HR Roll Call Jorge Soler (23), Seuly Matias (7)

BPKC Hitter of the Day: Alfredo Escalera 3-4 R, 2 SB 

BPKC Pitcher of the Day: Josh Staumont 6 Ip 2 H 0 R 0 ER 1 BB 8 K 5-1 GO-FO 95p/57k

Omaha Storm Chasers 3 Nashville Sounds 2 F/13

The Chasers were forced once again to use an A-ball pitcher to make a start for them as the Royals optioned up 2015 4th round pick Jace Vines from Wilmington to help out.

Despite making a large jump in level Vines held his own, sticking to what he does best, generating ground balls. Working six innings of two run ball in that time. A pair of extra base hits led to runs for the Sounds with a triple in the second with a man on base scored their first run and a two out single in the fourth plated another after a leadoff double.

Trailing 2-0, Omaha scored a pair of runs in the sixth on Jorge Soler’s 21st Triple-A home run to the tie the game up. That score remained until the thirteenth inning when Hunter Dozier followed Cam Gallagher’s one out single with a double to push the pair into scoring position. With Gallagher on third Billy Burns hit a ball that bounced high and forced the second baseman to go to first with it, scoring Cam and giving Omaha a 3-2 lead. Reliever Jake Newberry followed with a perfect inning, his third scoreless frame in a row to earn the win.

Boxscore Link

Jorge Soler 1-6 HR, 2 RBI
Raul Mondesi 1-5
Ramon Torres 2-5 BB
Hunter Dozier 1-5 2b, BB
Chasers Bullpen (Sam Selman, Kevin Lenik, Jake Newberry) 7 IP 3 H 0 R 0 ER 3 BB 5 K 7-3 GO-FO 137p/88k
Jace Vines 6 IP 6 H 2 R 2 ER 0 BB 3K 9-4 GO-FO 91p/58k

NW Arkansas Naturals 2 Arkansas Travelers 0

After tossing seven innings of no-hit ball in his last, starter Josh Staumont worked six innings shutout ball to even his record to 3-3 for NW Arkansas. Walking just one hitter, Staumont struck out eight hitters while hitting the zone with 57 of 95 pitches. After allowing a pair of first inning singles he retired 16 of the next 17 hitters he would face before turning things over to the bullpen.

The offense took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on an Humberto Arteaga sacrifice fly and a rbi ground out by Nicky Lopez. Those runs would be enough with Staumont and reliever Walker Sheller combining for the shutout.

Boxscore Link

Nicky Lopez 2-4 RBI
Donnie Dewees 2-4
Ryan O’Hearn 1-4
Josh Staumont 6 Ip 2 H 0 R 0 ER 1 BB 8 K 5-1 GO-FO 95p/57k

Ogden Raptors 7 Idaho Falls Chukars 1

Starter Hunter Capps gave up three first inning runs and Ogden plated four more runs throughout the game to win comfortably over the Royals rookie team. The Chukars offense was limited to just four hits and one run after falling behind. The loss was the fifth in the last six games for Idaho Falls between the two teams and lowered their record to 4-9 on the season against the Dodgers rookie team.

Boxscore Link

Travis Jones 0-4
Amalani Fukofuka 0-4

Pulaski Yankees 4 Burlington Royals 1

The Royals Seuly Matias hit a solo home run in the seventh but would get no more in a loss to the Yankees. Starter Dan Tillo took the loss after giving up eight hits and four runs (2 ER). The lefty plunked a couple hitters and allowed two singles in giving up a pair of runs in the second before a pair of doubles followed a Jeison Guzman error in the fifth to put the Royals down 4-1. The Burlington offense connected on just two singles after the Matias home run to fail to threaten much at all in the loss.

Boxscore Link

Seuly Matias 1-4 HR
Jeison Guzman 0-2
Sebastian Rivero 0-4
Dan Tillo 5 IP 8 H 4 R 2 ER 1 BB 5 K 2 HBP 5-0 GO-FO 65p/41k

AZL Indians 6 AZL Royals 2

The Royals offense was limited to just four hits in a loss to the Indians rookie league team. Starter Malcolm Van Buren bounced back after a rough start last time out, allowing just one run in four innings with just one hit allowed. That run came in the first inning when the South Carolina native walked a hitter and a plunked two more before giving up a sacrifice fly. From there, he straightened things out some to work four innings with three strikeouts.

Boxscore Link

Nick Pratto 0-4
MJ Melendez 1-2 HBP, BB
Cristian Perez 2-4 R
Malcolm Van Buren 4 IP 1 H 1 R 1 ER 2 BB 3 K 2-5 GO-FO

HR Roll Call: Jack Lopez (3)

BPKC Hitter of the Day: Nick Dini 3-4, R, 2b, 2 RBI

BPKC Pitcher of the Day: Kevin Lenik 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 42p/27k, 1-0 GO-FO

Player movement 
— Michael Gigliotti promoted to Lexington Legends from Burlington.
— Pitcher Andres Sotillet and catcher Michael Arroyo sent to Burlington from Arizona.
— Outfielder Yeison Melo sent to Wilmington from Lexington.
— 2017 seventh round pick Brewer Hicklen has been promoted from Arizona to Idaho Falls.

Memphis Redbirds 3, Omaha Storm Chasers 2 F/10

The Chasers tied last night’s game in the fifth inning on a groundout by Frank Schwindel but could do no more offensively in dropping an extra inning game. Both teams’ bullpens pitched well, with the Royals newly found reliever Kevin Lenik tossing three innings of shutout baseball. The reliever that the Royals snagged from Independent ball who throws in the mid-90s, struck out four hitters  to push his season total to 28 whiffs in 25.2 innings.

With the game tied into the tenth, recently promoted Jake Newberry struggled in his Triple-A debut. He walked the first two hitters he faced before a pair of one out singles walked things off for Memphis.

Boxscore Link

Raul Mondesi 2-4
Jorge Soler 0-2, 3 BB
Frank Schwindel 1-5, 2 RBI
Ryan O’Hearn 0-4, 3K

NW Arkansas Naturals 6, Midland RockHounds 4

The Naturals put together a late comeback against the Midland bullpen for the second straight night to defeat the Double-A Athletics affiliate. Trailing 4-3, the Naturals loaded the bases when Midland’s reliever plunked a pair of hitters and the manager chose to walk Humberto Arteaga.

In that situation, Anderson Miller drove in one run to tie the game by legging to first on a force out to keep his squad out of the double play. One hitter later Nick Dini doubled to the right field corner, driving in two runs that would eventually give NW Arkansas the win.

Boxscore Link

Nick Dini 3-4, R, 2b, RBI
Samir Duenez 1-4, K
Donnie Dewees 0-3, R
Paulo Orlando 1-4
Yunior Marte 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 24p/17k

Down East Wood Ducks 7, Wilmington Blue Rocks 5

The Blue Rocks scored three runs in the eighth inning to tie a game at five, but the bullpen couldn’t keep the Rangers High-A squad off the board to drop another game to Down East. In that inning, Jecksson Flores plated two runs with a single, prior to Chris DeVito scoring him with a single of his own.

However in the eighth, recently promoted Jose Veras gave up three consecutive hits to start the inning to put Wilmington back behind and eventually drop the game.

Boxscore Link

Nick Heath 2-5, 2R
Brandon Downes 1-3, R, 2b, RBI

Asheville Tourists 3, Lexington Legends 2 F/10

Both teams were able to navigate around plenty of baserunners in scoring position until Lexington’s Matt Wynne gave up an extra inning hit that allowed Asheville to walk the game off. A combined 2 for 31 effort with runners in scoring position highlighted the game. Kansas native Riley Pint struck out five Legends hitters in 5.1 innings while hitting 100 mph on the gun.

Boxscore Link

Khalil Lee 2-4, 2-2b, RBI, BB, 2K
Gabe Cancel 1-3, 2b, BB
Emmanuel Rivera 1-4, K

Billings Mustangs 14, Idaho Falls Chukars 9

The Chukars lost a slugfest as the first two pitchers on the mound for Idaho Falls gave up 12 runs (6 ER) over five innings. Those runs couldn’t be overcome by Idaho Falls despite seven hits by the top three hitters in the order.

Boxscore Link

Amalani Fukofuka 2-5, 2R, 2b, 2 RBI
Matt Morales 3-5, 3R

Pulaski Yankees 2, Burlington Royals 1

The Royals outhit their opponent but couldn’t get the timely hits in their loss to the Yankees. Starter Dan Tillo struck out five in five innings and gave up just two hits, but walks gave the pitcher a loss. The former Iowa Western starter walked a pair of hitters to start the second inning prior to a bunt single loading the bases with no outs. A pair of ground outs would score two runs to put Burlington behind and their 1 for 11 performance with runners in scoring put another L in the loss column.

Boxscore Link

Dan Tillo 5 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 62p/35k, 7-3 GO-FO
Seuly Matias 0-3, BB, 2K
Jeison Guzman 0-3, k
Sebastian Rivero 0-4, k

DSL Red Sox 1, DSL Royals 0

The Royals 17-year-old lefty Angel Zerpa continued his quality pitching on Wednesday, tossing six shutout innings. The pitcher the team paid $100k to last year earned eleven ground outs off the bats of Red Sox hitters while striking out three hitters and allowing just a pair of singles. The lefty retired the first eleven hitters he faced before giving up a groundball single in the fourth.

The Royals offense couldn’t get the big hit they needed, going 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position which gave them the loss when the Red Sox scored a run in the ninth on a two out triple.

Boxscore Link

Angel Zerpa 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 11-2 GO-FO
Rubendy Jacquez 2-3, BB