KC Royals Minors Recap: Sean Manaea Makes AA Debut

Omaha won their sixth straight in beating Colorado Springs, 7-6. The Sky Sox scored four runs in the top of the ninth.

Scott Alexander earned his 11th save by getting the final out (after Chris Dwyer allowed the four runs in the ninth).

Brandon Finnegan got the start and was perfect over the first two innings. Clayton Mortensen followed and allowed two runs on three hits and two walks over four innings. He struck out five.

Moving from the leadoff spot to the three-hole, Whit Merrifield went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and two runs scored. Jose Martinez and Brett Eibner hit back-to-back RBI doubles in the 3rd inning.

*First baseman Balbino Fuenmayor was placed on the DL, as Casey Kotchman returned from the Pan Am Games. Kotchman went 1-for-4 as the DH.

NW Arkansas lost to Springfield, 12-4.

Sean Manaea made his second Double-A start, but only lasted four innings due to his pitch count (86 pitches, 53 for strikes). He allowed one run on three hits and three walks while striking out six.

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Things immediately fell apart for the Naturals once

Sam Selman

entered in relief. He faced five batters in the fifth, with all five reaching base. Selman left with two runs in and the bases loaded. It was not a great return for

Matt Murray

, who allowed all three runs to score and then six of his own in the 6th inning (though none were earned).

With two outs in the sixth, shortstop Raul Mondesi committed a fielding error and everything went south. A home run followed, along with manager Vance Wilson being ejected. Six runs later and the Naturals trailed 12-1.

Malcom Culver allowed one hit over two scoreless innings of relief.

Jorge Bonifacio hit two doubles and drove in two runs in the loss.

Wilmington battled back to beat Lynchburg, 7-6 in ten innings.

The Blue Rocks scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth, while sending ten batters to the plate. With the bases loaded and two outs, Carlos Garcia walked to force in the first run and Humberto Arteaga singled in another run. After a pitching change, Robert Pehl cleared the bases with a double to tie the game.

In the bottom of the tenth, Cam Gallagher doubled with one out (his second double of the game). With the bases loaded and two outs, Arteaga came through with a single to right to set off the celebration.

Estarlin Cordero earned the win in relief, though he allowed three runs on three hits and a walk over two innings. He did allow a two out, solo homer in the ninth.

Matt Strahm got the start and allowed a run on two hits and three walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out five. Yender Caramo allowed an inherited run to score in the sixth and then two more over his 2.2 innings of relief. He struck out three.

Lexington lost to Hickory, 6-5. The Legends scored five runs in the second, but the Crawdads scored three in the ninth to win it.

Alexis Rivera went 2-for-4 with a two-run triple. Corey Toups also had two hits in the loss.

The loss negated the solid start by Scott Blewett, who allowed two runs on three hits and a walk over five innings. Torey Deshazier (who had not pitched since his Blue Rocks debut on July 18th) followed and allowed two runs on four hits and a walk over 3.1 innings. He struck out four.

Brennan Henry got both the blown save and the loss, as he allowed one of Deshazier’s runs to score in the ninth, along with two of his own on two hits and a walk. Henry recorded just two outs.

Burlington beat Greeneville, 3-1 in ten innings. That came after the Astros scored a run in the bottom of the ninth.

Ben Johnson drove in all three Royals runs, including the two in the top of the 10th inning on a single. Leadoff hitter Luke Willis went 4-for-4 with two runs scored. Austin Bailey went 3-for-5 with a run scored.

Jacob Bodner earned the win in relief, though he was also given the blown save. He allowed an inherited run to score in the ninth (1.2IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, K).

Matt Tenuta got the start and allowed three hits and three walks over five scoreless innings. He struck out six. Alex Luna followed and allowed a run on a hit over 3.1 innings. He struck out three.

Next: Royals Should be In on Yovani Gallardo

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