A 5-3 day for the affiliates with outstanding starts at Triple-A and Double-A.
HR Roll Call Alfredo Escalera (4), Xavier Fernandez (7), Marten Gasparini (7), Tanner Stanley (2), Emmanuel Rivera (2), Seuly Matias (6), Dusty Coleman (3)
BP KC Hitter of the Day – Seuly Matias 2-4 2 R, HR, 3b, 3 RBI
BP KC Pitcher of the Day – Nick Tepesch 6 IP 0 H 1 R 1 ER 1 BB 5 K 2 WP 8-4 GO-FO 75p/46k
Royals Transactions
Glenn Sparkman assigned to Lexington Legends on a rehab assignment.
Andy Ferguson assigned to Wilmington Blue Rocks on rehab assignment.
Omaha Storm Chasers 6 Nashville Sounds 4
The Chasers blew a 3-0 lead before taking the lead back and winning the game in the ninth Saturday. The middle of the Chasers order couldn’t do much lifting on this night but luckily for Omaha the rest of the order picked them up. New starter Nick Tepesch didn’t give up a hit in his first Omaha start, going six innings with just a walk allowed that came around after a pair of wild pitches put him at third where he would score from on a one out groundout. The Chasers would push their lead to 4-1 in the seventh inning but a pair of unearned runs would score in the bottom half before the Sounds scored a run in the eighth off Brooks Pounders. The Chasers would bounce back scoring a pair in the ninth with an error on a Raul Mondesi single before Hunter Dozier walked to bring in a run with the bases loaded, giving the insurance runs needed to finish it off.
Reymond Fuentes 1-2 R, 3b, RBI, 3 BB
Raul Mondesi 3-5 2 R, 3b, 2 SB (23)
Hunter Dozier 0-3 RBI, 2 BB – played a complete game at 1b for first time
Springfield Cardinals 3 NW Arkansas Naturals 1 F/10
The Naturals lost a real pitching duel with the Cardinals when the bullpen gave up three runs late. Starter Eric Skoglund worked the edges beautifully with his 90-92 mph fastball throughout the contest before adding the secondary stuff late. The lefty allowed just one hit on the night, striking out four against three walks before turning things over to the bullpen. Unfortunately for Skoglund that bullpen couldn’t lock down a 1-0 lead that had been provided in the second inning on Alfredo Escalera’s first home run at Double-A. Much of that reason that lead was just 1-0 was due to the fact that big time Cardinals prospect Luke Weaver was dealing, striking out five in seven innings while allowing just three hits. Lefty Matt Strahm came on in the seventh and promptly allowed a run when a pitch bounced off Zane Evans glove to allow a run in via a passed ball. Besides that run Strahm was extremely strong, working in the 93-96 mph range with an upper 70’s curveball, striking out five. The game remained tied until the tenth inning when a Paul DeJong bomb off Reid Redman quickly untied it. The Cardinals prospect had flirted with home runs for much of the night, hitting a pair of balls deep but to the left of the foul pole off the previous two Naturals pitchers during the game but straightened this one out to left-center to take a 2-1 lead. The Cardinals would tack on another run in the inning before the Naturals were finished off without a rally in their half of the tenth.
Alfredo Escalera 2-4 HR, RBI
Eric Skoglund 6 IP 1 H 0 R 3 BB 4 K 8-5 GO-FO 92p/60k
Matt Strahm 2 IP 2 H 1 R 0 ER 2 BB 5 K 43/28k
Myrtle Beach Pelicans 9 Wilmington Blue Rocks 0
A less than inspiring night by Andy Ferguson and the Rocks defense during their blowout loss to Myrtle Beach. The righty who finished last season with Omaha gave up one home run and three runs total over two and two-third innings in his first start with a full season club. Hitting the zone with 50 of 79 pitches despite three walks Ferguson put away four hitters via strikeout while on the hill. The offense didn’t muster up much resistance for their part knocking out just six hits, going 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position in the process.
Andy Ferguson 2.2 IP 3 H 3 ER 3 BB 4 K 6-0 GO-FO 79p/50k
Brandon Downes 1-3 BB, SB (13)
Austin Bailey 1-4 2b
Lexington Legends 8 Columbia Fireflies 2
The Legends bats slugged their way to a convincing win over the Columbia Fireflies, the Low-A affiliate of the Mets on Saturday. Lexington bunched up 14 hits with three leaving the yard in backing starter Scott Blewett. The excitement got started in the first with a four run frame that featured the seventh home run of the season by Xavier Fernandez, scoring Chase Vallot in the process. The Legends plated a run in the second with a sac fly and another in the third on Tanner Stanley’s first home run since joining the Legends. The win was easy coming with Blewett and the bullpen limiting the Fireflies to just two runs on just five hits. It was a good day at the plate collecting two hits including a double for Chase Vallot after struggling some after coming back from injury.
Scott Blewett 5 IP 5 H 2 ER 2 BB 2 K 8-2 77p/48k
Chaser Vallot 2-3 2R, 2b, RBI
Ben Johnson 3-4 2b, RBI
Idaho Falls Chukars 9 Helena Brewers 2
A pair of four run innings paced the Chukars to a easy 9-2 win. Eight singles during the 5th and 6th innings helped the Chukars plate those eight runs with a pair of errors by the Brewers contributing to both innings. Every Chukars hitter reached base at least once with five of those hitters contributing multiple hit games including Manny Olloque who had a pair of hits and three runs batted in. On the pitching side, starter Arnaldo Hernandez danced around seven hits and a pair of walks over 5.2 innings to improve his record to 4-0 while striking out a season high seven. The win kept Idaho Falls in a first place tie with Orem.
Manny Olloque 2-5 R, 2b, 3 RBI
Mark Sanchez 3-4 2R, 2b, RBI
Arnaldo Hernandez 5.2 IP 7 H 1 ER 2 BB 7 K 5-2 GO-FO 97p/60k
Bluefield Blue Jays 5 Burlington Royals 3
The Blue Jays walked off on the Royals with a ground-rule double that plated a pair. Starter Cristian Castillo gave the Royals a quality start, working six innings of three run ball with eight strikeouts but a two run sixth that featured four consecutive hits to start the innings placed him in a spot to take the loss before leaving. Third baseman homered in the eighth inning to knot the game up at three apiece prior to the game ending double.
Cristian Castillo 6 IP 7 H 3 ER 1 BB 8 K 5-2 GO-FO
Vance Vizcaino 2-4 RBI, SB (7)
Emmanuel Rivera 2-3 HR, 3b, BB
AZL Royals 8 AZL Padres 5
The AZL Royals rebounded for a big sixth inning to earn a win over the Padres. A pair of home runs were part of that sixth inning as Dusty Coleman lead off the frame with a home run prior to Seuly Matias going deep for a two run job. The Royals weren’t done there however as they piled on three more runs courtesy of five more hits including a run scoring double by Jose Marquez. That two run home run wasn’t Matias only big knock on the night as the 17 year old power hitting international signee also tripled in a run and scored in the 2nd inning. Draftee Dillon Drabble improved his record to 3-0 with 5.1 innings of relief work that featured three strikeouts versus zero walks before turning things over to a bullpen that included Gustavo Tejeda who earned his first save.
Khalil Lee 0-2 2R, 2BB
Dillon Drabble 5.1 IP 6 H 2 R 1 ER 0 BB 3 K 9-2 GO-FO
Gustavo Tejeda 1.2 IP 0 H 0 R 0 BB 3 K 1-1 GO-FO
DSL Royals 2 DSL Red Sox1 1
The Royals got back on their winning ways Saturday, defeating the first placed Red Sox1 to pull back within a game of first place. Two late inning runs overcame a first inning unearned run with yet another outstanding Royals pitching effort. Andres Sotillet combined with relievers Luis Alcantara and Jose De La Cruz to allow just four hits while striking out eight against no walks. An Esteury Ruiz sacrifice fly tied the game in the eighth before Jose Caraballo walking in the ninth, stole second and came around on a Rafael Romero single. The win pushed the Royals squad to 17-4 during road games.
Jose De La Cruz 2 IP 0 H 0 R 0 BB 2 K 3-1 GO-FO
Jose Caraballo 2-3 R, BB, SB (1)
Esteury Ruiz 1-3 RBI, CS (5)