KC Royals Parker Morin Hits Walkoff Triple for NW Arkansas

By Jen Nevius |

Six KC Royals affiliates played Saturday night, compiling an awful 1-5 record. NW Arkansas had the only win.

Omaha lost to Nashville, 9-4.

Chris Dwyer made just his third start of the season for the Storm Chasers and took the loss. It’s mostly been a lost season for Dwyer, who enjoyed some success at AAA in 2013 (10-11, 3.55 ERA), which he hasn’t been able to replicate since in the last year-and-a-half. Once a top prospect, Dwyer looks like he will be hard pressed to salvage a situational lefty career in MLB. Dwyer allowed three runs on six hits and two walks over 3.1 innings.

Casey Coleman followed and allowed two unearned runs on three hits and three walks over 2.2 innings. Brian Broderick was next and allowed four runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk over 1.2 innings. Scott Alexander allowed two hits over 1.1 scoreless innings of relief.

The Storm Chasers collected eight hits, two each by Whit Merrifield, Brett Eibner, and Angel Franco. Merrifield and Eibner each drove in a run, while Franco doubled and scored two runs.

NW Arkansas walked off in their 6-5 victory over Springfield.

Bubba Starling led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk. Starling continues to show good patience at the plate, and strike zone recognition, as he advances through the levels. With one out, Frank Schwindel singled to put the tying run in scoring position. Up came Parker Morin, who tripled in two runs for the walk off winner. It was Morin’s fifth triple of the season and third hit of the game (he also homered in the fifth).

Absent from most Kansas City Royals prospect lists, Parker Morin is drawing attention by hitting for a .362/.391/.600 triple slash as a 24-year-old catcher in AA (in 111 plate appearances). This breakthrough follows two seasons in which his OPS failed to top .600. The power is a particular surprise, since he has a career .357 slugging percentage. Morin was a 14th round pick in 2012 and was drafted from the University of Utah.

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was in line for the loss, as he allowed a run in the top of the ninth to break the 4-4 tie. McCarthy allowed that one run on four hits and a walk over three innings. He struck out four in earning his first Double-A victory.

Lane Adams went 2-for-4 with a solo home run. He extended his hitting streak to 15 games.

Christian Binford got the start for the Naturals and allowed four runs (three earned) on ten hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out one.

Wilmington lost their seventh straight, with a 3-1 loss to Carolina.

Jake Junis was the hard luck loser, as he allowed all three runs on six hits and a walk over seven innings. He struck out five. Yender Caramo threw two perfect innings of relief with two strikeouts.

The Blue Rocks lone run came via Ryan O’Hearn‘s 1st inning sac fly. Humberto Arteaga collected three of the team’s six total hits.

Lexington lost to Greenville, 6-2.

Foster Griffin dropped to 0-5, as he allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out six and induced eight ground outs. Nineteen-year-old Foster Griffin was the KC Royals other first round draft pick in 2014, whom MLB.com ranks as the team’s 8th best prospect. He’s suffered through a rough debut in full-season ball with a ghastly 6.86 ERA and a high 3.7 BB/9. Griffin is, however, three years younger than the average player in the South Atlantic League.

Torey Deshazier followed and allowed four runs on four hits and three walks over two innings. He struck out four. Brennan Henry pitched a scoreless inning of relief.

On offense for the Legends, Wander Franco went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Luis Valenzuela and Alexis Rivera each had two hits in the loss.

Burlington lost to Elizabethton, 12-5.

The Royals collected seven hits, including four doubles. Austin Bailey and Brian Bien each had two hits and a double in the loss.

Julio Pinto took the loss, as he allowed five runs (three earned, though he had two errors) on four hits and a walk over two innings (and seven batters into the third). Alex Luna then allowed two runs on three hits and a walk over four innings. He struck out three.

Matt Ditman allowed two unearned runs on two hits in the seventh, before Eric Sandness allowed three runs on three hits and three walks in the eighth.

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