Royals June 8th Minors Recap

Omaha lost to OKC, 4-3. Veteran Bruce Chen made his second rehab start and it was about what you would expect from the lefty.

Chen allowed four runs on ten hits over four innings. Two of the runs came via a guy’s first Triple-A home run. Chen threw 40 of his 56 pitches for strikes. Behind Chen, Clayton Mortensen was brilliant. He allowed just two hits and a walk over five scoreless innings. He struck out six and threw 43 of his 66 pitches for strikes.

In his three starts since coming out of extended spring training, Mortensen has yet to allow a run. He has struck out 16 (to just four walks and eight hits) in 16 innings.

The Storm Chasers scored two of their runs in the bottom of the second. Brian Bocock drove in one with a single and the other scored on a double play. Meanwhile, the inning started with four straight singles. Omaha collected 11 hits, but went 3-for-7 with runners in scoring position. They hit into two double plays and one base runner was caught trying to steal second base.

Johnny Giavotella and Brett Eibner each had three hits in the loss. Eibner hit two doubles and scored two runs. Francisco Pena returned from the DL and went 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Omaha now heads out on the road for eight games, starting in Sacramento on Monday night.

*To make room for Pena, fellow catcher Beau Maggi was “sent’ to rookie level Idaho Falls.

Cheslor Cuthbert via Jen Nevius

NW Arkansas and Arkansas were supposed to play two on Sunday, but rain wreaked havoc on the doubleheader.

The Naturals took the first game, 6-0. It started in a rain delay and was delayed again in the seventh.

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The Naturals scored two runs each in the first, second, and seventh innings. They were also helped out by the walk, as former big leaguer

walked six in just an inning and the first three batters of the seventh.

Cheslor Cuthbert and Max Ramirez, their 4-5 hitters, drove in four runs and went a combined 5-for-7. Ethan Chapman had two hits in the win.

Andy Ferguson put together another solid start, earning his fourth win of the season. He allowed five hits and two walks over six scoreless innings. He struck out six. Noel Arguelles threw a perfect seventh with two strikeouts. It was his first scoreless outing since May 19th.

The second game was postponed. They will now play the doubleheader on Monday.

Blue Rocks DH Michael Antonio against Potomac on June 5, 2014 (Jen Nevius).

Ten runs was enough for Wilmington on Sunday, as they salvaged the series finale in Potomac by a 10-4 score. They scored nine of those runs in the top of the fifth.

Prior to the 5th inning, the Blue Rocks had just two hits. In the fifth, they sent 12 batters to the plate. After already scoring five runs, Michael Antonio hit a two-run home run and Mark Donato followed with a solo shot. Eight of their 15 hits came in this inning.

Glenn Sparkman sparkled in earning his third win of the season and first as a starter. He allowed just three hits and a walk over five scoreless innings. He struck out five. Zeb Sneed struggled a bit in relief, though he did throw four innings. He allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits and a walk.

The Blue Rocks pounded out 15 hits, all from the first seven batters of the lineup. Hunter Dozier hit a solo shot in the seventh (one of his two hits). Zane Evans and Donato each had three hits in the win.

On his birthday, Terrance Gore went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. He did however throw a runner out at the plate from left field.

Wilmington now heads to Winston-Salem for three games, looking to start a winning streak.

Lexington lost the pitcher’s duel in Augusta, 1-0. The game was scoreless until the sixth.

The bottom of the sixth started with a walk and a pickoff throwing error by Legends starter Luke Farrell. After a ground out and a strikeout, the run scored on Dominique Taylor‘s fielding error in left field.

The Legends out-hit the GreenJackets, 4-3. Both teams hit one double.

Farrell was the hard luck loser, as he allowed an unearned run on just two hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out five. Farrell allowed his first hit, a single, with two outs in the third. Crawford Simmons allowed one hit over the final two innings.

The Legends now return home for seven games heading into the South Atlantic League All-Star break. It all starts on Monday night against Asheville.