Royals on the Farm 7/3

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 6, Iowa 5

LF Gordon 2-3, BB, HR (12), RBI (37), 2 RS, CS (2) -- .326
1B Ka'aihue 1-3, BB, 3B, 2 RBI (53), K -- .306
CF Lough 1-3, 2 BB, HR (9), 2 RBI (32), K, 2 RS, SB (7) -- .273
DH Ankiel 1-5, walkoff HR (3), RBI (6), K, RS -- .333

Hernandez 5 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, BB, 6 K, 2 HRA -- 6.10 ERA, 2 more HR makes season total 27
Castaneda 1 2/3 IP, ER, H, BB, K, HRA -- 3.35 ERA
B. Hardy 2 IP, ER, H, K, HRA -- BS, 2, W, 2-1, 1.96 ERA

* Rick Ankiel started another shot at rehab with a rough game that had a nice ending as his walkoff homer gave the Royals the win. Gaby Hernandez gave up a 2-run homer in the 2nd but Alex Gordon went solo in the 3rd for his 12th homer. Hernandez gave the run back on a solo homer in the 4th and the homer trend continued as David Lough socked his 9th for a 2-run shot to tie the game in the bottom of the frame. Federico Castaneda came in and stranded the bases full in the 6th and then gave up a solo homer in the 7th to make it 4-3 Iowa. Kila Ka'aihue turned it around with a 2-run triple in the 7th but Blaine Hardy gave up a leadoff homer in the 8th. Ankiel stepped to the plate with 1 out in the 9th and made an 0-4 night look a notch better with a walkoff homer for his 3rd of the season. RP Marco Carrillo took the loss with an ER over 1 1/3 IP to fall to 0-1. Starter Mitch Atkins worked 6 IP of 3 ER. 2B Bobby Scales had 2 hits, including his 3rd homer, and 2 RS. Omaha is 43-37. A 4-game set at the New Orleans Zephyrs (39-40, AAA Marlins) starts Sunday with Phil Humber taking the hill.

AA - NWA: Naturals 4, San Antonio 2

1B C. Robinson 3-4, 3B (3), RBI (52), RS -- .315
RF Orlando 1-3, SF, RBI (31), 2 K, RS -- .315
C Pina 1-4, RBI (25) -- .250
3B Moustakas 1-4, 2B (23), K, RS, E (13) -- .346
CF D. Robinson 1-4, picked off -- .295
2B Giavotella 1-3, HBP, 2B (17), RS, SB (10), E (9) -- .281

Paulino 5 1/3 IP, ER, 5 H, 5 BB, 2 K -- W, 7-3, 3.86 ERA
Swaggerty 2 2/3 IP, ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 3 K -- 4.61 ERA
Sisk IP, 2 H, 2 K -- SV, 8, 2.89 ERA

* The Naturals got the sweep with another comeback win. This was only a 1-run comeback, and it turned around early, but still. Eduardo Paulino allowed a run in the 1st but despite a 10 combined hits and walks allowed, it would be the only run he let cross the plate. NWA stranded 2 in the 1st and didn't score until Clint Robinson tripled in Mike Moustakas in the 4th. Paulo Orlando added a sac fly to give NW Arkansas a 2-1 lead. Paulino left the bases full in the 5th and Derrick Robinson got picked off directly before a Johnny Giavotella double in the bottom of the inning. Orlando singled, advanced on an error, then scored on 2 wild pitches to make it 3-1 Nats in the 6th. Ben Swaggerty gave up a run in the 7th but Manny Pina hit a 2-out RBI single in the 8th for some insurance. Brandon Sisk stranded 2 in the 9th for his 8th save. Missions SP Cory Luebke allowed 3 runs (2 ER) over 7 IP to take his 1st loss of 2010 and drop to 4-1. 2B Drew Cumberland was 3-4 and two other Missions had 2 hits. San Antonio stranded 14 on the night. NWA is 7-2. Mario Santiago pitches the first of 3 in Springdale versus the Corpus Christi Hooks (0-8, AA Astros) Sunday. C Ben Theriot is back with the Naturals.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Potomac 4, Blue Rocks 2

CF Dyson 2-4, 2B (2), 3B, RBI (3) -- .462
2B Navarro 2-3 -- .233
LF Norris 0-3, RBI (29), RS, CS (13) -- .238
SS Colon 0-3, S, K -- .056
C Myers 1-4, 2 K -- .500
DH Perez 0-3, K -- .246

Baumann 4 IP, 2 ER, H, 4 BB, 7 K, WP -- L, 2-1, 2.17 ERA
Cuevas 3 1/3 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 4 H, 3 BB, 3 K, WP -- 7.09 ERA
Bowden 2/3 IP, nothing -- 1.98 ERA, thought he was supposed to be in AA, but Theriot bumped him

* Potomac capitalized on 7 walks to take the opener from Wilmington. Buddy Baumann only allowed 1 hit, but it was a 2-run double in the 3rd to give Potomac a lead it wouldn't relinquish. Patrick Norris hit an RBI forceout in the 5th but Jairo Cuevas gave up 2 runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-1. Jarrod Dyson hit an RBI triple in the 8th but was stranded at third and P-Nats RP Zach Dials struck out the side in the 9th. RP Adrian Alaniz allowed 2 unearned runs over 6 IP to get the win and move to 3-3. Rehabbing SP Jordan Zimmerman pitched 2 scoreless innings. No P-Nat had more than 1 hit but C Derek Norris had 2 RBI. The Rocks are 6-4. John Lamb starts the holiday game 2.

A - Burlington: Bees 7, Wisconsin 6 (14)

RF Oriental 4-7, 3B (2), 2 K, 3 RS -- .257
SS Alfaro 3-6, S, 2B (5), HR (2), 2 RBI (10), 2 K, RS -- .185, has done well in more PT lately
2B Hall 2-6, BB, K, RS -- .232
LF Testa 1-6, S, RBI (28), 2 K -- .257
DH Bonilla 1-2, 2 BB, S, 2B (3), RBI (14) -- .219
C Robertson 1-5, BB, S, GW RBI (2), 2 K -- .250
CF Richardson 1-5, BB, RBI (23), 2 K, RS, SB (23) -- .196
The Bees stranded 15.

Wooley 6 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K, 3 HRA -- 6.85 ERA
Encarnacion 2 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 3 K, HRA -- 5.08 ERA
Dennick 2 IP, 3 K -- 4.46 ERA
Hodge IP, 2 BB, K, WP -- 5.94 ERA
Sirrett 1/3 IP, ER, 4 BB, WP -- 5.79 ERA
Barrow 2 2/3 IP, H, BB, E, pickoff, WP -- W, 1-0, 4.76 ERA

* The Bees had to stay alive in the 12th to eventually win in 14. The Bees took a 3-0 lead with single runs in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th on a Jose Bonilla RBI double, J.D. Alfaro RBI double, and Rene Oriental triple on which he scored thanks to a Rattlers error. Nick Wooley did OK until giving up a leadoff homer in the 5th. Alfaro answered with a solo homer in the bottom of the 5th for his 2nd of the season. Wooley gave up 2 homers for 3 runs in the 6th to tie it at 4. Carlo Testa squeeze bunted home a run in the 7th but Rodolfo Encarnacion gave up a leadoff homer in the 8th to tie it at 5. The Bees stranded the bases full in the 9th. Wisconsin stranded 2 in the 11th but Onassis Sirrett walked in a run in the 12th to give the Timber Rattlers a 6-5 lead. The Bees loaded the bases off RP Andrew Sauter and Hilton Richardson took a big walk to retie the game. The Bees couldn't get the winning run home, tho, as they left 'em loaded again. With 1 out and a man at second in the 14th, Drew Robertson hit a walkoff single for the biggest RBI of his fledgling pro career. Sauter allowed 2 ER over 2 1/3 IP to drop to 0-3. Starter Nick Bucci allowed 4 runs (3 ER) over 6 IP. 2B Ryan Gennett had 3 hits including his 26th double and 5th homer with 2 RBI (41). 1B Hunter Morris had 2 hits, 2 walks, his 1st homer and 2 RBI (7). The Bees are 5-4 and on a 5-game tear. A 3-game set at the Quad Cities River Bandits (6-3, A Cardinals) starts Sunday.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 1, Ogden 0 (5-hitter)

RF Adams 1-4, 2B, RBI (8), OF assist at home -- .271
SS Trapp 0-3, K -- .250
DH Watts 1-3 -- .289
1B Kuebler 1-3 -- .304
C Cornstubble 1-3, K -- .545

Mariot 6 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K -- W, 2-0, 1.53 ERA, planting flag as pitcher to watch in 2010 class thus far
Blauer 1 1/3 IP, nothing -- 6.75 ERA
Rivers IP, H, BB -- SV, 2, 0.00 ERA

* Mike Mariot had another great start and the Chukars took a 1-0 win over Ogden. Lane Adams hit a 2-out RBI double in the 3rd for the only run of the game. Mariot took a 1-hitter into the 7th and the key play of the game came in the 7th. A 1-out double was followed by a Raptors single and Adams came through on both sides of the ball as he combined with Jake Kuebler to gun out the runner at the plate. Alex Rivers stranded 2 in the 9th for his 2nd save. Raptors SP Garrett Gould allowed an ER over 6 1/3 IP to fall to 0-1. RF Jonathan Garcia had 2 hits and an assist at third in the loss. The Chukars are 7-6.

Rookie - Burlington: B-Royals 2, Bluefield 0 (3-hitter)

DH Stovall 2-4, HR (3), RBI (11), RS -- .341
CF D. Rodriguez 2-4, 2B (2), 2 SB (10) -- .207
LF MacDougall 1-4, HR, RBI (7), K, RS -- .175
SS McClure 1-4, 2 K, E (5) -- .216
1B Baldwin 0-4, 2 K -- .100

L. Santiago 6 IP, 2 H, BB, 8 K -- W, 3-0, 1.59 ERA
Keck 2 IP, H, BB, 3 K -- 0.00 ERA
Byrne IP, 2 K -- SV, 1, 1.29 ERA

* Leonel Santiago made it 2 rookie ball shutouts for the organization as he and two relievers combined on a 3-hitter. Santiago got past 2 errors in the 1st and Gabe MacDougall led off the 2nd with his 1st homer of the season to make it 1-0 Burlington. Santiago retired 9 in a row at one point and Ryan Stovall added a solo homer in the 6th for his 3rd for the B-Royals. Jon Keck stranded 2 in the 7th but he and Chas Byrne retired the last 7 Orioles. Bluefield SP Jacob Petitt allowed an ER over 5 IP to fall to 0-1. The B-Royals are 7-5 and in a 3-way tie for first. A 3-game home set with the Elizabethton Twins (8-4, owned the Royals last season as well as the rest of the league) starts Sunday.

Rookie - AZL: The Royals beat the Rangers, 6-3. They held on to beat the Reds the other night by the 6-4 score I last reported. Shoulda cleared that up yesterday.

RF Costa 3-4, 2B, RBI, RS, SB -- .400
C Shin 2-4, 2B (2), 2 RBI (5), K, RS -- .320
1B Moreno 1-3, BB, 2B (6), 2 RBI (12), K, RS -- .444
LF Sandford 1-4, RBI, K -- .333

Yambati 5 IP, 4 H, BB, 6 K -- W, 1-0, 0.61 ERA, very nice
Brown 2 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, WP -- 3.18 ERA
Kriech 1 1/3 IP, UER, 4 H, K -- 1.59 ERA
Gatrell 2/3 IP, 2 K -- SV, 3, 0.00 ERA

* The Royals scored 4 in the 1st en route to the win. Robinson Yambati worked around a leadoff double in the 1st and the Royals got to work on a 2-run Jin-Ho Shin double and 2-run Henry Moreno double. Darian Sandford singled in a run in the 3rd to make it 5-0. Rudy Brown allowed 2 runs in the 7th but Shane Costa singled in a run in the 7th to make it 6-2. Kyle Kriech allowed an unearned run in the 8th but Tyler Gatrell came in to strand 2 in the 9th for his 3rd save. Starter Richard Alvarez allowed 4 runs (3 ER) over 1 2/3 IP to drop to 0-1. CF Teodoro Martinez was 4-4 for the Rangers with 2 doubles. Three others had 2 hits. The Royals are 7-3 and 2 games up on first.