BPKC Hitter of the Day: Gabe Cancel 3-5, HR, 3 RBI

BPKC Pitcher of the Day: Franco Terrero 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 3-1 GO-FO, 32p/24k

Rome Braves 10, Lexington Legends 5

As the 2018 draft nears, the struggles of the 2015 draft class continue in Lexington with starter Nolan Watson giving up nine hits and five runs (1 ER) Tuesday night. The defense made things extremely difficult for Watson and reliever Holden Capps, committing four errors behind the pitchers to lead to nine unearned runs on the ten runs scored by the Braves in their two big innings. The Legends had opportunities but cashed in with just three hits in 11 chances, scoring five runs but stranding 10 baserunners on the night to see the end of their three game winning streak. Outfielder Seuly Matias struggled in his first game back from family leave, going 0 for 5 with five strikeouts.

Nick Pratto: 2-5, RBI, SB (6)
MJ Melendez: 2-4, BB
Cristian Perez: 2-4, R, 2b

Wilmington Blue Rocks 7, Potomac Nationals 4

It appeared as if a four-run inning was going to ruin an efficient start by Anthony Bender, but a late Wilmington rally shook things up in a comeback win. The hard-throwing right-hander gave up seven hits on the night, with four of those hits coming in the fourth inning to plate all four Nationals runs. A second inning two-run home run by Gabe Cancel and a single by Kort Peterson in the sixth inning that scored Emmanuel Rivera after his triple had Wilmington trailing 4-3 in the ninth. This is when an odd comeback would take place as the Rocks loaded the bases on a walk to Nick Heath and a pair of singles. Down to their final out, the Rocks would tie the game on a bases-loaded walk to Peterson. They took the lead when Chris DeVito was hit by a pitch and would score two more times on a wild pitch and a single by Cancel. Bryan Brickhouse held down that three run lead without allowing a threat in the ninth.

Bryan Brickhouse: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 28p/18k
Anthony Bender: 7 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2K, 10-6 GO-FO, 93p/56k
Khalil Lee: 1-5, R, 2K

NW Arkansas Naturals 5, Frisco RoughRiders 3

Trailing 3-1, NW Arkansas put together a comeback in the eighth to take a win over Frisco. After Scott Blewett allowed single runs in the second, third and fourth innings, Naturals reliever Franco Terrero came in to shut things down, working three scoreless frames with just one hit allowed. Trailing 3-1, the Naturals Corey Toups started the eighth with a double before Erick Mejia singled him in with one out to pull within a run. The next four hitters would reach base with Elier Hernandez doubling in Mejia and Anderson Miller driving in two runs with a single to put NW Arkansas up 5-3. Closer Jake Newberry worked a perfect ninth to secure his seventh save of the season.

Erick Mejia: 2-4, R, 2b, RBI
Nicky Lopez: 2-4, R
Anderson Miller: 2-4, 2 RBI

Omaha Storm Chasers 9, New Orleans Baby Cakes 2

The Chasers offense erupted to snap the five game home losing streak versus New Orleans on Tuesday night. All nine hitters had at least one hit, with Ryan O’Hearn leading the way with two runs scored and another driven in. Starter Heath Fillmyer navigated around three walks and four hits in seven innings, limiting the Baby Cakes to just one run thanks to a pair of double-play balls and a 0 for 9 effort by New Orleans with runners in scoring position.

Frank Schwindel: 2-4, R
Ryan O’Hearn: 2-4, 2R, RBI
Cam Gallagher: 3-4, R, RBI

Tuesday Boxscores

Wednesday Probables
Omaha – Scott Barlow 1-1, 3.60 ERA, 1.48 WHIP
NW Arkansas – Emilio Ogando 3-2, 4.98 ERA, 1.83 WHIP
Wilmington – Ofreidy Gomez 1-3, 4.80 ERA, 1.80 WHIP
Lexington – Carlos Hernandez 2-1, 2.19 ERA, 0.81 WHIP

BPKC Hitter of the Day Donnie Dewees 3-4 2R, 2b, 2 RBI

BPKC Pitcher of the Day Franco Terrero 2 IP 2 H 0 R 0 ER 1 BB 4 K 2-0 GO-FO 35p/20k

Delmarva Shorebirds 9 Lexington Legends 2

Another rough outing for Nolan Watson in this one as the former 1st round pick gave up nine runs on ten hits in five innings. The rough stuff started from the start of the game, allowing the first three hitters of the game to reach including a run-scoring double by T. J. Nichting that led to a two-run first inning. Two more in the second and five more in the fifth with three home runs surrendered for Watson to run his season ERA to 7.88. The offense struggled to get much going on their end getting a two-run home run by Brewer Hicklen but nothing else in the loss.

Brewer Hicklen 1-2 HR, 2 RBI, BB
Seuly Matias 0-3 BB, 2 K
Nick Pratto 1-3 BB, 2 K

Wilmington Blue Rocks 6 Carolina Mudcats 4

The Rocks took an early 3-0 lead in this one with rbi singles by Khalil Lee, Emmanuel Rivera and D.J. Burt in the first two innings. It was a battle for Gerson Garabito on his side with another three walk start from the right-hander but he escaped five innings with two runs allowed to leave with a lead in hand. Unfortunately, reliever Vance Tatum couldn’t lock things down, giving up a pair of runs on a two-out triple in the seventh. The Rocks quickly answered in the eighth with a rbi single by Kort Peterson before loading the bases with the help of an error and getting a bases-loaded walk to Chris DeVito to take the lead back. Reliever Bryan Brickhouse would enter in the eighth, working around a walk but getting the final six outs to earn his sixth save of the season.

Khalil Lee 2-4 2b, 2 RBI, BB
Emmanuel Rivera 1-5 R, RBI
Gerson Garabito 5 IP 8 H 2 R 2 ER 3 BB 6 K 3-2 GO-FO 97p/55k

NW Arkansas Naturals 7 Tulsa Drillers 3

The Naturals kept the hits coming on Friday night, finishing one shy of ten for just the second time in their last eight games but nine was enough on this night. The Drillers scored three unearned runs on a leadoff error and five hits off starter Zach Lovvorn in the first inning. In their half of the inning, the Naturals would quickly counter scoring a pair of runs with rbi singles by Erick Mejia and Nick Dini after the first four hitters in the inning all reached with singles. An inning later Mejia tripled in a pair and Nicky Lopez singled him in to give NW Arkansas a 5-3 lead. From there Lovvorn retired eleven of the final thirteen hitters he would face getting through six innings with just those three runs allowed in the first. The Naturals leadoff man Donnie Dewees having scored two runs earlier in the game drove in a pair in the bottom of the sixth to expand the lead and give more than enough room to hang onto the win.

Nicky Lopez 2-4 RBI
Erick Mejia 2-4 2R, 3b, 3 RBI
Jake Newberry 1 IP 0 H 0 R 0 BB 1K

Iowa Cubs 5 Omaha Storm Chasers 3

Omaha entered this game with the worst offense in the PCL in OPS and did very little to change that, getting shutout on just three hits through eight innings. This made Heath Fillmyer the likely loser after allowing four runs (3 ER) in six innings, giving up eight hits and three walks with a pair of two-run innings in the third and sixth innings. An insurance run in the ninth off Mike Broadway made it 5-0 heading into the last of the ninth for Omaha. Cubs reliever Dillon Maples quickly walked the bases loaded and walked in a run with one out to leave the Chasers an opportunity at a comeback. With a new reliever in the game, Paulo Orlando singled in a pair to get Omaha within a pair of runs but Humberto Arteaga would strikeout and Billy Burns would groundout to end the rally and the Chasers 1-7 homestand.

Ryan O’Hearn 1-3 R, BB
Hunter Dozier 0-2 R, 2BB
Richard Lovelady 2 IP 0 H 0 R 1 BB 1 K 0-5 GO-FO 30p/18k

Friday Boxscores

Saturday Probables
Omaha – Scott Barlow 1-0 1.08 ERA 1.20 WHIP
NW Arkansas – Scott Blewett 1-3 4.40 ERA 1.73 WHIP
Wilmington – Arnaldo Hernandez 4-0 2.61 ERA 1.48 WHIP
Lexington – Carlos Hernandez 0-1 11.57 ERA 2.57 WHIP

HR Roll Call: Mauricio Ramos (7), Zane Evans (3), Emmanuel Rivera (3)

BPKC Hitter of the Day: Mauricio Ramos 3-8, 2R, 2b, HR, 2 RBI

BPKC Pitcher of the Day: Geoffrey Bramblett 4.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 5-1 GO-FO, 72p/50k

Nashville Sounds 4, Omaha Storm Chasers 0

The Royals right-handed starter with wayward control continued his problems with the strikezone on Wednesday night.

Despite just two hits allowed, both doubles, Josh Staumont gave up three runs thanks to seven walks. In the first inning, a leadoff walk was cashed in with an RBI double by Matt Olson. The second inning featured four consecutive one-out walks that pushed the lead to 2-0. Finally, the fifth inning saw a leadoff double that was brought home with a pair of ground outs to push Nashville’s lead to 3-0.

The Chasers offense couldn’t strum a tune, going just 0-2 with runners in scoring position while connecting on six singles.

Boxscore Link

Raul Mondesi 1-4, SB (9)
Billy Burns 2-3, CS (6)
Josh Staumont 5 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 7 BB, 6 K, 4-1 GO-FO, 103p/54k

Frisco RoughRiders 7, NW Arkansas Naturals 6 

The Naturals lost their suspended game after it resumed on Wednesday.

With a 6-5 lead after five innings before the game was suspended, the Naturals bullpen of Jake Kalish and Jake Newberry gave up the lead. It was Kalish allowing a seventh inning home run to Luke Tendler that evened things up. The game remained tied until the ninth when Newberry walked Tendler before a pair of singles allowed him to come around and give Frisco a lead.

The Naturals threatened in the ninth, moving a runner into scoring position with one out and to third with two down, but Ruben Sosa flew out to end the rally.

Boxscore Link

Alfredo Escalera 1-4, 2b, 4 RBI
Samir Duenez 2-4, RBI
Humberto Arteaga 2-3, RBI

Frisco RoughRiders 8, NW Arkansas Naturals 5

The two teams exchanged power in the second game with the RoughRiders coming out on top.

Each club hit a pair of solo home runs, along with a pair of three-run innings each before Frisco lengthened their lead late.

Trailing 6-2, the Naturals used a pair of doubles by Mauricio Ramos and Samir Duenez before an RBI single by Elier Hernandez to pull within 6-5.

Unfortunately, the Frisco bullpen would prevent any more action by the Naturals offense. They added two runs in the ninth thanks to a defensive error by catcher Zane Evans before a walk and single off reliever Sam Selman.

Boxscore Link

Zane Evans 1-4, HR
Elier Hernandez 2-4, RBI
Mauricio Ramos 3-4, 2R, 2b, HR, 2 RBI

Lynchburg Hillcats 4, Wilmington Blue Rocks 2

The Rocks usually reliable bullpen gave up two runs in the ninth to drop the second game of their series with Lynchburg.

Starter Foster Griffin spun five innings of one-run ball, navigating seven hits and a pair of walks, thanks in part to six strikeouts from the lefty. The only damage done to Griffin’s line was via a leadoff single that came in after a double and a pair of groundouts in the second.

The Rocks scored a pair of single runs in the fifth and seventh innings, each of which tied the game, but a pair of runs off reliever Franco Terrero in the ninth gave Lynchburg their final winning margin.

Boxscore Link

Nicky Lopez 1-5, RBI
Travis Maezes 1-3, R, 2b
Foster Griffin 5 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 6-1 GO-FO, 100p/64k

Lexington Legends 1, Hickory Crawdads 0

The Legends bullpen kept hold of the 1-0 lead that Emmanuel Rivera had given the team prior to the suspension of Tuesday’s game.

Righty Geoffrey Bramblett worked 4.2 scoreless innings, working around three singles and a walk. Behind Bramblett was reliable reliever Grant Gavin, finishing off the final 2.1 innings with just a pair of singles allowed.

Lexington’s pitching staff limited Hickory to just one chance with runners in scoring position in the game to take the win.

Boxscore Link 

Meibrys Viloria 0-2, BB, Defensive CS
Emmanuel Rivera 1-4, HR
Grant Gavin 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, GO-FO 1-1, 29p/21k

Lexington Legends 9, Hickory Crawdads 4

With the second game tied at four, the Legends bats got after Hickory pitching with a run in the fifth and a four-run sixth inning.

Three consecutive singles brought home a run before an error and wild pitch brought home another prior to Kort Peterson’s sac fly. Third baseman Emmanuel Rivera capped things off with a RBI double to put Lexington out in front 9-4.

Reliever Walker Sheller worked a perfect ninth to finish off the win, striking out the side in the process.

Boxscore Link

Walker Sheller 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K, 15p/10k
Manny Olloque 2-3, 2R, RBI
Emmanuel Rivera 1-4, 2b, RBI

The starting pitching is the one spot on the team where youth and inexperience at the AAA level is featured on the club. The Chasers have seven combined AAA starts from their group of youngsters headlined by Miguel Almonte that also includes Jon Dziedzic, Luke Farrell and Brooks Pounders to begin their season. The one veteran in that rotation is John Lannan, the former Washington Nationals left-handed starter who the Royals signed in the offseason. The one obvious omission from the rotation is that of Kyle Zimmer who remained at extended spring training in Arizona with continued shoulder problems.

The bullpen features a nice mix of former major league relievers and a few talented arms and should be one of the assets that manager Brian Poldberg gets to use throughout the season. The strength there definitely relies in the left-handed arms of Scott Alexander and Brian Flynn, both of whom could ride the I-29 bus between Omaha and Kansas City this season. Along with those two lefty power arms, Malcom Culver and Aroni Nina will pair to give a different look for hitters from the group of veteran relievers that features Brian Duensing, David Huff, Clayton Mortensen and Peter Moylan. Of course, Duensing is returning home as a former Cornhusker and Millard South graduate whose high school is just six miles away from the current Storm Chasers stadium.

Much like the pitching group, the position group is full of former major league players and a few others who have had plenty of success at the AAA level. The outfield is loaded with potential players who could fill in at the big league level during the season this year. The biggest named prospect is newbie Jorge Bonifacio who had a solid spring training for the big league club. The biggest challenge for manager Brian Poldberg could be finding at bats for the many players who have had success at the AAA level in the past couple of seasons.

The Chasers and the three other Royals affiliates start their minor league season today with the following starting pitchers taking the mounds for their respective teams.

Miguel Almonte Omaha vs New Orleans Zephyrs (Miami Marlins)
Alec Millers NW Arkansas vs Frisco Rough Riders (Texas Rangers)
Zach Lovvorn Wilmington vs Potomac Nationals (Washington Nationals)
Scott Blewett Lexington vs Lakewood Blueclaws (Philadelphia Phillies)

Side Notes
Wilmington skipper Jamie Quirk said his starting rotation in Wilmington will consist of opening day starter Lovvorn followed by Pedro Fernandez, lefty Matt Tenuta, Ashton Goudeau and Colin Rodgers. Early in the season, at most minor league levels, the Royals tend to piggyback starting pitchers as they build up to their pitch count totals. Watch to see if one of piggyback relievers ends up being a better option to start as that all shakes out.

The Lexington pitching squad features a couple live arms in Julio Pinto and Yunior Marte who have popped up in a minor way in prospect circles for their live arms. Add Franco Terrero to that list as someone to watch. According to one Royals official he has a quick arm, developed his change up at the Royals Dominican Academy and started to improve his breaking ball last year during the Arizona Summer League season. Signed for under $10,000 Terrero is earning comps to Kelvin Herrera.

Watch for the minor league daily recap Diamonds in the Rough written by @ShawnRebman

Feature Photo Cody Decker hitting a double during spring training – Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports