Royals June 24th Minors Recap

Omaha blew a 5-3 lead heading into the ninth, as they lost to El Paso, 8-5. The Storm Chasers lost the four game series and now head out on the road for eight games against their division beginning Thursday.

In his second straight outing, Omaha closer Spencer Patton was roughed up. He blew his first save of the season and took his second loss. With one out in the ninth, Patton walked two straight before hitting the pinch-hitter. He then allowed a bases clearing double. That chased him from the game and in came Casey Coleman, who allowed a two-run home run to former Royal Jeff Francoeur.

That negated the solid start by Sugar Ray Marimon, who allowed three runs on five hits over six innings. He struck out five. Marimon allowed a solo homer to former Royal Adam Moore.

The Storm Chasers collected ten hits. Six of those hits came from three players: Whit Merrifield, Christian Colon, and Matt Fields. Fields hit a solo homer with two outs in the seventh, his 12th home run of the season.

Frenchy collected four hits in the win and fell a triple short of the cycle.

*In roster news, lefty reliever Tim Collins was sent to Omaha via the big leagues and fellow lefty Donnie Joseph was designated for assignment.

Three NW Arkansas players started for the North Division in the Texas League All-Star Game in their 3-1 victory.

Lane Adams started in centerfield and batted leadoff. He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Jorge Bonifacio started in right field and batted sixth. He went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. He also committed an error. Cheslor Cuthbert started at third base and batted eighth. He went 0-for-3 with a strikeout.

Shortstop Orlando Calixte entered on defense in the sixth. He struck out in his only at-bat.

Andrew Triggs entered in relief in the ninth and allowed a leadoff single and a wild pitch to put a runner in scoring position. He did record two outs before Cam Bedrosian entered to get the final out and the save.

Former Royal Kyle Smith took the loss, as he allowed two runs on a homer in the 4th inning (2IP, 2H, 2R, 0BB, 2K).

Blue Rocks first baseman Cody Stubbs at the plate on April 13, 2014 (Jen Nevius).

Wilmington has now won four in a row with their series sweep over Frederick. The Blue Rocks won 5-1.

All five Blue Rocks runs came via the long ball (they only had seven hits). Cody Stubbs hit two of them, solo shots in both the second and fourth innings. Kenny Diekroeger hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot in the fifth. Michael Antonio hit a two-run shot in the seventh.

Blue Rocks starter Miguel Almonte, who left his last start with arm issues, allowed just three hits and a walk over five scoreless innings. He struck out five to earn his fifth win of the season. Aroni Nina allowed an unearned run over three innings before Kyle Bartsch pitched a perfect ninth.

Catcher Zane Evans was pinch-hit for in the 3rd inning. No word on why he was taken out.

Lexington beat Hagerstown, 5-3.

Dominique Taylor hit a solo home run in the 3rd inning and the Legends never really looked back. It was an inside-the-park homer that led off the inning. Taylor was taken out in the 8th inning on defense by Fred Ford, who singled in the ninth.

The Legends added three runs in the sixth on four straight hits, including two singles, a double, and a triple. They scored their final run on a double play.

Jake Junis earned his eighth win of the season, allowing three runs on seven hits over 6.1 innings. He struck out six. Andrew Edwards earned his first save of the season with 2.2 scoreless innings of relief.