KC Royals Minors Recap: Chukars Win in Eleven Innings

It was a light Monday night in terms of the KC Royals minor league affiliates. Of their four full-season teams, only one team was in action.

Omaha begins a three-game series in Iowa on Tuesday night.

NW Arkansas was the lone full season team in action, as they lost their first half finale, 5-1 in Arkansas. The two teams face off against each other to begin the second half on Tuesday night.

The Naturals took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third on Alex Liddi‘s two out, RBI double. However, the Travelers scored five runs in the bottom of that inning against Naturals starter Jonathan Dziedzic.

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Dziedzic allowed five runs (three earned) on nine hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out five, but committed the error on a sac bunt. Seven of the hits off Dziedzic came in the 3rd inning.

followed with two scoreless innings while

pitched a perfect eighth (just nine pitches).

Jorge Bonifacio and Parker Morin each had two hits in the loss.

Wilmington is enjoying the All-Star break, as four players are out in California for Tuesday night’s All-Star Game. The Blue Rocks start the second half at home on Thursday night.

*In roster news, starter Jake Junis was promoted to NWA.

Lexington is also enjoying their All-Star break, as six players are in Asheville for Tuesday night’s All-Star Game. The Legends start the second half on the road on Thursday night.

Over in the Pioneer League, The Idaho Falls Chukars defeated the Ogden Raptors 4-3 in eleven innings.

The Raptors had a 1-0 lead before Alexis Rivera hit his second home run in the early season to give the Chukars a 2-1 lead. That lead was erased in the bottom of the inning on a throwing error by catcher Kyle Pollack, as he attempted to gun down Matthew Beaty during a stolen base attempt for the final out.

Ogden took the lead in the bottom of the fifth on two consecutive two out doubles, but the Chukars tied the game up on Marten Gasparini‘s home run to lead off the top of the seventh. The game remained knotted at 3-3 until the top of the eleventh, when the Chukars loaded the bases with one out. Brawlun Gomez hit a sacrifice fly to right, plating the go ahead run and giving Idaho Falls the win.

Brennen Henry picked up the win, allowing one hit while striking out one in his two innings of work. Rivera finished a triple short of the cycle, going 3-5 with two RBI and a walk.

Next: The Resurgent Alex Rios