Royals: Varied Results on Minors Opening Weekend

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Feb 25, 2016; Surprise, AZ, USA; Kansas City Royals first baseman Balbino Fuenmayor poses for a portrait during photo day at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

The first weekend for the Royals’ minor league teams had a little bit of everything as far as results go — a split in Omaha, 3 wins out of 4 for Lexington, and struggles in NW Arkansas and Wilmington. The stars of the show ended up including Cheslor Cuthbert, Raul Mondesi, Bubba Starling, Hunter Dozier, Chase Vallot, Amalani Fukofuka and Ben Johnson at the plate and John Dziedzic, Alec Mills and Yunior Marte on the mound.

Omaha: Chasers split with New Orleans

Hitters:

3B Cheslor Cuthbert (4 games) 8-16, 2 BB, SF, 2B, HR, 8 RBI, 2 K, RS, 3 E

2B Whit Merrifield (4 games) 5-14, 2 BB, 2 2B, RBI, 3 K, 3 RS, 2 SB

CF Brett Eibner (4 games) 5-15, 3 BB, SF, 2B, 2 RBI, 5 K, 5 RS, SB

1B Balbino Fuenmayor (3 games) 2-12, BB, HBP, 2B, 3 K, RS

LF Jose Martinez (4 games) 3-13, 3 BB, RBI, 4 K, 2 RS

C Tony Cruz (3 games) 4-10, 3 BB, RBI, 2 K, RS

RF Jorge Bonifacio (3 games) 3-14, 2 RBI, 5 K, SB

1B Cody Decker (3 games) 3-8, 2 BB, 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 5 K, 3 RS, E

RF Jarrod Dyson (2 games) 1-4, 2 BB, K, RBI, 2 RS

SS Dusty Coleman 2 hits, HR, 3 RBI Saturday

DH Travis Snider 2 hits, 2B, RS Sunday

Pitchers:

SP Miguel Almonte (start Thursday) 1/3 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 2 H, 4 BB, K, HRA — L, 0-1, 108.00 ERA

SP John Lannan (Fri.) 5 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 3 K — ND, 3.60 ERA

SP Luke Ferrell (Sat.) 4 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 3 H, 3 BB, 5 K, HRA, 2 WP — ND, 6.75 ERA

SP John Dziedzic (Sun.) 5 IP, 2 UER, 2 H, BB, 8 K, HRA – L, 0-1, 0.00 ERA

RP Brooks Pounders (Thu.) 2 IP, 3 K — 0.00 ERA

RP Brian Flynn (Sat.) 3 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 BB, K, WP

** If not for 2 innings of damage, Omaha would have swept their opening series of the season vs. the Zephyrs. As it is, they had to settle for a split. Miguel Almonte didn’t survive his first inning pitched of the 2016 season as he gave up a grand slam in a 5-run New Orleans 1st. The Zephyrs would win, 6-3.

In Friday’s game 2, the teams combined for 5 runs in the 1st and the Chasers led, 5-2, going into the 8th. Malcom Culver blew the save with a 2-run Zephyr 9th but Cruz took a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the 9th to get Omaha the 6-5 win. Game 3 was another slugfest as it was 9-4 Omaha after 3 innings and the Storm Chasers held off the Zephyrs for an 11-8 win behind 4 hits from Cuthbert.

Cody Decker also made his starting debut in style with 2 HR in the win. In Sunday’s series finale, the Chaser bats stalled and the Zephyrs got 4 runs off Culver and RP David Huff in the 7th to make it 7-1. Omaha rallied for 3 in the 8th but the Zephyrs closed out the win to split the set. Decker struck out 5 times and Eibner, Snider and Cruz had 2 hits each in the loss.

Round Rock (AAA Rangers) visits Omaha for 4 games this week.

Next: NW Arkansas

Mar 30, 2016; Surprise, AZ, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Raul Mondesi (27) looks on form the dugout during the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /

NW Arkansas: Naturals explode offensively to get first win Sunday

Hitters:

SS Raul Mondesi (4 games) 5-16, BB, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 K, 4 RS, 1/2 SB, 2 E

CF Bubba Starling (2 games) 2-8, HBP, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 RS, 3 K

3B Hunter Dozier (4 games) 4-13, 2 BB, HBP, 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 RS, 3 K, SB

C Zane Evans (2 games) 2-8, 2B, 2 K, PB, E

RF Orlando Calixte (4 games) 4-13, 4 BB, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 3 RS, 2 K, 2/3 SB, E, 2 OF assists at home

C Cam Gallagher (2 games) 0-7, BB, 2 K

1B Frank Schwindel RBI Friday, 2 hits Sunday

1B Mauricio Ramos 3 hits, 2B, HR, 3 RBI Sunday

Pitchers:

SP Alec Mills (Thu.) 5 IP, ER, 4 H, 7 K — L, 0-1, 1.80 ERA

SP Matt Strahm (Fri.) 5 IP, 2 H, 4 K — ND, 0.00 ERA

SP Christian Binford (Sat.) 4 1/3 IP, 8 R (7 ER), 11 H, BB, 2 K — L, 0-1, 14.54 ERA

SP Jake Junis (Sun.) 4 1/3 IP, ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 5 K, WP — ND, 2.08 ERA

RP Yender Caramo 5 2/3 scoreless IP in 2 appearances

** The Naturals got swept by Frisco to start the season on a sour note but bounced back against Midland Sunday. The Naturals couldn’t figure out SP Frank Lopez on opening day and squandered a solid start from Alec Mills in a 2-0 loss. Evans was the lone bright spot offensively with 2 hits, including a double. A big Frisco 6th keyed the Riders’ game 2 win. Matt Strahm had a fairly lockdown start over 5 innings but RP Estarlin Cordero got nicked for 5 runs in the 6th.

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The Rocks put up more fight in game 2 as it was 2-2 late but 3 late Potomac runs got the Nationals the 5-2 win. A Bailey RBI single tied the game in the 2nd and a run-scoring Potomac error tied it at 2 in the 7th. Errors by Hernandez and RP Josh Staumont on a 2-run play in the 8th cracked it open and the last 6 Rocks went down in order.

Fernandez had a solid start but ended up with a no-decision in the loss. Saturday’s game was a rain/snowout set to be made up 4/21. Sunday the struggles resumed as Potomac scored 6 late runs to get the 9-4 win. O’Hearn doubled and scored in the 5th to tie it at 3 but the Nats got to RPs Mark McCoy and Tim Hill for 4 runs in the 6th. Two Wilmington hits in the 9th ended up as a fruitless rally. Tenuta walked 4 and gave up 2 longballs in his 1st start of the season.

The Rocks start a 3-game set with Carolina (A-Adv. Atlanta) on Monday then have another set with Potomac on the road.

Next: Lexington Legends

Oct 28, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton Moore before game six of the 2014 World Series against the San Francisco Giants at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports /

Lexington: Legends take 3 of 4 to start campaign

Hitters:

C Chase Vallot (4 games) 7-14, 4 BB, SF, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 5 K, 4 RS, 4 PB

RF Amalani Fukofuka (4 games) 6-17, 2 BB, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 4 K, 3 RS, picked off (Fri.)

CF Cody Jones (3 games) 2-12, 2 BB, 2 RBI, SB, 7 K, RS

2B D.J. Burt (4 games) 4-12, 2 BB, 3 2B, 3 RBI, 2 K, 4 RS, 0/1 SB, E

LF Anderson Miller (3 games) 1-9, 4 BB, S, 3B, SB, 5 K, 4 RS

SS Marten Gasparini (4 games) 2-14, 3 BB, SF, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 8 K, 3 RS, SB, 3 E

LF/DH Ben Johnson (4 games) 5-13, 3 BB, 2B, 3B, 7 RBI, 2 K, SB, 5 RS, E

1B Samir Duenez 3 hits, 2 RS Saturday; 2 hits, 2 RBI Sunday

1B Brandon Dulin 3B, 2 RBI Sunday

Pitchers:

SP Scott Blewett (Thu.) 4 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K, HRA — ND, 6.23 ERA

SP Foster Griffin (Fri.) 4 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 3 BB, K, HRA — ND, 2.25 ERA

SP Corey Ray (Sat.) 4 1/3 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 5 H, BB, 4 K, E — ND, 2.08 ERA

SP Nolan Watson (Sun.) 3 IP, 7 R (6 ER), 9 H, 2 BB, 4 K, HRA, balk — ND, 18.00 ERA

RP Jacob Bodner (Thu.) IP, H, BB, K — SV, 0.00 ERA

RP Niklas Stephenson (Fri.) 3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, BB, 3 K, HRA — BS, 1, W, 1-0, 6.00 ERA

RP Yunior Marte (Sat.) 4 2/3 IP, ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 K, WP — W, 1-0, 1.93 ERA

RP Kyle Kubat (Sun.) 3 IP, H, K — 0.00 ERA

** The Legends got off to the best start of any Royals farm team in taking 3 of 4 from Lakewood. Game 1 saw Lexington score 5 early runs thanks to a 2-run Jones single and a 3-run Fukofuka homer for his 1st of the season. Lakewood closed it to 5-4 but Miller tripled and scored in the 7th and Vallot added an insurance RBI double in the 8th to cement the 7-4 win.

Royals: Varied Results On Minors Opening Weekend

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