Royals July 27th Minors Recap

Omaha walked off in the bottom of the 11th inning on an error for the 5-4 win. It was Nashville’s third error of the game.

The Sounds scored two runs in the top of the ninth to tie the game and send it into extra innings. It was Will Smith‘s second blown save of the season.

Everett Teaford took the no decision after allowing two runs on five hits and a walk over seven innings. He struck out six.

Ben Broussard gave the Storm Chasers the early 3-0 with his first homerun with the team, a three-run shot in the 3rd inning. That was one of his three hits. Christian Colon, Max Ramirez, and Pedro Ciriaco each collected two hits.

NW Arkansas held on for the 8-4 win.

Brian Fletcher was 3-for-3 with a single, double, and a two-run homerun by the 4th inning, but could not pick up the triple for a cycle. The Naturals picked up 14 hits, eight for extra bases. Orlando Calixte also picked up three hits, including two doubles. Juan Graterol went 2-for-3 with two RBIs while batting ninth.

Jason Adam battled through five innings (94 pitches), but only allowed two runs (one earned). Reliever Spencer Patton made his Double-A debut, but struggled. He allowed a two-run homerun and needed 30 pitches to get through one inning. Scott Alexander rebounded from some recent struggles to throw two scoreless innings of relief.

Wilmington lost their four game series to Myrtle Beach with an 8-5 loss.

The game was doomed from the very beginning, as JC Sulbaran made his home debut and it was just as bad as his first start five days ago. He allowed seven runs on seven hits and two walks over just 2.2 innings. He threw 70 pitches, 39 for strikes. The Pelicans sent eight men to the plate and scored three runs in the top of the first. It could have been worse for Sulbaran because he was always falling behind, but Myrtle Beach tried to power up and popped a lot of balls up.

Manager Vance Wilson said after the game that it comes down to “throwing strikes.” Myrtle Beach was in hitter’s counts for much of the game.

Meanwhile, Texas Rangers prospect Luke Jackson, facing the Blue Rocks for the fourth time in the regular season (plus three times in spring training), pitched like an ace. He was not on top of  his game, but he did enough to keep them at bay.

On the positive side, the Blue Rocks did battle back against the Pelicans bullpen, scoring three runs in the eighth. They had the tying run at the plate in the ninth, but Jared Schlehuber weakly popped up in foul territory to end the game.

Things have drastically changed for the Blue Rocks since they headed out on the road last Wednesday. They went from first place in the Northern Division of the Carolina League to third place and six games back. They have lost 12 of their last 13 games. Wilson equates the losses to some roster moves that took away leadership and energy guys. “We’re just a low energy team right now,” he said after the game.

Lexington split another doubleheader with West Virginia. The Legends took the first game by a 4-2 score. All five runs were scored over the first two innings.

Mark Threlkeld drove in all four runs for the Legends. In the first, he drove in one run on a single. In the 2nd inning, he cleared the bases with a two out double.

Daniel Stumpf picked up the complete game victory, as he allowed two runs on five hits and two walks. He struck out six. Stumpf allowed three of the five hits in the Power’s two-run first inning.

The Legends lost Game 2, 3-1.

Matthew Murray took the loss, as he allowed all three runs on six hits over five innings. He struck out six. Zeb Sneed made his Low-A debut and pitched two scoreless innings of relief.

The Legends collected just five hits, two each from Raul Mondesi and Bubba Starling.