Royals on the Farm 9/9 -- NWA falls in extras

AA - NW Arkansas: Springfield 4, Naturals 2 (12) (Springfield leads best-of-5, 1-0)

DH C. Robinson 2-4, BB -- .500
CF D. Robinson 2-5, S, CS -- .400
LF T. Smith 2-5, E -- .400
1B Hosmer 1-5, BB, HR, RBI, K, RS -- .200
2B Giavotella 1-6, K -- .167
NWA stranded 10.

Duffy 5 2/3 IP, UER, 4 H, 3 BB, 10 K, pickoff -- 0.00 ERA, nice outing anyway
B. Johnson 4 1/3 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K, HRA -- 2.08 ERA
Hardy 1/3 IP, nothing -- 0.00 ERA
Keating 1 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 4 K, HRA -- L, 0-1, 10.80 ERA

* The Naturals forced extras with an 8th-inning run but fell in 12 as the Cardinals seized home field advantage. The Cards scored thanks to a Tim Smith error in the 2nd but Danny Duffy recovered to strike out the side in the 3rd. Derrick Robinson was caught stealing with Eric Hosmer at the plate in the 3rd and Hosmer proceeded to go solo for his 1st postseason homer as Robinson's CS loomed large later on. Duffy struck out the side again in the 5th and Blake Johnson pitched well in relief but gave up a solo homer in the 8th to make it 2-1 Cards. Triple crown winner Clint Robinson came through with a clutch RBI single in the bottom of the inning but the Nats stranded 2. Patrick Keating gave up a 2-run homer to SS Pete Kozma (his 2nd of the game) in the 12th and the Nats left the bases full in the bottom of the inning. Game 2 is Friday as the Nats try to knot the series. Mike Moustakas was named the Sporting News MiLB Hitter of the Year. I haven't seen who the game 2 starter is. Everett Teaford maybe?

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 9, Casper 2 in the 9th

SS Trapp 3-4, 2 BB, 2 2B (14), 2 RBI (21), 2 RS, E (33) -- .269
LF Pickett 2-4, BB, 3B, 2 RBI (3), RS -- .387
C T. Jones 2-5, RBI (18), RS, PB (10) -- .284
1B Culver 2-4, BB, RS -- .217
2B Espinal 1-4, BB, SF, RBI (27), RS, SB (16), E (24) -- .252
3B Liberto 1-4, BB, 2B (2), RBI (4), K, 2 RS -- .400
DH Watts 0-2, 2 BB, K, RS -- .279
CF Conner 1-6, 2B (2), 3 K -- .175
IF stranded 12.

Garrido 3 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 2 K -- 6.06 ERA
Billo IP, K -- 5.17 ERA
Lohden 3 2/3 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 K -- 7.20 ERA
Rivers 1/3 IP, H -- 4.55 ERA

* IF is looking to go out winners in Thursday's series finale. Yowill Espinal hit a sac fly in the 1st but Casper scratched out a run in the 2nd. A run-scoring passed ball, Travis Jones RBI single, Mike Liberto RBI double and 2-run Jovan Pickett triple added up to a 5-run 4th as IF surged ahead. Justin Trapp hit a 2-out, 2-run double in the 6th and a run-scoring error made it 9-1 Chukars. Alex Rivers allowed an RBI single in the 8th but the lead is still 7 going into the bottom of the 9th. Not to get presumptuous here but a win would wrap the Chukars at 11-27. I'll wrap up the IF season tomorrow. The Chukars lost in the 9th Wednesday as they stranded 2 in the top of the inning and Tyler Graham gave up back-to-back doubles with 2 out in the bottom of the inning.