Royals August 18th Minors Recap

A five-run 5th inning pushed Omaha to their third straight win in Memphis. They won 5-2.

Jun 6, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Felipe Paulino (59) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

The Storm Chasers sent 11 men to the plate in the fifth, collecting five straight hits, including back-to-back two-run doubles from Ben Broussard and Brian Fletcher.

Justin Marks was the beneficiary of the big inning, as he picked up his sixth win of the season in relief of rehabber Felipe Paulino (3.2IP, 2H, 2R, 4BB, 6K). Marks did not allow a run over the final 5.1 innings. He allowed three hits while striking out seven. Marks (80) threw two less pitches than Paulino (82) in more innings.

Omaha has a five game lead in the Pacific Coast League’s American Northern Division.

NW Arkansas lost their series against San Antonio with a 4-2 loss on Sunday. The Naturals collected just three hits, including Brett Eibner‘s 17th home run of the season (a solo shot in the third).

Edinson Rincon collected his first hit as a Natural with an RBI single in the first to tie the game at 1-1.

Jon Keck, the second Natural reliever, took the loss when the Missions broke the tie in the top of the sixth. Brooks Pounders got the start, but allowed two runs on four hits over three innings. He struck out three.

The Naturals are two games back of first place (and in third place) in the North Division of the Texas League.

Wilmington lost both games of their doubleheader to first place Potomac. The losses dropped them to last place in the Northern Division of the Carolina League (a tie with Frederick). They are 12.5 games back and 3.5 games back of the wild card.

The Blue Rocks lost the first game by a 3-2 final. They actually scored two runs in the bottom of the first. Yem Prades (who had two hits) and Sam Bates drove in both runs. However, reliever Cody Fassold allowed two runs in the sixth on two walks and an RBI triple.

The Blue Rocks lost Game 2, 2-0. The P-Nats scored single runs in the fourth and seventh.

Daniel Hernandez was the hard luck loser, as he allowed one run on three hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out five in his first High-A start.

The Blue Rocks collected just three hits in the loss and have scored just three runs over the first three games of the series with the P-Nats.

Lexington split their doubleheader in Greenville. The Legends won the first game by a 5-0 score.

The Legends hit two home runs, a two-run shot in the 2nd inning by Fred Ford and a solo shot by Mark Donato in the sixth. Raul Mondesi added three hits in the win.

Greg Billo earned the win in another successful rehab start to lower his ERA to 1.19. He pitched five scoreless innings and allowed five hits while striking out four. Chas Byrne allowed a hit over the final two innings (he struck out three).

The Legends lost Game 2, 1-0. The Drive scored the game’s lone run in the bottom of the sixth on a solo homer. That hit was their first hit of the game.

Matthew Murray was the hard luck loser, as he allowed that lone run in the complete game. He allowed just two hits while striking out seven.

The Legends collected just three hits, two by Ford, and are three games back of first place.