Royals July 23rd Minors Recap

Omaha lost to Memphis, 5-3.

The Storm Chasers took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second on Matt Fields‘ three-run home run. That was all the scoring they could muster. Paulo Orlando had two hits in the loss and had an outfield assist.

Veteran Joe Saunders allowed all five runs (four earned) on ten hits and a walk over six innings. He allowed two solo homers. Louis Coleman and Chris Dwyer each threw a scoreless inning of relief. Dwyer threw just eight pitches.

Micah Gibbs at the plate with the Blue Rocks on July 27, 2013 (Jen Nevius).

NW Arkansas beat Arkansas, 5-3.

Matt Murray made his third consecutive start and was great. He allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits over five innings. He struck out six and left with the win. Angel Baez allowed the tying run to score in the top of the sixth, but the Naturals came right back with two runs in the bottom of the inning. With two outs, Micah Gibbs hit a two-run home run.

Baez was credited with the win, despite his struggles. He worked out of a 7th inning jam, when he struck out three consecutive batters, but a wild pitch allowed a runner to reach base. Andrew Triggs earned his 15th save with two scoreless innings of relief.

Angel Franco, the Naturals leadoff hitter, went 3-for-5 with a double and a stolen base. Max Ramirez drove in two runs, on a two out single. Cheslor Cuthbert committed the error, his 22nd on the season, but first at second base (in his first game there).

Wilmington beat Carolina, 7-6 in ten innings to move into first place in the Northern Division of the Carolina League.

Blue Rocks centerfielder Bubba Starling at the plate on April 13, 2014 (Jen Nevius).

With the game tied at 6-6, Bubba Starling tripled with one out (one of his four hits). He scored the go ahead run on Michael Antonio‘s sac fly.

The win for the Blue Rocks came with Glenn Sparkman not quite on his game. He allowed four runs (all unearned) on six hits and two walks over five innings. He committed both errors and had a balk. Sparkman allowed two runs each in the first and fourth, both times after his team scored a run in the top of the inning.

The Blue Rocks scored four runs in the top of the fifth to re-take the lead (Raul Mondesi doubled in two), only to see reliever Aroni Nina cough up the lead in the bottom of the sixth. He allowed three hits, walked one, and threw a wild pitch that scored a run. Kyle Bartsch entered with runners at the corners and two outs and induced a ground out.

Bartsch went on to throw 2.1 perfect innings of relief. Yender Caramo was credited with the win, as he worked around two hits in the ninth. Mark Peterson earned his 22nd save of the year, as he worked around a one out single in the bottom of the tenth.

Starling fell a home run short of the cycle, as he scored three runs and drove in two. His average is now up to .226. Mondesi hit two doubles, while Mark Threlkeld and Terrance Gore each had two hits in the win. Gore also stole his 31st base of the year, though he was also caught stealing (just the fourth time).

Lexington lost to Charleston, 6-4.

The loss negated the return of Alec Mills, who allowed one run on four hits and three walks over five innings. The run he allowed came in the first, when he allowed one hit, walked one, threw two wild pitches, and allowed two stolen bases.

The Legends fought back to tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth on Frank Swindel’s three-run homer, only to see the RiverDogs came right back to retake the lead against Legends reliever Andrew Edwards. Edwards allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks over 2.1 innings. One of those runs scored after he was pulled in favor of Tim Hill in the 8th inning.

On offense, the Legends collected seven hits. Humberto Arteaga, Schwindel, and Elier Hernandez had two hits each. Hernandez hit his 15th double and first triple of the season. As a team, they struck out 13 times.