Omaha Royals (30-33) @ New Orleans (33-32)
June 11, 2008 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
TODAY: The Omaha Royals visit Zephyr Field in New Orleans for game 3 of a 4-game series and a 16-game road trip. The series is tied 1-1. 1st pitch is 12:00 p.m., with the pre-game show on the air at 11:40 a.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.oroyals.com.
LAST NIGHT: The Royals nearly threw their 1st combined no-hitter since 1997, settling for a 1-hit gem in a 13-0 whitewashing of New Orleans. Brandon Duckworth (3-5) fired 7.0 hitless innings, walking 1 and hitting 1 batter with a pitch. Roberto Giron relieved Duckworth to open the bottom of the 8th and, after retiring the 1st batter he faced on a ground out, gave up a single to the hole at short off the bat of Michel Abreu. Giron retired the next 2 batters and Joel Peralta tossed a perfect 9th inning, striking out 2 Z's. Every Royal scored at least 1 run and Chris Lubanski, who walked 4 times, was the only batter without a base-knock in Omaha's 17-hit attack. Newcomer Gookie Dawkins, playing 3rd base, and 2nd baseman David Matranga had 2 hits and 3 RBI apiece. Jason Smith bashed his club-leading 14th home run, a 2-run shot off Ruddy Lugo (4-5), who gave up 7 runs on 7 hits and 4 walks in 4.2 innings to take the loss.
ROYALS REPORT: Tuesday night's gem marked the 1st combined 1-hitter for Omaha's staff since June 20, 2007, also at New Orleans, when Billy Buckner and Ryan Braun turned the trick in a 3-1 victory. In that game, Buckner carried a no-hitter into the 8th, when David Newhan spoiled it with a leadoff double. The last combined no-hitter for the Royals occurred at Rosenblatt on April 17, 1997, when Jim Converse and Allen McDill no-hit the Oklahoma City 89ers in Omaha's 2-0 win. *** Pitching on 3 days' rest last night, Duckworth had his sinkerball working, retiring 14 of the 22 batters he faced on ground outs. He had lost each of his previous 4 starts and had not won in 6 outings since May 3. Duckworth, who pitched for New Orleans in 2004 when it was the Astros' top farm club, had faced New Orleans once before this season, pitching 3.0 innings in relief on April 21 at home and surrendering 2 runs on 2 hits. *** Last night marked the Royals' 1st shutout of the year, as Omaha became the last of the 16 PCL teams to record a shutout in 2008. Last season, the Royals staff posted 9 shutouts, 2 of those vs. New Orleans. *** Tuesday night's victory was the biggest shutout win for Omaha since April 17, 2001, when the Royals blanked Tucson 15-0 at home. In that game Chris Fussell, Brett Laxton and Shawn Sonnier combined on a 5-hitter. *** Last night was the 1st win for an Omaha starter since May 27, when Carlos Rosa picked up the win in the Royals' 5-2 triumph over Oklahoma. In 12 contests since then, before last night, Royals starters were 0-6 with a combined 5.79 ERA. *** Dawkins was acquired by KC on Monday from the White Sox in exchange for cash considerations. The 29-year old infielder, who played with Omaha in parts of the 2003 and 2004 seasons, began this year in the Phillies' organization. He opened the year at Triple-A Lehigh Valley and was sent to Double-A Reading, before being traded to Chicago on May 7 for shortstop Mike Rouse. Dawkins hit just .093 (4-for-43) in 12 games with Triple-A Charlotte prior to his big night for the Royals on Tuesday. In other moves yesterday, Peralta rejoined Omaha after being optioned from KC. He has pitched 11.0 scoreless innings for Omaha this year. And catcher Damaso Espino was sent to Idaho Falls. *** Billy Butler is on a season-long, 7-game hitting streak. He's 13-for-28 (.464) with a homer and 7 RBI during that span. *** Matranga, who played for New Orleans from 2001-2003, is 5-for-10 with 4 RBI and 3 runs scored in the 1st 2 games of this series. In the 7 tilts prior to this series, he was 2-for-20. On the year facing the Zephyrs, he's batting .529 (9-for-17) with a home run, 6 RBI and 7 runs scored. *** Since going 0-for-4 in his 1st game off the D.L., Ryan Shealy has gone 6-for-16 (.375) during a season-best, 4-game hitting streak. *** Lubanski is the 1st Royal to collect 4 walks in a game since Joey Gathright on April 16, 2007 vs. Albuquerque. Lubanski had walked just 17 times in his 1st 50 games this season.
STARTERS: LH Tyler Lumsden (2-7, 7.15) vs. RH Brian Stokes (6-5, 4.56)
Lumsden makes his 12th start of the season, his 1st vs. the Zephyrs. In his last outing vs. Iowa last Friday, the 25-year old lefty lost for the 6th time in his last 7 starts, as the Royals lost 13-2 in game 2 of a doubleheader (4.2 IP, 10 H, 8 R-7 ER, 3 BB, 0 K). Lumsden is 0-4 with an 8.90 ERA in 6 starts at home, while going 2-3 with a 5.13 ERA in 5 starts on the road. He was acquired by KC along with right-hander Daniel Cortes from the White Sox in exchange for Mike MacDougal in July 2006. He spent all of last season with Omaha, going 9-6 with a 5.88 ERA in 25 games (24 starts) during his 1st year at the Triple-A level. In 2 starts vs. the Z's last year, he was 1-0 with an 3.97 ERA. Following the season, Lumsden pitched for Surprise in the Arizona Fall League and was 1-0 with a 6.00 ERA in 7 relief appearances. He was ranked by Baseball America as KC's #13 prospect entering 2008, after being rated #5 prior to 2007. The same publication named him as having the Best Slider in the White Sox organization entering the 2006 season. In '06, he was 9-4 with a 2.69 ERA in 20 starts for the White Sox Double-A club, Birmingham. Following the trade to KC, he finished the '06 campaign at Wichita, going 2-1 with a 3.06 ERA in 7 games (6 starts). He missed the entire 2005 season after undergoing surgery on his left elbow. Lumsden was selected by the Chisox as a sandwich pick between the 1st and 2nd rounds (34th overall) of the 2004 draft after compiling a 17-7 record in 3 seasons at Clemson. He graduated from Cave Spring High School in Roanoke, Virginia, where he lettered all 4 years in baseball and basketball and was a hoops teammate of J.J. Redick, who went on to star at Duke. Out of high school, Lumsden was selected in the 5th round of the 2001 draft by the Marlins, but did not sign.
PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES:
Thur., 7:00 p.m.: RH Carlos Rosa (2-1, 3.96) vs. RH Nelson Figueroa (2-0, 2.40)
Pacific Coast League Stories from June 11, 2008
- 'Topes can't overcome early hole - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Beavers power their way past 51's - Portland Beavers
- Early homeruns propel Sidewinders - Tucson Sidewinders
- Parisi pitches Redbirds by Cubs - Memphis Redbirds
- Aguila Called Up to Mets - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Royals top Zephyrs - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Sounds Suffer Third Straight Loss To RedHawks - Nashville Sounds
- Armstrong Reassigned to Cedar Rapids - Salt Lake Bees
- Nashville Sounds (27-37) at Oklahoma RedHawks (34-31) - Oklahoma City Comets
- Omaha Royals (30-33) @ New Orleans (33-32) - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Sounds Open Fun-Filled Homestand On Tuesday At Greer - Nashville Sounds
- Las Vegas Passes Up Beavers With 13-Run Inning - Portland Beavers
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