Royals on the Farm 5/7 -- Naturals get drilled

AAA - Omaha: Storm Chasers 3, Oklahoma City 1

SS Zawadzki 2-4, HR (2), 2 RBI (12), RS, SB (8) -- .222
CF Cain 2-4, 2 2B (7), K, RS -- .303, over the .300 mark, nice to see
3B Moustakas 1-2, BB, HBP, HR (5), RBI (21), RS -- .241
1B C. Robinson 0-4, 4 K -- .324, yeesh, golden sombrero for Clint
RF Lough 0-4 -- .305
2B Giavotella 0-2, 2 BB, picked off, E (2) -- .278

Pucetas 5 2/3 IP, 2 H, 5 BB, 3 K -- W, 3-0, 1.57 ERA
Teaford 1 1/3 IP, 3 K -- 3.18 ERA
Chavez 2 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 3 K, WP -- SV, 4, 0.57 ERA

* Three pitchers combined to stifle the RedHawks on Saturday. Kevin Pucetas had a shutout start despite walking more than he struck out. He stranded 2 in the 1st and Omaha grabbed control in the 2nd as Lance Zawadzki ripped a 2-run homer for his 2nd of the season. Pucetas left the bases full in the 3rd and Mike Moustakas was thrown out at the plate to end the Omaha 3rd. Pucetas was pulled with 2 out and 2 on in the 6th and Everett Teaford left the runners in scoring position. Moustakas went deep in the 7th for his 5th homer of the season to make it 3-0 Chasers. Jesse Chavez gave up back-to-back doubles in the 8th but worked around a walk in the 9th to lock in his 4th save. Omaha is 17-12. Game 3 is Sunday. Danny Duffy (2-0, 2.08) will start.

AA - NW Arkansas: Tulsa 15, Naturals 3

3B Mertins 2-3, BB, 2B (2), RBI (6), K -- .254
DH T. Smith 2-4, K, RS -- .242
RF Van Stratten 0-4, RBI (9), 2 K -- .210
SS Colon 1-4, K -- .261
CF Myers 1-2, 2 BB, K, RS -- .279
2B Bianchi 1-4, RS -- .247

Osuna 3 IP, 6 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 3 K, HRA -- L, 3-1, 6.75 ERA
Mozingo 3 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, K -- 12.86 ERA
Sisk 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 2 BB -- 7.59 ERA
Paulino 2 2/3 IP, ER, H, 3 BB, 2 K, 2 WP -- 4.32 ERA, not the best night for NWA pitching

* Tulsa made no doubt of who the best team in the TL North is Saturday as they ratcheted up the offense for a 15-3 shellacking. They wasted little time, as they scored 2 in the 1st, then got a 3-run homer in the 2nd, and plated another run in the 3rd to make it 6-0 off Edgar Osuna. Harold Mozingo was greeted with a 4-run Driller 4th. Meanwhile, the Naturals stranded 2 in the 4th and 2 in the 6th. Brandon Sisk gave up 4 more runs in the 7th and the NWA offense woke up too late. Kurt Mertins doubled in a run and Nick Van Stratten scored a run on a groundout in the 7th. Tulsa added an overkill run in the 8th and Tim Smith singled in a run in the 8th, but that was it. Tulsa SP Juan Nicasio allowed 2 ER over 7 IP to move to 5-1 with a 2.02 ERA. Seven Drillers had at least 2 hits as C Wilin Rosario had 4 hits, including 2 doubles, and CF Tim Wheeler drove in 4 runs (29). NW Arkansas is 12-13. Game 2 is Sunday as Chris Dwyer (1-3, 5.25) starts.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Frederick 3, Blue Rocks 1

2B Merrifield 2-4, 2 2B (10), RS -- .320, 2B? OK.
SS Navarro 0-3, BB, RBI (14), K, E (4) -- .363
LF Testa 1-3, BB -- .256
RF Francis 0-4, K -- .252

Melville 6 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 7 K, HRA, 2 WP -- L, 2-4, 5.17 ERA, with normal run support that's an acceptable start
Herrera 2 IP, H, 2 K -- 0.61 ERA

* The Rocks scored first but the Keys took it from there for another victory. Whit Merrifield led off the game with a double and a Rey Navarro forceout brought him home to make it 1-0 Blue Rocks. Tim Melville stranded 2 in the 1st and the Rocks did the same in the 3rd. Joey Lewis was thrown out at the plate to end the Wilmington 4th and Frederick tied the game on a run-scoring wild pitch in the 5th. A 2-run homer broke it open off Melville in the 6th. The Rocks wouldn't have another hit. SS Mike Rooney and 1B Tyler Townsend had 2 hits for the Keys as Townsend cracked his 6th homer with 2 RBI (23). He's hitting .350. The Rocks are 16-12. The series wraps Sunday afternoon as Justin Marks and Tyler Sample will piggyback the game.

A - Kane County: Peoria 6, Cougars 1

DH Fletcher 1-4, RBI (15), picked off -- .314
CF Llanos 1-4, 2B (9), RS, OF assist at second -- .265
SS Hall 1-3, S -- .322
3B Stovall 1-4, K, E (6) -- .329

Penny 5 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 6 H, 2 BB, 2 K, pickoff -- L, 0-2, 3.60 ERA
Wooley 2 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, K, 2 WP -- 5.71 ERA
Boruff IP, nothing -- 2.25 ERA

* Kane County's offensive struggles continued in Saturday's opener with the Chiefs. It didn't look to be that way in the 1st as Alex Llanos led off the game with a double (heard this before? see Wilmington report) and was singled in by Brian Fletcher. Robert Penny was coming off a solid first 2011 start, but had a rough 1st as the Chiefs scored 3 runs on 4 hits and a Geulin Beltre throwing error. KC stranded 2 in the 3rd and Peoria added a run off a settled-down Penny in the 4th. Another Cougar error helped the Chiefs plate a run off Nick Wooley in the 6th and another insurance run was added in the 7th. The Cougars drew 3 walks to load the bases to start the 9th but a popout and DP killed the rally in its infancy. 1B Richard Jones had 2 hits for the Chiefs while Cubs CF prospect Matt Szczur was 1-4 to drop to .311. KC is 9-21. The teams play game 2 Sunday afternoon as Greg Billo (0-0, 1.77) starts.