Royals on the Farm 6/6

Bubba Starling it is....for the Royals in round 1 of the draft. I would have rather had UCLA pitchers Gerrit Cole or Trevor Bauer, but they were both gone and Starling was the best position player available. Plus he's local, which is a good move. Now let's get him signed away from playing football at Nebraska.

AAA - Omaha: Storm Chasers 3, Iowa 1

CF Dyson 3-4, BB, RS, SB (11), E -- .306
2B Giavotella 2-5, 2B (16), K, RS -- .306
LF Lough 1-5, 2 RBI (28) -- .314
DH Ka'aihue 1-3, BB, HR (2), RBI (19), K, RS -- .295, rediscovering the power?
3B Moustakas 1-5, 2B (14) -- .283
1B C. Robinson 1-4 -- .351
RF Cain 1-4 -- .288
Omaha stranded 10.

Mendoza 7 IP, ER, 5 H, BB, 3 K -- W, 3-3, 3.67 ERA, nice spot start
Jeffress 2 IP, H, 3 K -- SV, 1, 4.09 ERA

* Omaha posted 2 early runs and rode spot starter Luis Mendoza to the victory over the I-Cubs. David Lough hit a 2-run single in the 1st and Omaha had the lead before making an out. The Chasers stranded 2 in each of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Mendoza took a 3-hit shutout into the 7th but two doubles spoiled that to cut the lead to 1. Kila Ka'aihue got the run back with a leadoff homer in the 8th for his 2nd at AAA this season. Jeremy Jeffress worked 2 solid innings to pick up his 1st AAA save of 2011. DH Bobby Scales had 2 hits for Iowa. Omaha is 32-26. They go for a series split Tuesday with Kevin Pucetas starting. Vin Mazzaro will have a chance to redeem himself as he steps into the vacated KC rotation slot Tuesday.

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 4, Midland 3 (11)

RF Myers 2-5, RBI (11), 2 K, CS (2) -- .301
SS Colon 2-4, BB, K, 2 RS -- .247
DH T. Smith 1-5, GW RBI (21), K -- .263
CF D. Robinson 0-5, 2 K -- .267
2B Bianchi 1-4, 2B (11) -- .253

W. Smith 6 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 4 BB, 6 K, WP -- 4.58 ERA
Baez 4 IP, ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 2 K, HRA -- 11.25 ERA
Keating IP, K -- W, 2-2, 4.21 ERA

* Just as it looked like the Nats were gonna steal the win late, Midland got it tied in the 9th, but couldn't overcome the Naturals in the 11th. The teams took turns stranding runners until the 5th, when Midland scored 2 on 3 hits off Will Smith. Manauris Baez stranded the bases full in the 8th and the Naturals loaded the bases with 2 out in the 8th. A wild pitch and throwing error combined to bring the first 2 NWA runs home, and Wil Myers hit a clutch RBI single to give the Naturals the lead. The lead lasted 1 batter as C Petey Paramore hit his 3rd homer to tie the game to lead off the 9th off Baez. Baez stranded 2 in the 10th. Christian Colon led off the 11th with a single, advanced on a wild pitch, and Tim Smith hit a 1-out walkoff single to end it. NWA is 26-25. They have Tuesday off.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Kinston 11, Blue Rocks 1

CF Prades 2-4, K -- .264
LF Merrifield 0-3, BB -- .264, can't buy a hit all of a sudden
2B Navarro 0-4, 3 K -- .297

Sample 4 1/3 IP, 8 R (7 ER), 9 H, 2 BB, 3 K, WP -- L, 3-4, 3.73 ERA
Gibson 1 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 2 K -- 5.40 ERA
Dennick 2 1/3 IP, ER, 2 H, K -- 2.41 ERA
Paukovits IP, nothing -- 2.73 ERA

* Kinston rolled over Tyler Sample and the Rocks on Monday. The Tribe scored a run on a Sample throwing error in the 1st, then scored 4 in the 2nd on four hits, including three doubles. Kinston kept it going with a run in the 4th and 3 in the 5th after Glenn Gibson took over for Sample. A wild pitch scored Wilmington's only run in the 5th. The Tribe got it back with interest in the 6th and 7th. The Rocks didn't threaten again. Every Tribe starter had a hit, led by 4 hits from 1B Chase Burnette and 3 hits from LF Delvi Cid. Burnette drove in 4 runs (21). C Roberto Perez also had 3 hits. The Rocks are 29-27 and have lost 5 straight. Game 2 is Tuesday with Jake Odorizzi and Mike Mariot tagteaming it. RP Dusty Odenbach got moved up from Kane County and, I believe, made his Wilmington debut Sunday, as I failed to note it.

A - Kane County: off day

* The Cougars start a 3-game home set with the Bowling Green Hot Rods (31-27, A Rays) on Tuesday. Yordano Ventura (0-1, 7.04) starts game 1.