Royals on the Farm 4/7/11 -- Hit the lights...Eibner goes yard in first AB, Clint homers twice

So....kind of a rough outing for Mike Montgomery, the Storm Chasers allow double-digit runs in their debut, a loss for NWA (and a tough outing for Chris Dwyer) and a rout in Wisconsin. Not the opening night many had envisioned for the top system in the league.

AAA - Omaha: Albuquerque 10, Storm Chasers 5

DH C. Robinson 2-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, K, 2 RS, unsung hitter steals the show on opening night
RF Falu 2-2, took over after Lough got shaken up on unsuccessful dive
1B Hosmer 2-5, RS
3B Moustakas 1-5, RBI, 2 K, RS, E
RF Lough 1-2, BB, RS
2B Giavotella 1-5, 2 K
C Pina 1-4, K

Montgomery 5 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 K, WP -- 74 pitches, 0-1, 9.00 ERA, not an ace night but it's his first start of the year
Shell IP, 5 ER, 5 H, K -- 45.00 ERA, not stellar bullpen work
Wood IP, 2 K -- 0.00 ERA
Holland IP, 2 K -- 0.00 ERA

* Omaha's chances at inaugurating the Storm Chasers era with a victory took a major hit in a 4-run 2nd and then were dealt a deathblow with a 5-run 6th as the Isotopes took the season opener. At least 1 Storm Chaser - DH Clint Robinson - brought his bat as he clubbed a solo homer in the top of the 2nd to spot the Chasers to a 1-0 lead. Mike Montgomery had a quiet 1st but ran into trouble in the 2nd as the 'Topes scored 4 runs on 5 singles, a wild pitch and hit batsman. Mike Moustakas got Omaha back on the board with an RBI single in the 3rd and a 2-run Albuquerque error tied the game at 4-4. Montgomery gave a run back as the Isotopes scored a run without anything more harmful than a single in the 3rd and the Isotopes wouldn't relinquish the lead. Albuquerque blew it open off Steven Shell in the 6th as 5 hits and a Moustakas error plated 5 runs and, adding insult to injury, David Lough left the game after an errant dive resulted in a 3-run Jay Gibbons double. Omaha stranded 2 in the 7th and Robinson led off the 8th with his 2nd homer of the game but that was all the Storm Chasers would get. Omaha starts the season 0-1. Game 2 is Friday night. Lorenzo Cain and Cody Clark are starting the season on the DL. Cain is having a groin issue. Jeff Suppan starts Friday.

AA - NW Arkansas: San Antonio 3, Naturals 2

SS Colon 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, K, RS, CS -- enters the 2011 season with a BANG, too bad he was the only one
RF Myers 1-4, K, CS
2B Bianchi 1-2, BB, SB
LF Van Stratten 1-3, OF assists at first and home
CF D. Robinson 0-4, K, RS, SB
C S. Perez 0-2, BB

Dwyer 4 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 4 K -- L, 0-1, 6.75 ERA
B. Johnson 3 IP, 3 H -- 0.00 ERA
Sisk 2 IP, H, K -- 0.00, at least the bullpen was in fine form

* Three early runs by the Missions and a mostly stagnant Naturals offense led to an opening night loss for NW Arkansas. Chris Dwyer stumbled out of the gate as, with 2 out and 2 on in the 1st, he gave up a 2-run double that put San Antonio up for good. Christian Colon made the most of his first 2011 AB as he slammed a solo homer in the 1st to cut the lead in half. Dwyer gave up another run in the 3rd as the Missions made it 3-1. Derrick Robinson helped manufacture a run after hitting into a forceout in the 6th. He stole second and scored on a Colon 2-out RBI single to cut the lead back to 1. Nick Van Stratten kept it that way in the 7th as he teamed up with Colon to throw out a runner at the plate to end the inning. Jeff Bianchi singled and made it to third in the 7th but was stranded there as his single would be the Nats' last hit of the game. RP Brad Brach struck out the side in the 9th to lock it down for San Antonio. The Naturals, obviously, are 0-1. Game 2 is Friday night with John Lamb taking the hill.

A - Kane County: Wisconsin 9, Cougars 3

RF G. Beltre 2-4
CF Eibner 1-3, BB, HR, RBI, K, 2 RS, started pro career off nicely all in all
3B A. Franco 1-4, RBI, E
C Jenkins 1-3, RBI, K, PB
2B Espinal 0-4, 2 K
1B Watts 0-3, BB, K

L. Santiago 4 IP, 6 R (5 ER), 7 H, 2 BB, 5 K, HRA -- L, 0-1, 11.25 ERA, one of Appy League's best 2010 pitchers found out A-ball isn't the rookie leagues Thursday
Hodge 3 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 4 BB, K, WP -- 8.10 ERA
Odenbach 2/3 IP, K -- 0.00 ERA

* A trio of 3-run Rattler rallies spelled doom for the first Cougars game as a Royals affiliate. Brett Eibner went yard in his first pro AB in the 1st with a 2-out solo shot that made it 1-0 Cougars. The lead lasted two whole Wisconsin ABs as a leadoff walk and double and error tied the game before KC recorded an out. Two hits and a walk later made it 3-1 Rattlers off starter Leonel Santiago. Santiago was pulled after giving up a solo homer in the 5th and getting in more trouble in the frame. Mitch Hodge allowed two runners to score before getting out with the inning with the Cougars down, 6-1. Another error and 3 singles helped Wisconsin score 3 more runs in the 6th off Hodge. Angel Franco and Ryan Jenkins hit back-to-back RBI singles in the 7th but those would be the Cougars' final hits. KC is 0-1. Sugar Ray Marimon starts game 2 Friday.