Royals on the Farm 8/30 -- Moustakas explodes; B-Royals are playoff bound

AAA - Omaha: O-Royals 23, Round Rock 5

3B Moustakas 4-6, 2B, 3 HR, 11 RBI (!!), 4 RS -- .297, MiLB's box scores are screwed up tonight...anyway, get him to KC on Wednesday!
DH Maddox 3-6, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 RS -- .264
CF Dyson 3-6, RBI, 2 RS -- .275
SS Falu 3-5, 2 BB, K, 4 RS -- .263
1B Thorman 3-6, 2 2B, 3 RS -- .297
LF Lucas 3-5, BB, RBI, 2 RS -- .311
C May 1-2, BB, HBP, HR, 4 RBI, RS -- .291
RF Parraz 2-6, 2 RBI, K, 2 RS -- .252
PR-C Clark 2-2, 2B, RS -- .264

B. Hardy 5 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 7 H, 4 BB, K, 2 HRA -- W, 3-4, 3.55 ERA
G. Hernandez 2 2/3 IP, 3 H, BB, 2 K -- 5.14 ERA
Marte IP, 2 H -- 3.58 ERA

* An 11-run 3rd and Mike Moustakas' pyrotechnics on the day he earned a big minor-league honor fueled an Omaha win Monday. Round Rock stranded 2 in the 1st but got a 2-run homer in the 2nd to take the early lead. Jordan Parraz hit an RBI single in the 2nd and Marc Maddox added a 2-run double to get the night started for the Royals. Things blew up in the 3rd as Moustakas hit a 2-run homer for his 11th at AAA, Lucas May clubbed a 3-run homer for his 6th of the season, Parraz hit an RBI single, Jarrod Dyson hit a sac fly, Moustakas made it 2 longballs in an inning with a 3-run shot for his 12th for Omaha, and May hit an RBI groundout to make it 14-2. The Express scored in the 4th but Omaha answered with 4 runs on a 3-run Moustakas double and Ed Lucas RBI single. Round Rock scored 2 in the 6th but that was as close as the Express would get. A run-scoring wild pitch and run-scoring error made it 20-5, and Moustakas clubbed a 3-run homer in the 7th for his 3rd of the game and 13th at AAA in the 8th. Omaha is 75-62 and 3 games back. Anthony Lerew starts game 2 Tuesday.

AA - NW Arkansas: Tulsa 6, Naturals 5

2B Giavotella 3-4, 2B (31), HR (7), RBI (59), 2 RS -- .323
3B Fields 2-4, 2 2B (6), 2 RBI (7), K, RS -- .429
DH C. Robinson 2-4 -- .323
RF Van Stratten 0-3, SF, RBI (34), K -- .269
CF D. Robinson 1-4, RS -- .285
1B Hosmer 1-3, BB, 2 K, RS -- .316

Montgomery 4 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 5 BB -- 3.53 ERA, yeesh, not on his game Monday
Paulino IP, BB, WP -- 4.26 ERA
Swaggerty 2 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 2 K -- 4.04 ERA
R. Hardy IP, ER, 4 H, BB -- BS, 4, L, 4-3, 3.60 ERA

* In a day in which the Nats reaped the best of the Texas League's honors, Mike Montgomery struggled and the Naturals blew a late lead. Nick Van Stratten hit a sac fly in the 2nd but Montgomery allowed the tying run in the bottom of the frame. Tulsa added 2 in the 3rd but Johnny Giavotella led off the 4th with his 7th homer of the season to cut the lead to 3-2. A Josh Fields double scored 3 runs in the 8th thanks also to a Tulsa error as the Naturals took a 5-3 lead. Rowdy Hardy came in with 2 on and 2 out in the 8th and gave up a 2-run game-tying single to, who else, Tulsa DH and Nats killer Charles Blackmon. With 2 on and 2 out in the 9th, Hardy gave up a walkoff single to end it. NWA is 38-25. A 4-game home set with the Arkansas Travelers (27-36, AA Angels) starts Tuesday. Mike Moustakas was named TL Player of the Year, and Brian Poldberg was named TL Manager of the Year Monday. Clint Robinson, Johnny Giavotella, Moustakas, Paulo Orlando and Derrick Robinson were named TL Postseason All Stars. The honors continued as John Lamb was named TL Pitcher of the Week after 6 1/3 hitless IP.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Myrtle Beach 5, Blue Rocks 3

2B Navarro 2-4, 2B, RBI -- .235, box score is messed up
CF Norris 2-3, RS -- .243
C Myers 1-4, RBI, K -- .335
LF Ortiz 0-4, 2 K -- .282
SS Colon 0-3, RS -- .274

Melville 7 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 6 H, 5 K, HRA -- L, 2-12, 4.96 ERA
Basurto IP, H -- 3.80 ERA
Hodgson IP, UER, 2 H, BB, K -- 4.22 ERA

* The Pelicans dealt Tim Melville another loss to start the series. A 2-run triple broke the scoreless tie in the 5th and the batter scored on a Christian Colon error on the play. The Rocks were being 1-hit thru 5 but Patrick Norris scored on an error and Wil Myers hit an RBI single in the 6th to cut the lead to 3-2. Melville allowed a solo homer in the 7th and Ivor Hodgson allowed a run in the 9th. Rey Navarro hit an RBI double in the 9th but the Rocks couldn't rally. The Rocks are 32-30 and 2 games back. Bryan Paukovits pitches game 2 Tuesday.

A - Burlington: Beloit 7, Bees 3

CF Merrifield 2-4, BB, 2B (7), RBI (18), picked off -- .239
LF Aparicio 2-5, 2 2B (4), RBI (7) -- .208
SS McClure 0-3, 2 BB, RBI (10) -- .253
RF Testa 0-4, BB, 2 K, E (5) -- .276
1B Kuebler 0-2, 3 BB, K -- .288

Sample 4 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 5 H, 6 BB, 4 K, WP -- L, 5-10, 4.90 ERA, another wild night for Tyler
R. Wood 2 IP, 2 ER, 3 H -- 8.59 ERA
Byrne 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 4 K -- 7.20 ERA

* Beloit nicked up Tyler Sample en route to the win. The Bees drew 4 walks in the 1st but managed to not score a run as Whit Merrifield was picked off in the inning. Julio Aparicio hit an RBI double in the 2nd but Sample issued 3 walks and 2 RBI singles in the 2nd before leaving the bases loaded. The Bees left 'em loaded in the 3rd and Sample gave up a 2-run triple and run-scoring passed ball to make it 5-1 Snappers. Alex McClure hit an RBI groundout in the 4th but the Snappers scored 2 in the 5th off Ryan Wood. Merrifield doubled in a run in the 6th but the Bees left the bases full in the 8th and stranded 1 in the 9th. The Bees are 20-40. The series wraps up Tuesday.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Helena and IF are tied at 3 in the 9th

SS Trapp 2-3, BB, K, 2 RS -- .242, as previously noted, box scores are messed up for home teams tonight
LF Culver 3-4, 2B, RS -- .210
DH Zebroski 0-4, 2 K -- .250
1B Watts 0-3, RBI, 2 K -- .275

L. Perez 6 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 10 K, HRA -- 5.72 ERA
J. Mitchell 1 1/3 IP, ER, H, 2 BB -- 5.73 ERA

* Helena has blown 2 leads as the game goes to the 9th. The Brew Crew scored in the 1st and 2nd but Murray Watts hit a sac fly in the 4th and a run-scoring error tied the game in the 7th. Leondy Perez had a good start as he K'd 10 over 6 2/3 but Jason Mitchell allowed a run in the 8th and another Helena error helped IF tie it in the bottom of the inning. IF has Tuesday off.

Rookie - Burlington: B-Royals 3, Danville 2

C Escobar 2-4, RBI (15), 2 K -- .218, came up big last 2 games
3B Y. Figueroa 2-4 -- .257
DH Jenkins 1-3, BB, RBI (23), K -- .273
SS Liberto 1-4, BB, 3 K -- .226
1B Stovall 1-4, CS (8) -- .303
CF Llanos 1-4, 2B (15), 2 K, RS -- .259

Simmons 5 IP, ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 6 K, 2 WP -- W, 6-2, 2.77 ERA
Leaper 0 IP, ER, H, BB -- 3.00 ERA
Bavera IP, K -- 4.50 ERA
Penny 3 IP, 2 H, 2 K -- SV, 5, 1.75 ERA

* Crawford Simmons and 3 relievers made 3 early Royals runs stand up for the win as Burlington clinched the second Appy East playoff spot. Ryan Jenkins hit an RBI groundout in the 1st and Simmons stranded 2 Braves. Alex Llanos doubled and scored on an error in the 2nd and Edul Escobar hit an RBI single to make it 3-0. Simmons stranded 2 in the 3rd but the Braves finally pushed across a run in the 5th. Claudio Bavera came in with 2 on and 0 out in the 6th and allowed a run before stranding 2. Ryan Stovall came up with a big play in the inning as he nailed a runner at the plate from first to keep the lead alive. Robert Penny stranded 2 in the 7th and faced little trouble in the 8th or 9th for his 5th save. The Royals are 34-33 heading into the final game of the regular season. They will face the Johnson City Cardinals in the best-of-3 first round of the Appy League playoffs. It's Burlington's first playoff bid since 1993.

Rookie - AZL: The Royals came back to beat the Dodgers, 5-4, Sunday, but the Reds won the wild card via tiebreak to go to the playoffs

* The Royals tied it in the 6th with an RBI double by Mike Antonio and a Jorge Bonifacio RBI single, then added 3 in the 7th on a Jerico Blanco RBI groundout, Darian Sandford RBI single and Daniel Mateo RBI double. Parker Bangs gave up 2 runs in the 8th but Bonifacio threw a runner out at third from right to end the inning. Tyler Gatrell struck out the side in the 9th to end it. The Royals finished 31-25.

AZL wrapup....OPS leaders (* leads team): Henry Moreno .994 (.327*/.396*/.599*, 32 RS*, 22 2B*, 5 3B, 4 HR, 32 RBI*, 16 BB/39 K, 10 E in 45 G/162 ABs...nice season for Henry); Ysmelin Alcantara .777 (.262/.321/.456, 14 RS, 8 2B, 3 3B, 5 HR*, 22 RBI, 10 BB/49 K, 4/6 SB, 3 E in 44 G/149 ABs...had some flashes, numbers aren't great); Mike Antonio .726 (.264/.297/.429, 19 RS, 14 2B, 5 3B, HR, 12 RBI, 8 BB/31 K, 7/11 SB, 15 E in 40 G/163 ABs...looked like he was fresh out of HS); Darian Sandford .725 (.279/.364/.361, 28 RS, 4 2B, 3 3B, 9 RBI, 16 BB/36 K, 30/36 SB*, 3 E in 38 G/122 ABs....I liked it, did a little bit of everything, hope he develops a little more pop); and Jose Rodriguez .652 (.266/.316/.336, 22 RS, 2 2B, 4 3B, 17 RBI, 7 BB/29 K, 13/19 SB, 10 E in 39 G/143 ABs....meh). Others....Cheslor Cuthbert posted a .754 in 18 games before moving up to Idaho Falls. Cameron Conner hit for a .633 OPS in his pro debut and led the team with 6 3B but also 58 Ks with only 14 BB. IF Daniel Mateo led the team with 21 E as well as 52 G and 206 ABs while hitting for only a .605 OPS. C Jin-Ho Shin made his American debut but struggled to a .480 OPS with a .152 BA in 39 G/125 ABs. He did lead the team with 21 BB to go with 49 K. C Alex Marquez hit for a .462 OPS in his pro debut of 26 games, and Jerico Blanco hit for a measly .398 OPS in his 33 games.

WHIP leaders....Brennon Martin 0.86 (moved up at end of season, 3-2, 2.57 ERA, 4 BB/29 K in 6 games/3 starts and 28 IP, can't complain there); Allen Caldwell 0.89 (2-1, 2.19, 4 BB/18 K in 8 games/1 start and 12 1/3 IP); Jordan Roualdes 0.95 (moved up, 0-0, 0.71, 1 SV, 3 BB/11 K in 7 G/12 2/3 IP, hasn't fared as well in IF); Chase Boruff 1.00 (0-1, 1.80, 3 SV, 4 BB/11 K in 6 G/10 IP); and Eric Diaz 1.06 (1-1, 5.29, 2 HRA, 7 BB/20 K in 12 G/6 starts and 17 IP). Lots of marginal pen guys there. Others...Robinson Yambati 1.16 (8*-2, 2.71, 12 BB/64 K* in 14 G/6 starts and 66 1/3 IP*, good line there). Jonathan Rodriguez 1.19 (3.33, 3 HRA, 9 BB/48 K in 54 IP, nice pro debut). Dylan Lindsay 1.24 (4.61, HRA, 2 BB/6 K in 13 2/3 IP, South African doesn't exactly dazzle in US debut). Yordano Ventura 1.25 (4-2, 3.25, 3 HRA, 17 BB/58 K in 14 G/52 2/3 IP, good K rate, had his moments). Rudy Brown 1.27 (2.52, 10 BB/40 K in 39 1/3 IP). Tyler Gatrell 1.29 (1.29, 12 SV*, 11 BB/40 K in 20 G*/21 IP, NDFA stood out for Royals). See the rest here.