Royals on the Farm 5/28 -- our first acid-out

AAA - Omaha: Acid-out

*** This is a new one, and no, it's not the LSD kind of acid. Ha ha. A hydrochloric acid spill in the area forced suspension of Wednesday's game versus Oklahoma with the RedHawks leading, 2-1, after 4 innings. The ballpark and surrounding area were evacuated. The game was supposed to resume at 4:30 p.m. today but the team site shows today's game as suspended too, so we'll see. The plans are to play out the rest of the 9-inning game from last night and then throw in a 7-inning game for the regular Thursday game. Probable starters for that one are RedHawks RH Robinson Tejeda (1-1, 2.18) vs. Omaha LH Tyler Lumsden (2-5, 6.41). LH John Foster has joined the Royals from extended ST.

AA - NW Arkansas: Naturals 11, Midland 6

DH Richardson 3-4, HBP, 2 RBI (28), K, RS, picked off -- .313
CF Duarte 3-6, 2 RBI (23), 3 K, 2 RS -- .266
1B Kaaihue 2-4, BB, 2 RBI (34), RS -- .275
SS Sanchez 2-3, 3 BB, RBI (16), RS -- .242
LF Suero 2-5, 2B (2), 3B (3), 2 RS -- .304
C Donachie 2-4, RBI (10), 2 K, RS -- .233
RF McFall 1-6, RBI (32), K, RS, OF assist at second -- .250
2B Maddox 0-3, BB, SF, RBI (7), K -- .231
* The Nats still stranded 10.

Pimentel 5 IP, 6 ER, 10 H, BB, K, HRA -- 5.76 ERA, something not right lately
D. Hughes 3 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K -- W, 5-2, 2.80 ERA
Atencio IP, H, 3 K -- 4.64 ERA

*** The Naturals were down, 6-1, but came back in a big way to take down the RockHounds. Juan Richardson hit a 2-out RBI single in the 1st and NWA led, 1-0, but stranded 2 in the inning. Julio Pimentel came on to start for the Naturals and got roughed up, as Midland scored 2 runs in the 1st on 4 hits but stranded 2. Pimentel served up a 3-run homer in the 2nd and it was 5-1 Midland. Two more hits off Pimentel in the 4th pushed in another run to make it 6-1. The NWA offense awoke in the 5th as Ovandy Suero led off with a double and scored on an Adam Donachie single, Angel Sanchez hit an RBI groundout and Kila Kaaihue singled in a run off Midland RP Pat Currin after starter Henry Rodriguez let loose of 7 total wild pitches in his 4 1/3 IP outing. The Naturals surged ahead with 3 runs in the 7th on a Brian McFall RBI single to chase Currin, a Kaaihue RBI groundout and a Richardson RBI single that made it 7-6 Naturals. NWA put it away in the 9th with a 4-run rally as the Nats loaded the bases with 0 outs and Marc Maddox hit a sac fly, a Midland throwing error scored a run, and Jose Duarte hit a 2-run single to make it 11-6. Greg Atencio stranded 1 in the 9th. Currin took the loss with 1 2/3 IP of 3 ER on 5 hits with 2 Ks to fall to 4-1 with a 5.40 ERA. Rodriguez went 4 1/3 IP and allowed 4 ER on 5 hits, 2 walks and 4 Ks to move his ERA to 8.80. LF Danny Putnam was 3-5 with his 1st homer and 3 RBI (5) along with 2 RS to move to .308. Four other 'Hounds had 2-hit games.

NWA is 28-23 and still 2 games up on first. The series continues tonight. Probable starters: Blake Wood makes his AA debut versus Midland ace Vincent Mazzaro (6-2, 2.26). An accompanying roster move for Wood's promotion has yet to be announced.

A-Adv. - Wilmington: Blue Rocks 8, Salem 4

2B Bianchi 1-5, HR (2), 3 RBI (15), K, RS -- .204
LF Bigler 3-4, 3B, RBI (5), 2 RS -- .198
CF D. Robinson 2-3, BB, SF, 3B (2), 2 RBI (14), 2 RS -- .270
3B J. Johnson 1-5, 2 RBI (15), 2 K, SB (5) -- .327
DH Dickerson 2-4, BB, RS -- .297
SS McConnell 0-3, 2 BB -- .249

Cegarra 6 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, BB, K, HRA -- W, 1-0, 4.50 ERA, got a W in his first A-Adv. start
Nicoll 1 2/3 IP, ER, H, 2 BB, 2 K -- 3.16 ERA
Chambliss 1 1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 K, WP -- SV, 8, 1.07 ERA, may be another closer in making....

*** The Rocks gave Ed Cegarra some run support for his 1st level win in his 1st level outing Wednesday. Jeff Bianchi came up with 2 on and 2 out in the 1st and cranked a 3-run homer to center for his 2nd of the season and Cegarra had a 3-0 lead before he took the mound. The Rocks stranded 2 in the 2nd and Cegarra gave up a leadoff homer in the 2nd to cut his lead to 3-1. He had his first rough inning in the 3rd when Salem scored 2 runs on 2 doubles, a walk and single but stranded 2. Derrick Robinson gave Cegarra back the lead with a sac fly in the 4th and the Rocks built on it in the 6th with an RBI triple by Brett Bigler and a Robinson RBI groundout to make it 6-3. Tyler Chambliss came on with 1 on and 2 out in the 8th and gave up 2 singles to score a run before stranding 2. The Rocks got some insurance with 2 runs in the 9th on a Josh Johnson 2-run single to make it 8-4. Chambliss stranded 1 in the 9th for his 8th save. Salem SP Joel Santo took the loss with 3 1/3 IP of 4 ER on 7 hits and 2 walks with a K to fall to 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA. Four Avalanche batters had 2-hit games, including LF James Van Ostrand, who was 2-3 with a walk, his 3rd homer and 2 RBI (32) along with 2 RS to move to .293.

Wilmington is 25-26 and 7 games out. The series wraps tonight. Probable starters: Rocks right-hander Mario Santiago (3-3, 4.14) vs. Salem right-hander Erick Abreu (3-1, 1.93).

A - Burlington: Bees 4, Quad Cities 1 (11)

SS Moustakas 2-5, HR (7), RBI (24), RS, CS (2), E (11) -- .254, hopefully backup plans are being formulated on D
2B Martin 2-4 -- .303
LF Lough 1-5, HR (4), 2 RBI (18), RS -- .256
1B C. Robinson 1-5, HR (6), RBI (11), K, RS -- .241, back from DL, nice to see
CF Ortiz 1-5, K, RS, E -- .304
3B Taylor 0-4, S, K, E (11) -- .215

Caldera 7 1/3 IP, UER, 2 H, BB, 8 K -- 2.52 ERA, great start with no run support
Chavez 2 2/3 IP, 2 K, WP -- W, 4-0, 2.11 ERA
Bradley IP, BB, K -- SV, 2, 1.52 ERA

*** The Bees' pitchers did a masterful job versus the Bandits and a power surge in the 11th got Burlington the opener. Clint Robinson announced his return from the DL with a 1-out solo homer in the 2nd for his 6th of the season and the Bees were up. Starter Alex Caldera took a no-hitter through 4 2/3 innings and neither team threatened again until the 8th. With 1 on and 0 outs in the Bandits 8th, C Ryan Eigsti made a throwing error that, combined with Adrian Ortiz's 1st error of the season on missing the ball on the throw while backing up second, allowed the tying run to score. A Jason Taylor error and walk brought Chris Chavez in with 1 out and the bases full but he wriggled out of the jam to preserve the tie. He left another runner at third in the 10th and, in the 11th, David Lough smoked a 2-run homer to right for his 4th of the season and Mike Moustakas made it back-to-back jacks with his 7th career longball to put the Bees up, 4-1. Tony Bradley stranded 1 in the 11th for his 2nd save. QC RP Dylan Gonzalez took the loss with 2 IP of 3 ER on 4 hits and a K to fall to 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA. Starter Brian Broderick went 4 IP and allowed an ER on a hit to move his ERA to 3.75. The Bandits only had 2 hits in the loss but 4 Burlington errors helped.

Burlington is 21-31. The series continues tonight. Starters are set as the Bees' Sam Runion (0-2, 3.86) and QC's Mark Diapoules (3-0, 2.08).