Royals August 21st Minors Recap

Omaha lost the first game to New Orleans by a 6-5 score. Nick Green‘s solo home run in the top of the ninth broke the tie and made a loser of the recently demoted Will Smith.

Errors by the Storm Chasers did not help, as it cost them three runs.

On offense, Pedro Ciriaco collected two hits and Brett Hayes hit two homers, including a two-run shot in the bottom of the 7th inning. Gorkys Hernandez would follow with a solo shot that tied the game at 5-5.

NW Arkansas beat Springfield, 3-1 behind the dominant start from Jason Adam. The Naturals are still one game back of first place because Arkansas keeps winning.

Adam allowed an unearned run on just two hits and two walks over 6.2 innings. He struck out six. He allowed his first hit in the third and another in the sixth.

The Naturals took the lead in the seventh with two runs that scored on the Cardinal left fielder’s error with two outs. Lane Adams went 2-for-4 in the win.

*In roster news, lefty Ryan Verdugo was sent from Omaha to NWA. He pitched tonight for the Naturals and threw one perfect inning of relief (13 pitches, eight for strikes). To make room (for him and reliever Andrew Triggs) Kyle Zimmer was placed on the temporary inactive list and Brooks Pounders was placed on the DL.

Wilmington lost their first game in Frederick, 5-3, which pushed them into last place in the Northern Division of the Carolina League. What’s worse is they had just taken a 3-1 lead in the top of the 8th inning, only to see the Keys score four in the bottom of the inning.

Leonel Santiago pitched well to start, as he left with a man on base in the eighth (7+IP, 4H, 2R, 2BB, 6K). However, Malcom Culver could not retire the Keys. He allowed three straight one out singles before allowing a two out, two-run double to take the loss.

The Blue Rocks collected just four hits, including Sam Bates‘ first home run in High-A. It was a two out, two-run shot that gave them the 8th inning lead.

Lexington lost to Augusta, 2-1 in 12 innings. Both teams scored a run in the seventh.

The GreenJackets broke the tie in the 12th inning with a two out RBI single off John Walter.

Christian Binford started and allowed the one run on six hits over seven innings. He struck out three. Clayton Schulz followed with three perfect innings of relief. He struck out two.

The Legends collected six hits, two by Bubba Starling. However, they struck out 20 times (three by Starling and four times by leadoff man Terrence Gore). Raul Mondesi was the only hitter to NOT strike out (he went 1-for-5). Augusta starter Kendry Flores struck out 15 in eight innings of work.