Royals: Varied Results On Minors Opening Weekend

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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NW Arkansas could once again get no traction on offense until it was pretty much too late as Frisco got the 6-3 win. The Frisco onslaught continued Saturday as the Riders coasted to a 9-1 win and lit up Binford in his first start of 2016. The lone highlight was Mondesi’s 1st homer of the season to tie it in the 1st.

The runs finally arrived on Sunday as a pair of 5-run innings helped the Naturals to a 16-2 win over Midland (AA Oakland). A Calixte 3-run double capped a 5-run 3rd and Starling and Dozier homered in a 5-run 4th. Mondesi and Dozier homered in the 5th to make it 12-1, and Starling and Ramos added late homers to put the exclamation point on the win.

The 3-game set with Midland continues before the Naturals hit the road for a 3-game set at Frisco as they’ll try to avenge the sweep.

Next: High-A Wilmington