Royals April 28th Minors Recap

Omaha lost their series opener in Iowa by a 6-3 score. The Storm Chasers have now lost five in a row.

The Cubs scored three runs via a Javier Baez home run in the bottom of the first off Omaha starter Sugar Ray Marimon. Marimon allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits and four walks over five innings. It is his worst start of the season.

Omaha hit two solo home runs, including Francisco Pena‘s sixth of the season. Unfortunately, he only has eight RBIs so far this season. Christian Colon added a solo homer in the eighth, one of his two hits (the other was a double). The Storm Chasers struck out 11 times.

NW Arkansas lost their finale at home to Tulsa, 4-1 this afternoon.

The Drillers scored all four of their runs in the first inning against Naturals starter Sam Selman, who allowed two home runs in the first. From there, Selman skated into and out of trouble. He allowed eight hits and walked two in four innings of work. Though he walked four, Greg Billo pitched 4.1 scoreless innings of relief while striking out six. Scott Alexander entered with the bases loaded in the ninth, but escaped.

In the loss, Juan Graterol had two of the Naturals six hits.

The Naturals now head out on the road to play first place Springfield for four games.

Blue Rocks starter Sean Manaea in their home opener on April 8, 2014 (Jen Nevius).

On a rainy night, Wilmington beat nemesis Myrtle Beach by a 2-1 score. It is just their second win in ten games against the Pelicans.

The Blue Rocks won the game despite collecting just two hits. They took the 1-0 lead in the 2nd inning. Johermyn Chavez reached on a one out error and came all the way around to score when the second baseman’s throw went wide of first base on Cam Gallagher’s infield single (their first hit of the game). Four straight walks in the fifth drove in the Blue Rocks second run.

Sean Manaea earned his first professional win in dominating fashion. He struck out a career-high eight and reached the 6th inning for the first time in his career. He threw 52 of his 77 pitches for strikes and allowed just four hits and a walk. Manaea left after allowing a leadoff double to start the sixth.

In came Blue Rocks closer Mark Peterson, who threw four perfect innings of relief to earn his fourth save of the season. Peterson threw 44 pitches, 27 for strikes.

Tonight was Manaea’s fourth start of the season and third against the Pelicans. In his previous two starts, he had allowed 11 runs (ten earned) on 11 hits and two walks over just 5.1 innings. “Third time’s a charm,” Manaea said after the game in finally beating the Pelicans. Blue Rocks manager Darryl Kennedy said the key for Manaea tonight was keeping the ball down. He just seemed to go right after hitters, rather than nibbling.

Lexington had Monday off, as they return home to begin a three-game series against Lakewood, one of the worst teams in the South Atlantic League.