NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



 Omaha Storm Chasers

Royals Game Notes

August 30, 2007 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


AUGUST 30, 2007, 7:00 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (70-69) @ Nashville Sounds (85-54)

HOME: 45-27 (31-41 in '06) AWAY: 25-42 (22-50 in '06) vs. Nashville: 7-8 (7-9 in '06)

TONIGHT: The Royals face the Nashville Sounds in a 7:00 p.m. game at Greer Stadium. Omaha is 1-2 in the series, which will be followed by a season-ending, 4-game set at Iowa. Air-time is 6:40 p.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.Oroyals.com.

WEDNESDAY: Mike Aviles smacked a solo home run in the top of the 15th inning and the Royals outlasted Nashville 3-2 in a game that went 4-hours-10 minutes after the start was delayed by rain for just over 2 hours. Aviles hit his 16th homer of the season with 2 outs in the 15th on a 1-0 pitch from Marino Salas (0-1), the 6th pitcher of the day for the Sounds. Thad Markray (7-7) picked up the win, after firing 3.0 innings of scoreless relief. Before Aviles' home run, neither team had scored since the 8th inning, when Mitch Maier's 13th home run of the season tied the game at 2-2.

ROYALS REPORT: Yesterday's contest matched the longest for the Royals in terms of innings this season. Omaha batters also equaled a season high by striking out 13 times. It was the 2nd time in the past 4 games that the Royals - the 2nd toughest team in the PCL to strike out - had compiled that many K's. *** Aviles grounded out in his 1st at-bat yesterday, extending his hitless streak to 18 at-bats. However, he wound up 3-for-6 including the game-deciding home run, which left him 5 RBI shy of his career high of 80 RBI. *** Maier has cracked 3 home runs in the past 6 games, after going deep 10 times in his 1st 129 tilts. *** Markray is 2-0 and has hurled 6.0 scoreless innings over his last 3 relief outings. *** Roberto Giron fired 4.0 hitless innings of relief Wednesday. He has worked 4.0 shutout stanzas in each of his last 2 appearances, after allowing 4 runs in 3.0 innings of a loss on August 19 vs. Albuquerque. Giron owns a 1.59 ERA over 14 games in July and August. *** Luke Hochevar went a career-high 8.0 innings in yesterday's start, giving up 2 runs - 1 earned - on 6 hits. He did not issue a walk and struck out 5. Hochevar has a 2.84 ERA over his last 3 starts, yielding 6 earned runs in 19.0 innings, waking just 4 batters while striking out 17. He's 0-1 over that stretch, but it has trimmed his ERA from 6.82 to 5.37. *** Justin Huber was 3-for-6 Wednesday, matching his season high with his 3rd 3-hit game. In the 1st 3 games of this series, he's 6-for-12 with 2 home runs and 3 RBI. *** Mike Sweeney went 1-for-6 with a double and an RBI yesterday. In 5 games of his rehab assignment, he's hitting .176 (3-17) with 1 RBI. *** Yesterday's win gives Omaha a 10-9 record in extra-inning contests and a 19-16 mark in games decided in the final at-bat. The victory also assures the Royals of a winning month. Omaha is 16-12 in August with 2 games remaining this month.

STARTERS: LH Tyler Lumsden (9-5, 6.04) vs. LH Adam Pettyjohn (11-4, 3.96)

Lumsden makes his 24th start and 25th appearance of the season. The 24-year old lefty's last start was in the nightcap of last Friday's doubleheader vs. Round Rock - he combined with Neal Musser on a 4-hitter in an 8-0 victory (6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K). He had walked 16 batters in 12.0 innings over his previous 3 starts, but was 1-0 despite posting an 8.25 ERA over that span. Lumsden has won his last 4 decisions, with his last loss coming on June 18 at Nashville. He has lost both of his starts and has a 12.38 ERA (11 ER in 8.0 IP) vs. the Sounds. Lumsden is 5-2 with a 5.50 ERA at home, while going 4-3 with a 6.52 ERA on the road. Entering this season, he was ranked by Baseball America as KC's #5 prospect and 2nd-best pitching prospect. Lumsden was acquired by KC along with right-hander Daniel Cortes from the Chicago White Sox last July, in a trade for reliever Mike MacDougal. After missing the entire 2005 season following surgery on his left elbow, he was terrific in 2006. In 20 starts for Double-A Birmingham, he was 9-4 with a 2.69 ERA, which ranked 4th in the Southern League. After the trade to KC, he made 7 appearances (6 starts) for Double-A Wichita, going 2-1 with a 3.06 ERA. Lumsden was selected by the White Sox as a sandwich pick between the 1st and 2nd rounds (34th overall) of the 2004 draft, out of Clemson. He compiled a 17-7 record in his 3 seasons at Clemson and pitched for the Tigers in the 2002 College World Series.

PROBABLES FOR SERIES AT IOWA:

Fri., 7:05: LH Paul Mildren (6-7, 5.82) vs. RH Sean Gallagher (3-1, 2.66)

Sat., 7:05: RH Matt Wright (9-5, 4.15) vs. RH Juan Mateo (2-3, 4.05)

Sun., 1:05: RH Ben Hendrickson (11-5, 4.31) vs. LH J.R. Mathes (10-7, 5.38)

Mon., RH Luke Hochevar (1-3, 5.37) vs. RH Randy Wells (5-6, 4.76)


• Discuss this story on the Pacific Coast League message board...

Pacific Coast League Stories from August 30, 2007


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central