Royals on the Farm 7/20 -- Moustakas hits 1st AAA longball, and a farewell to Disco

AAA - Omaha: Memphis 3, O-Royals 2

3B Moustakas 1-3, HR, RBI, K, RS -- .174
SS Lucas 1-3, RBI (29), K -- .335
LF Lough 1-4 -- .258
CF Ankiel 0-4, 3 K -- .270
RF Gordon 0-4, K -- .315
1B Ka'aihue 0-3, BB, 3 K, RS, SB (2) -- .307, no SB in Omaha for two-plus seasons, then 2 in a week

Hernandez 5 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 3 K, HRA -- L, 7-6, 5.54 ERA
Herges 3 IP, H -- 4.47 ERA

* Both teams had 4 hits but the Redbirds did more with theirs as they squeaked out a 3-2 win. Rehabbing big leaguer Ryan Ludwick took Gaby Hernandez deep for a 2-run shot in the 1st and the Redbirds added a sac fly in the 3rd. The Royals were being 1-hit into the 5th when Mike Moustakas clubbed his 1st AAA homer off starter Lance Lynn to cut into the lead. Kila Ka'aihue walked and stole second in the 7th before scoring on an Ed Lucas RBI single but Mac the Ninth doused the rally with 1 1/3 scoreless IP of relief for Memphis. That's right, revenge by Mike MacDougal. Lynn got the win with 6 2/3 IP of 2 ER with a walk and 11 K to improve to 7-8. Four Redbirds had a hit each, as Ludwick's HR came in his 1st rehab game with Memphis. Omaha is 50-45. Gaby Hernandez was named PCL Pitcher of the Week after his masterful 1-run, 11-K start versus Nashville. Luis Mendoza starts Wednesday's game 3. As indicated in the headline above, Chris "Disco" Hayes was handed his walking papers by KC today. I figured the heat had been turned up on him, perhaps, when he stopped blogging going into this season. Tough break for Disco. Hopefully he can latch on somewhere else, but with what appears to be a good head on his shoulders I'm sure he'll land on his feet one way or another. Pitchers Adam Bostick (been on 50-game suspension) and Jorge Campillo were also released.

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 5, Arkansas 0 (3-hitter)

RF Smith 3-4, 2B (9), HR (6), 2 RBI (29), 2 RS, E (5) -- .292
C Theriot 2-4, K, RS -- .282
SS McConnell 2-4, 2B (12), RS -- .226
LF Dyson 1-5, RBI (6), OF assist at home -- .353
DH C. Robinson 1-4, BB, RBI (62), K, SB (4) -- .311
CF D. Robinson 1-5, RS, SB (42) -- .306
1B Hosmer 0-4, BB -- .333
2B Giavotella 1-3, BB -- .284

Caldera 7 IP, 3 H, 3 K -- W, 3-0, 3.38 ERA
Barrera 2 IP, BB, 2 K -- 0.00 ERA

* Alex Caldera had a very nice start as the Naturals shut down the Travelers. The Travs only had 1 hit after the 1st as Jarrod Dyson helped throw a runner out at the plate to keep Arkansas off the board. Dyson provided NWA's first run with an RBI groundout in the 3rd and Clint Robinson singled in a run to make it 2-0 Nats. Tim Smith led off the 4th with his 6th homer and then doubled and scored on a wild pitch in the 6th. Meanwhile, Caldera retired 19 of 20 after the scare in the 1st. Smith continued to be a wrecking crew as he singled home a run in the 7th to make it 5-0. Henry Barrera pitched 2 solid innings to finish it. Arkansas SP Ryan Brasier allowed 5 ER over 6 2/3 IP to fall to 5-8. CF Jeremy Moore had 2 hits and his 14th SB. The Naturals are 16-7. Game 3 is Wednesday.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Myrtle Beach 5, Blue Rocks 4

LF Costa 1-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 K, RS -- .250, comeback trail winds on
RF Francis 1-4, RBI (25), K -- .273
SS Colon 0-3, SF, RBI (7), K -- .217
DH Myers 1-2, 2 BB, RS -- .367
C S. Perez 1-4, RS -- .247

Baumann 4 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 6 K, HRA -- 2.38 ERA
Lafferty 3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, BB, 2 K, HRA -- 4.10 ERA
Basurto IP, ER, H, K, WP, balk -- L, 3-1, 2.42 ERA

* The Rocks lost a late 4-2 lead. The Rocks left runners at the corners in the 1st and Christian Colon gave Wilmington the lead with a sac fly in the 3rd. Shane Costa's rehab moved to the Carolina League and he slammed a 2-run homer in the 4th to make it 3-0 Rocks. The Pelicans scored a run in the 4th and Buddy Baumann served up a leadoff homer in the 5th to cut it to 3-2. Nick Francis singled in a run in the 8th but Brendan Lafferty teed up a 2-run homer in the bottom of the inning to tie the game. Eric Basurto gave up a leadoff double in the 9th and then committed the rare walkoff balk to end it. RP Tyrelle Harris allowed an ER over 2 IP in improving to 1-2. Starter J.J. Hoover allowed 3 runs (2 ER) over 6 IP. 2B Jordan Kreke and 3B Samuel Sime homered for the Pelicans. The Rocks are 16-9. Staff ace John Lamb pitches Wednesday.

A - Burlington: off day

* The Bees open a 3-game set at the Lake County Captains (12-12, A Indians) Wednesday as Matt Mitchell gets the start.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: The Chukars won, 4-3, in 10 Monday as Yowill Espinal hit the big walkoff single in the 10th.

Great Falls 7, Chukars 6

CF Beltre 2-4, 2B (2), HR (4), 2 RBI (14), 2 RS, OF assist at third -- .233
3B Cuthbert 2-5, 2B, RBI (2), RS, SB -- .333
2B Espinal 1-3, S, 2 RBI (16), E (16) -- .297
DH Watts 0-2, 2 BB, 2 RS -- .309
LF Ferguson 0-4, 3 K -- .317
C David 0-4, K -- .314
RF Lane Adams had an assist at first.

Alexander 6 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 4 H, 2 BB, 6 K -- 5.90 ERA
Roualdes 1 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, WP -- 13.50 ERA
Graffeo 1 2/3 IP, 2 UER, H, 3 BB, 4 K -- BS, 2, L, 0-1, 1.69 ERA

* The Chukars watched a 6-1 lead evaporate as the Voyagers avenged Monday's extra-inning loss. Scott Alexander allowed a run in the 1st but IF answered with a 2-run Geulin Beltre homer (his 4th) in the 2nd. The Chukars added 4 in the 3rd on a Cheslor Cuthbert RBI single, a run-scoring passed ball and 2-run Yowill Espinal single to make it 6-1. Espinal committed a run-scoring error in the 4th and Great Falls added a run in the 6th to cut it to 6-3. Jordan Roualdes allowed 2 runs in the 7th in his Chukars debut but the lead held at 6-5 into the 9th. Nick Graffeo had 1 on with 2 out when a single and Justin Trapp error loaded the bases and things unraveled. Graffeo walked in the tying and go-ahead runs as the Voyagers took a 7-6 lead. IF stranded 1 in the 9th. RP Jacob Wilson pitched 2 scoreless in moving to 4-0. Starter Steven Upchurch allowed 6 runs (2 ER) over 4 IP. RF Ryan Lee and 3B Andy Wilkins had 2 hits for Great Falls. IF is 13-16. A 4-game set at the Billings Mustangs (14-15, Rookie Reds) starts Wednesday.

Rookie - Burlington: Princeton 8, B-Royals 2

C Escobar 1-4, RBI (4), K, E -- .239
1B Baldwin 1-4, RBI (8) -- .139
CF Llanos 1-4, K, RS, CS (2), OF assist at third -- .252
2B Piterson 1-4 -- .303
3B Stovall 1-3, BB -- .330
DH Jenkins 1-4, picked off -- .270
SS McClure 0-3, BB -- .256

Giovenco 3 1/3 IP, 6 ER, 4 H, 5 BB, 4 K -- L, 0-3, 6.84 ERA
Worrell 1 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, BB, 2 K -- 2.45 ERA
Bavera 2 IP, H, K -- 3.00 ERA
Mazur 2 IP, H, BB, K -- 5.52 ERA

* Mike Giovenco got rocked by the Rays and Princeton came away with the win. Princeton notched a run in the 3rd then broke out with 5 in the 4th off Giovenco and Josh Worrell. Burlington got a run back on an Edul Escobar RBI single in the 5th but Princeton scored 2 in the 6th off Worrell and Claudio Bavera. Geoff Baldwin singled in a run in the 8th but the Royals left the bases full and went down in order in the 9th. Starter Braulio Lara allowed an ER over 5 IP to improve to 3-3. SS Felix Gonzalez had 3 hits and 2 RBI and 2 others had 2 hits. The Royals are 15-13. Game 3 is Wednesday.

Rookie - AZL: The Royals came back to beat the Cubs, 2-1, on Monday. Daniel Mateo and Jose Rodriguez had 2 hits for the Royals and Mateo and Cameron Conner had the ribbies for the Royals in the 6th. Mike Antonio, Jin-Ho Shin and Ysmelin Alcantara were among the hitless for the Royals.

The Royals and Dodgers are tied at 1 in the middle innings.

3B Mateo 2-2, 2B (5) -- .253, team's only hits thus far
SS Antonio 0-2 -- .270
C Shin 0-2 -- .258
1B Moreno 0-2, K -- .316
RF Alcantara 0-2 -- .304
CF Sandford 0-1 -- .316

R. Wood IP, ER, H -- 4.50 ERA
Martin 3 IP, 3 K -- 2.60 ERA

* Daniel Mateo has kept his bat hot and Brennon Martin has pitched well. Ryan Wood gave up a run in the 1st and rehabbing Ryan Eigsti walked and scored on a wild pitch in the 2nd to tie it. Martin has pitched 3 perfect innings as the game heads into the 5th. More to come tomorrow...