KC Royals Clayton Mortensen Leads Omaha to Victory

Omaha held on to beat Round Rock, 5-4. Despite all the injuries and trades, Omaha is just three games out of first place in the PCL American Northern Division with the second best record in the league (60-46).

The Storm Chasers led 5-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth, but Michael Mariot allowed a bases clearing double with two outs. Mariot rebounded to get a strikeout to end the game.

Clayton Mortensen earned the win, as he allowed just one run on five hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out five.

Jose Martinez and Christian Colon each collected two hits and two RBIs. Orlando Calixte also had two hits in the win. Paulo Orlando returned to the Omaha roster and went 0-for-4 with a walk, a run scored, and a stolen base.

Omaha beat Texas rehabber Derek Holland, who allowed two runs on two hits and a walk over just 1.2 innings. He struck out three.

*In roster news, starter Yohan Pino and infielder Dusty Coleman were placed on the DL. J.C. Sulbaran was added from NWA.

NW Arkansas lost to Springfield, 6-3 in 12 innings.

More from KC Royals Prospects

• The Maikel Garcia mistake the KC Royals may be making
• KC Royals Prospects: 7 selected for Fall League play
• KC Royals Prospects: What to do with Stephen Woods Jr.?
• KC Royals: 3 good candidates for 2 September callups
• KC Royals Prospects News: Top draft pick is sizzling

Springfield scored three runs with two outs in the top of the 12th against

(4IP, 5H, 4R, 2ER, 3BB, K). Two runs scored on two

errors on the same play (he made three in the game to give him 14 overall).

Both teams traded runs in the ninth, as the Naturals scored the tying run on two errors on the same play.

Things got heated in the later innings, as Bubba Starling threw the go ahead run out at the plate to end the top of the eighth. Benches cleared and the bullpens emptied. Catcher Parker Morin (who blocked the plate and got bulldozed, but still got the out), reliever Benino Pruneda (who pitched the eighth and allowed two runs), and the guy who tried to score (Patrick Wisdom) were ejected, along with NWA manager Vance Wilson.

That meant that Frank Schwindel was forced to catch (Zane Evans was the DH) for the first time in Double-A. He was forced to catch in three games with Wilmington earlier in the year.

Matt Murray got the start and allowed one hit, but walked four over four innings. He struck out four. Mark Peterson followed and threw three scoreless innings (2H, BB, K).

On offense, Lane Adams went 4-for-6 with a double and a run scored.

Wilmington was swept in Winston-Salem, losing the finale, 7-3. The Blue Rocks dropped to 14-20 in the second half.

Matt Strahm took the loss, as he allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk over four innings. He struck out four. Strahm allowed a three-run home run in the third. Matt Alvarez followed and allowed two runs (one earned) on one hit (a solo homer) and two walks over two innings. Robinson Yambati allowed a run on two hits over the final two innings.

The Blue Rocks got on the board in the fifth on Elier Hernandez‘ solo home run. It was his first in Wilmington. Logan Moon went 2-for-3 with a run scored in the loss.

*In roster news, starter Pedro Fernandez was added to the Blue Rocks roster.

Lexington beat Greenville, 8-4.

Mike Hill got the Legends on the board in the top of the sixth with a one out RBI double. Chase Vallot hit a three-run home run in the seventh, with Hill driving in a run with a sac fly later in the inning. Hill ended up driving in five runs.

Luis Valenzuela went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Anderson Miller went 2-for-3 with a run scored in the win.

Corey Ray earned the win, as he allowed three runs on six hits and a walk over 6.1 innings. He struck out two. Nik Stephenson earned his second save, allowing a solo home run over 2.2 innings of relief.

Burlington beat Danville, 10-4. The Royals scored in the final five innings.

Colton Frabasilio went 3-for-3 with two doubles, two walks, two runs scored, and an RBI. Brian Bien went 3-for-5 with a run scored. He drove in four runs.

Enmanuel Camacho was solid in the start for the Royals, though he took the no decision. He allowed two runs on seven hits over five innings. He struck out two. After Joseph Markus allowed the Braves to tie the game in the sixth (and recorded just two outs), Gabriel Cramer earned the win in his first game with the Royals. He left the bases loaded in the sixth and then threw two more scoreless innings of relief (with four strikeouts).

Next: Royals Asked About Price Before Dealing for Cueto