Relief pitchers Brian Duensing and David Huff have asked the Royals for their release from the Omaha roster as noted by Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com.
Sunday was a 2-2 day for the organization with a big comeback win at Low-A while the High-A club just fell short.
HR Roll Call Hunter Dozier (9), Whit Merrifield (4), Jose Martinez (3), Ryan O’Hearn (9), Wander Franco (2)
BP KC Hitter of the Day – Wander Franco 3-4 HR, 3 RBI, BB
BP KC Pitcher of the Day – Mike Minor 5 IP 4 H 2 R 1 ER 1 BB 8 K 4-3 GO-FO 72p/49k
Omaha Storm Chasers 4 Tacoma Rainiers 2
The Chasers used the longball to win their fourth game in five tries Sunday. Solo home runs from Jose Martinez, Whit Merrifield and Hunter Dozier accounted for three of Omaha’s four runs while pitchers Brooks Pounders, Mark Peterson and Andrew Edwards limited the Raniers to just two runs. Pounders gave the Chasers his second quality start of the season, allowing just three singles and a walk in his six innings while striking out just three hitters. He would miss out on a win when Tacoma scored a run off Peterson in the 7th inning but the lead would return to the Chasersfor good thanks to late inning home runs by Whit and Dozier in the 8th and 9th inning.
Hunter Dozier 1-4 HR #9
Whit Merrifield 1-3 HR, BB
Brooks Pounders 6 IP 3 H 1 ER 1 BB 3 K 7-6 GO-FO
Springfield Cardinals 5 NW Arkansas Naturals 2
In his second rehab start with Double-A Northwest Arkansas, lefty Mike Minor was extremely efficient while working 5 innings on just 72 pitches. Using a pair of strikeouts in the 1st to get out of a two on and one out jam, he found himself in a groove to get out nine straight Cardinals hitters out from the 1st until the 4th. A misplay by Logan Moon on a single that was scored a double also advanced the hitter to third on Moon’s bobble and poor throw. A pop to right with a good throw to Moon would put the runner in a pickle, but Cam Gallagher’s errant throw over the head of Mauricio Ramos allowed the Cardinals to even the score at one. The pitcher’s lone mistake came in the fifth on a fastball that Chris Jacobs ambushed and blasted over the left-field wall. The game was knotted at two apiece until the 8th inning when a line of three straight singles followed a walk to hot hitting Harrison Bader before a sacrifice fly gave the St. Louis farm club a 4-2 lead via Pedro Fernandez’s Double-A debut. Another single ran the score to 5-2 Springfield and a two on no one out jam in the 9th by the Naturals was turned away with no damage done to give the Cardinals the 3-1 series win.
Ryan O’Hearn 1-5 HR #9
Frank Schwindel 1-4, robbed of a home run by Tommy Pham
Cam Gallagher 2-4 2b, RBI
Salem Red Sox 10 Wilmington Blue Rocks 9
The Red Sox saw plenty of pitches from Rocks starter Josh Staumont in the third game of their four game series. All told, the righty tossed 69 pitches in just one and two-thirds innings while walking a career high seven hitters. The seven walks combined with a pair of doubles and a single to plate seven Red Sox runs in his time on the hill, putting the Rocks in a 7-0 hole after just 2 innings. Despite the deficit, the Rocks would make the game interesting with a run in the 4th and four runs in the 5th; the big knock being a Brandon Downes bases clearing double. The Red Sox would tack on insurance runs in the 6th, 7th and 8th before an inspired 9th inning rally by the Blue Rocks came up a run short. That final inning rally featured Wander Franco’s second home run of the year, a two run blast that completed a three for four day that got his average over the Mendoza line for the first time this season. The Rocks outhit the Red Sox in the game while completing a series that saw their offense score 28 runs despite dropping two of three games.
Elier Hernandez 2-5 2-2b, RBI
Humberto Arteaga 2-5 2b, 3R, RBI
Brandon Downes 1-4 2b, R, 4 RBI
Lexington Legends 8 Charleston RiverDogs 7
The Legends had plenty of trouble making contact against Yankees pitching prospect Yefrey Ramirez Sunday as the righty put away nine Legends hitters in his five innings. The bats were pretty silent in those innings collecting just three hits and a run in his time on the hill. Unfortunately the RiverDogs didn’t have much trouble making contact off Royals lefty Emilio Ogando once he got through the lineup one time through. From there, the Yankees farm club scored seven times between the 3rd and 4th innings, thanks in part to a Chris Gittens three run blast. The home run was the third for Gittens in the four game series between the two teams after hitting just two in his previous 27 games played. The Legends were patient, waiting for Ramirez to leave and mount their comeback, scoring a pair of runs in the 7th on a Amalani Fukofuka single to close the deficit to four runs. After a scoreless 8th, the Legends loaded the bases quickly in the ninth with a Cody Jones single and a pair of walks to DJ Burt and Marten Gasparini. Despite a pitching change, Samir Duenez would drive in a pair to draw within 7-5. After a pair of outs a walk to Travis Maezes once again loaded the bases, the Legends had life. That opportunity was quickly cashed in on a wild pitch to draw within one, pushing the lead and eventual winning run into scoring position. With two outs catcher Xavier Fernandez would bring in the two runners with single to right to complete the five run walkoff comeback.
Amalani Fukofuks 2-5 2 RBI
Ben Johnson 2-5 2b, RBI
Marten Gasparini 2-3 3R, 2BB