Royals on the Farm 7/20 -- Mendoza's no-hitter vanishes again

Yes, today the Pacific Coast League officially stripped Luis Mendoza of his Monday no-hitter, so they have ruled the 9th inning error to actually be a hit. Ah, the twists and turns of life in the minors. KC made a trade today in flipping Wilson Betemit to division rival Detroit for two single A prospects -- lefty Antonio Cruz, 19, who was in the MWL (2-6, 3.11 in 22 games) and will join Kane County; and C Julio Rodriguez, 21, who was hitting .283 in the Advanced-A Florida State League and was on the FSL all-star team this season. He had 1 HR and 27 RBI in 66 games and will play for the Blue Rocks in Wilmington. Mike Aviles got shuttled back to KC to take Betemit's roster slot. Now how about we get one of our top 5 picks signed? Hmmm?

AAA - Omaha: Memphis 6, Storm Chasers 5 (14/Tue.)

C Pina 3-5, S, HR (5), RBI (14), 2 RS -- .237
2B Giavotella 3-7, RBI (65), 2 K -- .337
DH Ka'aihue 2-6, RBI (44), 2 K -- .288
3B Zawadzki 2-6, 3B (4), K, RS -- .245
RF Dyson 1-7, RBI (8), 3 K, SB (24) -- .274
LF Lough 0-4, BB, S, K, RS -- .310
1B Robinson 0-5, BB, 3 K -- .319
CF Cain 0-5, BB, 2 K, RS -- .319

Mazzaro 6 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 7 K, HRA, WP -- 4.70 ERA
Tejeda 2/3 IP, ER, H, BB -- 3.55 ERA
Sisk 2/3 IP, ER, H -- 2.19 ERA
Chavez 2 IP, 2 H, BB, K -- BS, 5, 3.56 ERA
M. Santiago 3 1/3 IP, ER, 2 H, 5 BB, 4 K -- L, 2-3, 5.56 ERA

* Tuesday night's marathon turned into one because the Chasers couldn't hold a late lead, then became a Memphis win in the 14th. Lance Zawadzki tripled and scored on a Johnny Giavotella RBI single in the 3rd, then a wild pitch and Jarrod Dyson RBI single in the 5th made it 3-0 in support of Vin Mazzaro. Manny Pina led off the 7th with his 5th homer of the season and Mazzaro held strong into the 7th. He stepped on a figurative landmine as Mike Jirschele left him in 1 pitch too long and a 3-run homer cut it to 4-3. Kila Ka'aihue got 1 run back with an RBI single in the 8th but Robinson Tejeda allowed a run in the 8th to cut it back to 5-4. Brandon Sisk allowed a leadoff double in the 9th and was pulled for Jesse Chavez, who allowed the game-tying sac fly. Omaha's next chance came in the 13th when the Chasers stranded 2. They did that again in the 14th and their luck ran out in the bottom of the inning as Mario Santiago walked 2 (one intentionally) and allowed a walkoff single.

Memphis 6, Storm Chasers 4 (Wed.)

2B Giavotella 3-5, 2 RS -- .340
LF Lough 2-5, K, RS -- .311
CF Dyson 2-4, 2 SB (26) -- .280
RF Cain 1-4, BB, 2 RBI (49), 2 K -- .318
SS Zawadzki 1-4, HR (6), RBI (33), K, RS -- .245
DH Robinson 1-4, K -- .318
1B Ka'aihue 0-3, BB -- .284

Montgomery 5 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 2 K, HRA -- L, 3-6, 5.33 ERA
Pucetas 3 IP, ER, 3 H, 4 K, WP -- 5.70 ERA

* A late Omaha surge came up short Wednesday. Mike Montgomery started his night by walking the leadoff guy in the 1st, then serving up a 2-run homer to SS Tyler Greene. Johnny Giavotella singled and scored on a wild pitch in the 3rd but Greene struck again to double in a run in the 3rd to make it 3-1. Montgomery was pulled with 2 on and 0 out in the 6th and Kevin Pucetas allowed 3 runs to come home before escaping the jam. Lance Zawadzki clubbed his 6th homer for a solo shot in the 7th and Lorenzo Cain hit a 2-run single in the 8th, but Omaha would strand 2 in both the 8th and 9th. Omaha is 53-45. The series ends Thursday as Sean O'Sullivan starts. P Everett Teaford was shuttled back to Omaha.

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 4, Arkansas 3

1B Romak 2-5, picked off -- .258
2B Bianchi 2-4, 2 K, RS, SB (11) -- .272
3B Navarro 2-3, S, RBI (7) -- .288
SS Colon 1-5, RBI (47) -- .254
C S. Perez 1-3, BB, 2B (14), RBI (28), RS, E (9) -- .267
RF Orlando 1-4, 2B, RBI (2), RS -- .154
CF Myers 0-3, 2 BB, K, E (4) -- .264

Jeffress 4 IP, ER, 6 H, 3 BB, K -- 2.25 ERA
Lebron 4 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 6 H, 4 K -- W, 2-1, 3.92 ERA
Chapman IP, K -- SV, 2, 3.05 ERA

* Christian Colon came up with a key hit in the 9th to help the Nats to the win. Arkansas plated a run in the 1st off Jeremy Jeffress but Jeffress, while never coasting, didn't allow any more damage over his 4 innings of work. NWA took the lead in the 4th as Rey Navarro singled in a run and Paulo Orlando hit an RBI forceout. Willy Lebron allowed the tying run in the 5th but Salvador Perez hit an RBI double in the 6th. Arkansas tied it again in the 6th. Orlando led off the NWA 9th with a double, advanced on a Derrick Robinson bunt, then scored on a Colon single. Kevin Chapman then pitched a perfect 9th for his 2nd save. NW Arkansas is 12-13. The series ends Thursday with Chris Dwyer starting.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Blue Rocks 6, Myrtle Beach 3

DH Van Stratten 3-5, RBI (7) -- .313
LF Merrifield 2-4, S, HR (4), RBI (30), 2 RS, CS (9) -- .263
SS Hall 2-4, 2 RBI (5), RS, SB (3) -- .230
1B Stovall 2-5, 2B (8), RBI (6), K, RS, SB -- .239
2B Mertins 2-5, 2B (2), RS -- .259
RF Testa 2-5, K -- .258

Mariot 7 IP, 3 R (1 ER), 9 H, BB, 3 K -- W, 6-2, 3.03 ERA
Dennick 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K -- SV, 4, 3.51 ERA

* The Rocks turned it on late to pull away from the Pelicans. Ryan Stovall hit an RBI groundout in the 1st and Myrtle Beach responded with 2 runs in the bottom of the inning off Mike Mariot. Whit Merrifield tied it with a 5th inning homer for his 4th of the season but the Pelicans snatched the lead back in the inning. Stovall singled and scored on a wild pitch to tie it in the 6th, and Nick Van Stratten hit the go-ahead single in the 7th. Gerard Hall singled in 2 runs in the 8th and Ryan Dennick finished the last 2 innings for his 4th save. Wilmington is 10-15. The series ends Thursday. Noel Arguelles will start.

A - Kane County: the game is tied at 6 in the 14th

* More to come tomorrow. The Cougs blew a 3-run lead in the 9th in this one.

Rookie - Idaho Falls: Chukars 10, Missoula 1 (Tue.)

CF Chism 2-4, BB, HR (4), 2 RBI (17), K, 2 RS -- .288
RF Davis 2-3, BB, 2B (8), 2 RBI (15), RS, SB (4) -- .365
1B Espy 2-3, BB, 2B (10), RBI (17), 2 RS -- .327
DH Elder 1-3, BB, 2 RBI (3), RS -- .375

Peacock 6 2/3 IP, ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 7 K -- W, 1-3, 4.41 ERA
Cuevas 1 1/3 IP, H, BB, K -- 3.86 ERA
Fassold IP, 2 K -- 0.00 ERA

* Brian Peacock put together a quality start and the offense gave him plenty of fuel on Tuesday. Chris Elder broke the ice with an RBI single in the 2nd and Richard Espy doubled in a run in the 3rd. Peacock picked up steam as he struck out the side in the 4th and took a no-hitter into the 5th. IF added 3 in the 4th on a run-scoring error and a 2-run homer by Tyler Chism for his 4th of his career. A passed ball and 2-run Runey Davis double in the 5th stretched the lead to 8-0. Peacock finally surrendered a run in the 7th and was pulled with 2 on and 2 out. The Chukars doubled that up in the 7th as a 2-run error made it 10-1. Gary Cuevas and Cody Fassold mopped it up from there. The Chukars are 12-17. They have today off.

Rookie - Burlington: Bluefield 16, B-Royals 5

CF Adams 2-4, BB, RS -- .282
2B Rodriguez 2-4, K -- .288
LF Conner 2-4, 2 K, RS -- .303
3B Bringas 1-4, BB, HR (4), 3 RBI (11), RS -- .221
1B Watts 1-3, 2 BB, RBI (28), 2 K, RS -- .290
C Shin 1-4, SF, RBI (4), PB (3) -- .224
The Royals stranded 11.

A. Baez IP, 7 R (6 ER), 3 H, 3 BB, WP -- L, 0-3, 7.94 ERA
C. Hall 3 1/3 IP, 8 ER, 7 H, BB, 2 K, 3 HRA, WP -- 13.91 ERA
A. Gonzalez 2/3 IP, ER, 4 H, 2 K -- 13.50 ERA
Pizziconi 3 IP, H, BB, 2 K, WP -- 7.88 ERA

* Bluefield routed the Royals on Wednesday. The Jays started it with 4 in the 1st off Angel Baez, then added 6 in the 2nd off Baez and Cory Hall. Murray Watts was thrown out at home to end the Burlington 2nd and a 2-run homer in the 3rd made it 12-0 Jays. The Royals left 'em loaded in the 5th and the Jays poured it on with 4 that inning. The Royals got on the board in the 7th with a bases-loaded Watts walk, Jin-Ho Shin sac fly and 3-run Adrian Bringas homer for his 4th of the season. The Royals stranded the bases full again in the 9th. The B-Royals are 11-18. A 3-game set at the Danville Braves (14-15) starts Thursday.

Rookie - AZL: Brewers 7, Royals 3 (Tue.)

3B Morales 4-4, 2B, 2 RS -- .308
1B Gaylord 1-4, RBI (11), CS -- .213
LF Blanco 1-3, SF, RBI (11) -- .286
SS DelGuidice 0-4 -- .430
RF Anthony Howard and CF D'Andre Toney had assists at third.

Ogando 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, K -- L, 0-2, 14.25 ERA
Edelen 3 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 4 K -- 9.28 ERA
J. Soto 2 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 2 BB -- 9.82 ERA
Bangs 2 IP, BB, 2 K -- 6.19 ERA

* The Brewers scored 5 early runs and held the Royals at arm's length from there. Cesar Ogando didn't survive the 1st as he got pummeled for 3 hits, 3 walks and 3 runs, and Brian Edelen came in and ended up stranding the bases full. An error scored the first Royals run in the 2nd but the Brewers scored 2 in the 2nd before stranding the bases full again. Brian Gaylord singled in a run in the 3rd and a Jerico Blanco sac fly in the 6th pared it to 5-3. The Brewers got 2 runs back off Jorge Soto in the 6th and a bases-loaded double play ended the Royals' last best chance in the 9th. The Royals are 8-15. They play the Mariners tonight.