13th of the season. Ed Lucas added a 2-run single in the 3rd and Omaha pushed across 3 in the 4th on a Gordon RBI single and 2-run Scott Thorman double. Bryan Bullington was perfect through 3 and lost his no-hit bid and shutout in the 5th as the I-Cubs scored twice. Gordon set himself up for a chance at a cycle with a solo homer in the 6th for his 11th in AAA in 2010 but Bullington gave up 2 homers for 3 runs in the 6th as Iowa trimmed it to 9-5. Jordan Parraz kept the fireworks popping with a solo homer in the 7th for his 7th of the season but Matt Herges allowed a run in the bottom of the inning. Blaine Hardy stranded the bases loaded in the 8th and Josh Rupe gave up a solo homer in the 9th before closing it out. Iowa SP Casey Coleman allowed 8 ER over 5 IP to fall to 6-7. Three Cubs had 2 hits and three had 2 RBI. Omaha is 40-33 and a game up on first. Luis Mendoza starts the first of 4 at the Oklahoma City RedHawks (40-34, AAA Rangers).

AA - NWA: Naturals 5, Arkansas 2

1B C. Robinson 3-4, BB, 2 2B (28), RS -- .308
3B Seratelli 2-4, BB, RBI (20), 2 RS -- .301
LF Orlando 2-4, S, 2B (11), RBI (27), RS -- .320, has come out of nowhere this season
CF D. Robinson 1-3, 2 BB, 2B (12), 2 RBI (26) -- .293
2B Giavotella 0-4, S -- .279
RF Van Stratten 1-4, BB, K, RS -- .299
NWA stranded 12.

Caldera 5 2/3, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K, pickoff -- W, 1-0, 3.18 ERA, not a bad first AA outing
Coleman 3 1/3 IP, 3 K -- SV, 6, 2.09 ERA

* Two runs in the 8th put it on ice for the Naturals. The Nats surged ahead in the 4th on a Paulo Orlando squeeze bunt, an Anthony Seratelli RBI single and a run-scoring Travelers error. Arkansas got to Alex Caldera in his first AA start in the 5th for 2 runs on 3 hits but that was all he would allow. NWA got the first 2 on in the 8th but it took a 2-out, 2-run double from Derrick Robinson to give the Naturals the breathing room they needed. Louis Coleman made it a moot point with 3 1/3 perfect innings of relief for his 6th save. Starter Michael Anton took the loss with 3 runs (2 ER) over 6 IP to drop to 3-6. Four Travelers had a hit each. NWA is 2-1. P Edgar Osuna was put on the DL with elbow inflammation. RP Brandon Sisk will take his place on the TL North all-star team. Mike Moustakas sat out Friday for a 1-game league suspension after his ejection from the game Wednesday.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Salem 4, Blue Rocks 3

C S. Perez 2-4, RS -- .261
RF Francis 1-4, 2B (10), 2 RBI (14) -- .276
1B Hosmer 1-4, 2B (25), E (7) -- .357
LF Ortiz 1-5, K, RS, OF assist at second -- .295

Melville 6 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 5 K -- L, 2-8, 5.81 ERA
Lafferty 2 IP, UER, 3 H, 2 K -- 4.13 ERA
Basurto IP, H, pickoff -- 3.21 ERA

* The Rocks' late rally wasn't enough as Salem evened the series. The Rocks stranded 2 in the 2nd and Salem scored a run in the 3rd. The 1-0 lead held into the 7th as Tim Melville walked the bases loaded and then got pulled for Brendan Lafferty. Lafferty allowed 2 inherited runners to score to make it 3-0 Salem. The Red Sox added a run in the 8th and the Rocks finally got on the board with a 2-run Nick Francis double to trim it to 4-2. The Rocks loaded the bases with none out in the 9th but a double play ball was good and bad at the same time as it scored a run but put the Rocks down to their last out. Patrick Norris walked and Adrian Ortiz bunt grounded out to end the game. Salem SP Miguel Gonzalez pitched 5 scoreless innings to move to 1-0. SS Ryan Dent had 2 hits for the Sox. The Rocks are 1-1. Chris Dwyer starts Saturday's series finale and tries to keep his personal good times rolling on the mound. Colon is supposed to report to the team on Saturday.

A - Burlington: Wisconsin 9, Bees 3

C Myers 2-4, 2B (17), RBI (44), RS -- .291
LF Testa 2-4, 2 2B (13), K -- .267
3B F. Cruz 2-4, 2B (7) -- .229
1B Lewis 1-4, 2 RBI (38), K -- .263
RF Del Rosario 0-3, BB, K, OF assist at home, E -- .235
The Bees committed 6 errors, including 3 by 2B Gerard Hall (18).

Sample 4 1/3 IP, 4 R (2 ER), 6 H, 4 BB, 4 K, HRA -- L, 2-4, 4.01 ERA
Encarnacion 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, BB, WP -- 5.40 ERA
Sirrett 2 IP, H, BB, 4 K -- 4.86 ERA
Barrow IP, ER, H -- 9.00 ERA, organizational debut

* The Timber Rattlers scored 7 unanswered runs to take the second half opener. Wisconsin scored 2 in the 2nd off Tyler Sample but Burlington answered with a Wil Myers RBI single and 2-run Joey Lewis single to make it 3-2. Two of Hall's errors came in a 2-run Wisconsin 4th that swung it around for good. The T-Rats plated 4 in the 6th off Rodolfo Encarnacion and then scored in the 8th as the Bees offense produced little. Wisconsin SP Kyle Heckathorn allowed 3 ER over 6 IP to improve to 6-4. The Bees are 0-1.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Casper 6, Chukars 4

DH T. Jones 2-3, BB, RBI -- .667
CF Ferguson 2-4, 2 K -- .250
RF Adams 2-4, RBI (4), RS -- .188
LF Aparicio 1-4, RBI, 3 K, RS, OF assist at home -- .286
C David 1-4 -- .214

Garrido 5 IP, 3 H, 4 K, WP -- 0.00 ERA
De La Rosa 3 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 5 H, 3 K, HRA, E -- BS, 1, L, 0-1, 9.00 ERA
Graham IP, ER, 3 H -- 4.50 ERA

* The Chukars wasted a good Santiago Garrido start in blowing a narrow lead in the 9th. The Chukars jumped on SP Bruce Kern for 4 runs in the 1st on Lane Adams and Julio Aparicio RBI singles and a Travis Jones 2-run single aided by a Casper error. IF stranded 2 in the 2nd but Garrido handled his business with 5 scoreless IP. Starling De La Rosa came in for the 6th and allowed 3 runs right off the bat on a 3-run homer by DH Corey Dickerson. De La Rosa gave up 2 doubles to tie the game before getting pulled in the 9th for Tyler Graham, who let 2 more runs in before escaping the jam. IF stranded 1 in the 9th. Kern allowed 4 runs (3 ER) over 3 IP. RP Kenneth Roberts pitched 2 scoreless innings for the win. Three Ghosts had 2 hits as Dickerson had 3 RBI (5). Idaho Falls is 2-3 and 2 games back. A 3-game set at the Orem Owlz (3-2, Rookie Angels) starts Saturday.

Rookie - Burlington: Pulaski 8, B-Royals 7

CF Llanos 2-5, 2B, RBI, RS -- .200
C Escobar 1-3, HBP, 2B, 2 RBI, K, RS, 2 PB -- .167, ejected in 9th
3B Y. Figueroa 1-4, RBI, 2 RS, CS, E -- .429
2B Piterson 1-3, S, HR, RBI (2), RS -- .571
1B Baldwin 0-4, RBI (2), 2 K, E (2) -- .071
DH Jenkins 1-3, BB, 2B, K, RS -- .143

Avinazar 5 IP, 2 UER, 4 H, BB, 4 K -- 0.00 ERA
Penny IP, 5 R (2 ER), 5 H, BB -- 27.00 ERA
Worrell 2 1/3 IP, ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 4 K, WP -- BS, 1, L, 0-1, 2.45 ERA

* The Royals blew a 7-2 lead in the opener with the Mariners. Geoff Baldwin hit an RBI groundout in the 1st but Pulaski grabbed the lead off Willian Avinazar in the 2nd. Luis Piterson hit a solo homer in the 4th for his 1st of the season and Alex Llanos singled in a run in the 4th to make it 3-2 B-Royals. Burlington added 4 runs in the 6th on a Yunior Figueroa RBI single, a 2-run Edul Escobar double and run-scoring M's error to make it 7-2. Pulaski roared back in the 7th off Robert Penny and Josh Worrell to tie the game with 5 runs. The game was still tied in the 9th as Worrell gave up a leadoff triple and gave up a 1-out walkoff single to end it. RP Matt Bischoff pitched a scoreless 9th for the win. Starter Leonardo Rodriguez allowed 3 runs (2 ER) over 5 IP. RF James Wood had 3 hits, including the big triple in the 9th, and 2 others had 2 hits for Pulaski. The Royals are 1-3.

Rookie - AZL: Padres 7, Royals 3

1B Moreno 3-4, 2B (3), 3B -- .529
CF Dyson 2-2, RS -- .533
C Marquez 2-4, RBI, CS, 4 PB -- .429
SS Mateo 1-5, 3B, RBI (2), 3 K, RS, 2 E (5) -- .263
3B Cuthbert 0-3, BB, RBI -- .250
DH Conner 1-4, K -- .154
LF Blanco 1-3, BB, RS -- .167
2B Jos. Rodriguez 1-3, BB, K -- .222

Diaz IP, UER, 2 BB, 2 K, WP -- 13.50 ERA
Peacock 2 IP, ER, H, 3 K, WP -- 3.00 ERA
Martin 2 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, BB, 5 K -- L, 0-1, 9.00 ERA
Kreich IP, ER, 2 H, K, pickoff -- 3.00 ERA
Gatrell 2 IP, 2 UER, H, 3 K -- 0.00 ERA

* Gonna keep it short, cuz damn these 7-team reports take forever. The trend in the Royals organization continued as the offense disappeared late and the Pads scored 6 unanswered runs to win. Daniel Mateo hit an RBI triple in the 1st and Cheslor Cuthbert drove in a run with a groundout. Jerico Blanco scored on an error in the 2nd for the Royals' other run. Alexander Marquez had 3 passed balls in the 1st and Brian Peacock had a run-scoring wild pitch in the 2nd as miscues haunted the Royals. The Padres broke it open for good off Kyle Kreich and Brennan Martin in the 6th. The Royals are 2-2. They play the Indians Saturday.