Royals on the Farm 8/15

Very nice start from Bryan Bullington today, looking like a #1 overall pick. How's everybody feeling about the Royals now? Everything was flying high about this time last month but Ka'aihue has floundered thus far in KC, Moustakas is still finding his way at AAA, Hosmer has simmered at AA, Montgomery is working his way back in AA, Lamb has plateaued for now at AA and only Myers is still raking among the top prospects. Obviously I'm still feeling better about the system than this time last year, but I can't say much has changed in how I feel about the top level. Still hard to watch, still questioning the guidance, still at a loss for words to describe what exactly I think about it all....

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 2, Sacramento 1

3B Moustakas 4-5, 2B (8), RBI (18), E (6) -- .265, RBI was clutch, found his way well today
CF Dyson 2-5, K, RS, SB (6) -- .290
C Clark 1-3, BB, RBI (19), SB -- .242
LF Lough 0-4, HBP, K -- .267
SS Lucas 0-4, BB -- .309
Omaha stranded 12.

Lerew 8 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 7 K, pickoff -- W, 7-3, 3.01 ERA
Marte IP, ER, H, HRA -- SV, 3, 3.71 ERA

* Anthony Lerew had an excellent start and the Royals used a late insurance run to overcome Sacramento. Lerew stranded 2 a couple times in the early innings and didn't have a 1-2-3 inning until the 6th. Cody Clark broke the ice with an RBI single in the 7th and Omaha loaded the bases with 0 out in the 8th but squandered the chance. Jarrod Dyson hit a 2-out single in the 9th, stole second and scored on a Mike Moustakas single but Omaha left the bases loaded. Victor Marte gave up a leadoff homer in the 9th but retired the next 3 to pick up his 3rd save. Omaha is 67-55. Matt Herges starts Monday's series finale.

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 2, Midland 1

1B Hosmer 3-5, 2B (8), K -- .300
2B Giavotella 2-5, RBI (50), K, E (14) -- .317
LF Seratelli 2-4, K -- .265
C Eigsti 1-2, BB, S, RBI, RS -- .063
CF Orlando 1-4, BB -- .309
DH C. Robinson 0-3, BB, K -- .318
RF Van Stratten 0-3, BB, K, RS -- .280
3B Romak 1-3, S, CS (3) -- .300
The Nats stranded 10.

B. Johnson 6 IP, UER, 5 H, 2 K, pickoff -- W, 3-3, 4.55 ERA
Swaggerty 1 1/3 IP, H, BB, K -- 3.91 ERA
Keating 1 2/3 IP, BB, 3 K -- SV, 7, 2.87 ERA

* NWA got a good outing from Blake Johnson to get the win on Sunday. Midland scored its run in the 2nd off Johnson but only had 4 hits the rest of the way. Johnny Giavotella singled in the tying run in the 3rd and Ryan Eigsti squeezed home the go-ahead run in the 4th. The Naturals stranded 2 in the 5th and Patrick Keating stranded the bases loaded in the 8th. He had a 1-2-3 9th for his 7th save. NWA is 30-19. The series ends Monday.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: rainout

* The Rocks were down, 5-0, when the rain washed out the finale with Salem, which will not be made up. A 4-game set at the Frederick Keys (24-25, A-Adv. O's) starts Monday. Bryan Paukovits starts game 1.

A - Burlington: Quad Cities 5, Bees 3 (7/G1)

RF Testa 3-4, 3B (13), K, RS -- .275
3B F. Cruz 2-3, 2B (12), RBI (18), E (19) -- .219
CF Merrifield 2-3, BB, RS, OF assist at second -- .231
1B Kuebler 1-4, RBI (11), K -- .293
The Bees stranded 10.

Hayenga 5 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 4 K, HRA, WP -- L, 1-11, 6.50 ERA
De La Rosa 2 IP, UER, H, 2 BB, 2 K -- 3.68 ERA

* Keaton Hayenga's start fell apart in the 4th as the Bandits beat the Bees. Whit Merrifield singled and scored on an error in the 3rd and Hayenga had stranded runners the first 3 innings but served up a grand slam in the 4th for the big blow for Quad Cities. Fernando Cruz drove in a run with an RBI groundout in the 4th but the Bees left the bases loaded in the 5th and Starling De La Rosa gave up an insurance run in the 6th. The Bees loaded the bases with 2 out in the 7th, and Carlo Testa scored on a wild pitch before Deivy Batista struck out to end it.

Quad Cities 11, Bees 3 (7/G2)

SS McClure 2-4, K, RS -- .297
1B Kuebler 2-3, RS -- .305
DH Testa 1-4, 2B (20), 2 RBI (44), K -- .275
RF Merrifield 1-2, 2 BB, 3B, K, RS, E, OF assist at home -- .236

M. Mitchell 4 2/3 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 4 H, 3 BB, 5 K -- 5.08 ERA
Hodge 2 IP, 9 R (7 ER), 9 H, 3 BB, K -- L, 0-2, 6.67 ERA
Hall 1/3 IP, H, K -- 0.00 ERA

* The Bandits put the game on ice late to sweep the twinbill. Matt Mitchell gave up a run in the 1st and Whit Merrifield tripled and scored on a Carlo Testa groundout in the bottom of the frame. The tie lasted until a passed ball on Ben Theriot scored another Bandit in the 2nd. Testa doubled in a run in the 3rd to tie it and it stayed tied into the 6th. The Bees stranded 2 in the 5th and Mitch Hodge hit a rough patch in the 6th as the Bandits plated 6 runs on 6 hits and a walk. A Fernando Cruz double play scored a Bees run in the 6th but the Bandits answered with 3 in the 7th as Gerard Hall finished the inning. The Bees stranded 1 in the 7th. The Bees are 16-31. The series wraps Monday.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Ogden 9, Chukars 1

C T. Jones 2-4, HR (2), RBI (6), K, RS -- .274
1B Watts 2-4, K -- .306
DH David 0-3, BB, 3 K -- .310
2B Zebroski 1-4, K -- .225
LF Lane Adams had an assist at third.

Billo 5 1/3 IP, 6 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 6 K, 3 WP -- L, 3-6, 5.18 ERA
Graffeo 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, K -- 3.00 ERA
Roualdes 3 IP, ER, 4 H, BB, 2 K -- 3.95 ERA

* Ogden used a 7-run 6th to chug past the Chukars Sunday. Greg Billo stumbled in the 1st as the Raptors scored a run but he would keep them in check from then until the 6th. Travis Jones broke up a no-hitter with a solo homer in the 5th for his 2nd of the season to tie the game. Billo and Nick Graffeo watched the momentum slam to the Ogden side in the 6th as 7 hits, 3 walks and an error scored 7 runs. IF loaded the bases with 0 out in the 7th but left them that way and Ogden added an insurance run in the 8th. IF is 3-12. A 4-game set at the Missoula Osprey (6-8, Rookie D-Backs) starts Monday.

Rookie - Burlington: B-Royals 5, Danville 4 (10)

CF Llanos 3-5, 2 RBI (20), 2 K, RS, SB (14) -- .257
DH Escobar 2-5, RBI (10), K -- .213
PR-2B Piterson 2-2, RS -- .217
3B-1B Stovall 2-5, 2B (14), K, RS -- .304
LF MacDougall 2-5, 2B (7), K, RS, picked off -- .212
SS Martinez 1-4, RBI (9) -- .203
1B Baldwin 1-3, RBI (13) -- .170
2B-3B-SS Liberto 1-5, 3B, K, RS -- .231
C Robertson 0-4, PB (2) -- .136
RF Derek Rodriguez had an assist at home.

L. Santiago 4 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, BB, 4 K, HRA -- 1.98 ERA, not the usual Leonel outing this season
Penny 3 IP, nothing -- 1.80 ERA
Byrne 3 IP, 2 H, K -- W, 1-0, 0.80 ERA

* The bullpen came to the rescue with 6 scoreless innings as the Royals came back to beat the Braves. Mike Liberto led off the game with a triple and scored on an Adrian Martinez groundout but Leonel Santiago gave up a solo homer in the 1st as the Braves tied it. Edul Escobar hit an RBI single in the 2nd and Danville once again tied it. The Braves moved ahead with 2 in the 4th to finish Santiago's day. Geoff Baldwin hit an RBI single in the 7th and Alex Llanos did the same to tie the game. Llanos broke the tie with a 2-out RBI single in the 10th and Chas Byrne stranded 1 in the 10th for his 1st pro win. Burlington is 24-29. The series continues Monday.

Rookie - AZL: The Royals are down, 3-1, in the 7th to the Brewers

LF Sandford 1-2, K, RS, SB (18) -- .306, team's only hit thus far
DH Fields 0-1, 2 BB -- .444
SS Antonio 0-3, K -- .254
C Shin 0-2, BB, K -- .168
CF Conner 0-2 -- .217

G. Cuevas IP, ER, H, 2 BB, K -- 18.56 ERA
J. Soto 4 IP, 7 K -- 3.78 ERA, niiiiiice
E. Diaz IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 2 K, WP, balk, E -- 5.17 ERA
Lindsay IP, nothing -- 1.42 ERA

* The Royals have been decidedly shut down by the Brew Crew thus far. Gary Cuevas gave up a run in his only inning of work in the 1st. The Royals stranded 2 on walks in the 4th and were still hitless until the 6th. The Brewers scored 2 in the 6th off Eric Diaz after 4 hitless innings from Jorge Soto. Darian Sandford led off the 6th with a single, stole second and scored on a Brewers error to break up the no-no and shutout in one fell swoop. The score remains 3-1 in the 8th. The Royals are 22-21. The Royals won, 8-5, Saturday.