KC Royals May 9th Minors Recap

By Jen Nevius | May 10, 2015

The KC Royals made a flurry a roster moves in the minor leagues on Saturday. Let’s start in Omaha, where shortstop Gabriel Noriega was injured on Friday night, leaving the Storm Chasers without a natural shortstop or more than one middle infielder. They added Dusty Coleman from Double-A NW Arkansas (they now have three Colemans). They also activated Clayton Mortensen from the inactive list.

NW Arkansas put reliever Reid Redman on the DL with an elbow injury. They received fellow reliever Benino Pruneda from High-A Wilmington (he who has allowed just one hit in limited innings this season). The Naturals also received infielder Logan Davis from Low-A Lexington. Catcher Anderson De La Rosa also returned from Omaha.

Wilmington received right-hander Kevin McCarthy from Lexington. Lexington then added catcher Chase Vallot and first rounder Foster Griffin from extended spring training.

Now to the games.

Omaha lost 6-1 to OKC and are now seven games back in their division (their largest in-division deficit during the Storm Chasers era).

Christian Binford allowed all six runs in the very first inning on three hits and three walks. From there, Binford allowed just two hits over the next four innings. The Storm Chasers bullpen was great, as Brian Broderick threw two perfect innings before Joe Paterson kept the Dodgers scoreless over the final two innings.

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On offense, Omaha collected six hits, two by

Jose Martinez

.

NWA was rained out in Arkansas and will play a doubleheader on Sunday.

Wilmington came back to beat Lynchburg, 5-3. The Blue Rocks actually tied the game at 2-2 in the second without collecting a hit.

Frank Schwindel broke up the Hillcats no-hit bid (and tie) in the fourth with a solo home run. Logan Moon would give the Blue Rocks a two-run lead when he stole home as part of a double steal. Moon added some insurance in the bottom of the eighth with a two out RBI triple (he reached base in all four plate appearances).

“Schwindel hit that big homerun, we got a run off that double steal,” said manager Brian Buchanan. “I think we scored our first two runs without a hit so that’s manufacturing runs when you can’t get a hit.”

That made a winner of Luke Farrell, who allowed two runs on six hits over five innings. He struck out seven. Cody Reed was next and struggled to put away hitters, as he threw 76 pitches over 3.2 innings (3H, R, 2BB, 5K). The Hillcats had the tying run on base in the ninth, but Nick Green came in and got Cleveland prospect Clint Frazier to fly out deep to left field for the final out.

Lexington lost the first game of their series to Kannapolis by a 13-8 score.

2014 Royals first rounder Foster Griffin made his season debut in the start for the Legends. He allowed four runs on four hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out two. Griffin left the game with the lead.

Ashton Goudeau allowed a run on four hits and a walk over three innings of relief. He struck out six. But still, the Legends were leading 8-5.

Then things fell apart for the Legends bullpen.

The Intimidators then scored eight runs in the top of the ninth off the combination of Matthew Strahm and Jake Newberry. Strahm walked two, but left with those two on base and two outs. Newberry then allowed four singles, a walk, and a three-run home run.

On offense in the loss, Ryan O’Hearn hit two solo home runs and drove in three. The bottom two in the Legends order, Mike Hill and Luis Villegas, went a perfect 5-for-5 from the field. Hill was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and three stolen bases. Villegas went 2-for-2 with two walks, a triple, two runs scored, and an RBI.

Next: KC Royals Prospect Report: Balbino Fuenmayor

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