Omaha Royals Game Notes
June 10, 2006 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
JUNE 10, 2006, 6:05 p.m. : OMAHA ROYALS (25-36) vs. Oklahoma RedHawks (29-32) HOME: 16-17 (35-37 in â05) AWAY: 9-19 (37-35 in '05) vs. Oklahoma: 0-2 (7-9 in '05)
TONIGHT: The Royals host the Oklahoma RedHawks in a 6:05 p.m. game at Rosenblatt Stadium. It's game 3 of a 4-game series, which the RedHawks lead 2-0. It's Faith & Family Night, featuring the popular Christian rock band "The Afters" performing in concert after the game. Air-time is 5:45 p.m. on Magic 1490 and at www.Oroyals.com.
LAST NIGHT: Oklahoma jumped out to an early 5-0 lead and hung on for an 8-7 win. Adam Hyzdu had an RBI single and was part of a double steal in a 3-run 1st inning, then doubled home 2 runs in the 3rd inning to put the RedHawks on top 5-0. Justin Huber smacked a 3-run homer in the 4th and, after Oklahoma scored an unearned run off Brian Boehringer (0-2) in the 5th, Paul Phillips hit a 2-run homer to make it 6-5. Hyzdu collected his 4th RBI on a 7th inning double and scored on a single by Laynce Nix, who had 3 RBI, extending the lead to 8-5. With 2 outs in the 9th, Ruben Gotay drove in a run with a double and scored on Phillips' single, giving the Omaha catcher 3 RBI. C.J. Wilson retired Mike Aviles on a foul pop to first to end the game and pick up his 1st save. Robinson Tejeda (2-2) got the win, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits over 5.0 innings.
ROYALS REPORT: Chad Allen left last night's game in the 4th inning after taking a pitch off his left arm. Allen flied out in his only at-bat, ending his team-high hitting streak at 14 games. Allen hit . 456 (26-57) during the streak. His .340 average on the season ranks 3rd in the PCL. *** The Royals are now 6-12 in games decided by 1 run, losing 7 of the last 9 one-run decisions. *** With 3 more RBI last night, Phillips has 12 RBI in his last 8 games, after driving in 15 runs in his 1st 41 starts behind the plate. Phillips is hitting .344 (11-32) with 2 homers over that 8-game stretch. *** Huber's home run last night was his club-leading 9th of the season. Oddly it was also the Royals 1st 3-run homer of the season, coming in the club's 61st game. The Royals have hit 50 other round-trippers, including 31 solos, 18 two-run shots 1 grand slam. *** Oklahoma made 2 terrific defensive plays last night to help the RedHawks win for the 9th time in 11 games. Phillips was robbed of an extra-base hit in the 4th when center fielder Freddy Guzman crashed into the left-center field fence to haul in his long drive. And the Royals were trailing 6-5 with 2 outs and the bases full in the 6th, when Kerry Robinson's sharp grounder was stopped in shallow right by second baseman Drew Meyer's dive, with Robinson thrown out at first on a close play. *** Scoring changes following last night's contest gave singles to Ricky Bell and Andres Blanco and took 2 errors away from Oklahoma. Bell's single ended an 0-for-15 drought, although he's still in a 4-for-39 (.103) funk. *** Gotay had been in a 1-for-21 slide prior to his 9th inning double. The rough stretch follows a 12-game span where he hit .396 (19-48). *** Oklahoma had 3 stolen bases in the 1st inning last night and 4 for the game, 1 shy of a season high for an opposing club. *** Omaha batters matched a season high by walking 7 times last night, although only 2 of those runners wound up scoring.
STARTERS: RH Edinson Volquez (3-5, 4.48) vs. LH J.P. Howell (3-2, 5.76) Howell makes his 7th start of the season and his 2nd since landing on the disabled list for more than a month with shoulder stiffness. The 23-year old lefty's return to the rotation was Monday at Round Rock. The former Longhorn star was not involved in the decision in a 4-3 win (2.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR). In 2005, Howell raced through 3 levels of the minors and got his first taste of the big leagues in just his 2nd professional season. He began the season with Class-A High Desert, making 8 starts before jumping to Double-A Wichita - where he made just 3 starts before being promoted to Omaha. In 7 starts at Triple-A, Howell went 3-1 and posted a 4.06 ERA. In his 18 minor league starts combined, he was 8-2 with a 2.83 ERA. Howell had his contract purchased by KC on June 11 and wound up making 15 starts for KC, going 3-5 with a 6.19 ERA. He enjoyed the 2nd-quickest rise through the Royals organization in club history, as only Bo Jackson had a quicker trip to the Majors. Howell was KC's sandwich pick between the 1st and 2nd rounds (31st overall) in the 2004 draft out of the University of Texas. In 2004 as a junior with Texas, he was the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and a finalist for the Roger Clemens Award, given annually to the top college pitcher. Howell pitched for the Longhorns in the College World Series in 2003 (3rd place) and 2004 (runner-up to Cal. St.-Fullerton); he posted a 0.77 ERA in the 2004 CWS.
PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES: Sun., 1:35: RH Nick Masset (1-3, 9.00) vs. RH Denny Bautista (NR)
Pacific Coast League Stories from June 10, 2006
- Beavers Top Cats in 10 Innings - Sacramento River Cats
- Isotopes Drop See-Saw Battle to Memphis, 6-5 - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Sidewinders improve to 7-0 on the homestand with 6-1 victory over Bees - Tucson Sidewinders
- Express Wins One, Drops One - Round Rock Express
- RedHawks pitching stifles Omaha 1-0 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Zephyrs defeat Sounds - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Omaha Royals Game Notes - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Oklahoma RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Beavers achieve perfection against River Cats - Portland Beavers
- Beavers Throw Perfect Game Against River Cats in Second Half of Twin-Bill - Sacramento River Cats
- Tucson keeps rolling with another walk off win over Salt Lake, 8-7 - Tucson Sidewinders
- RedHawks open big lead, hold on 8-7 - Oklahoma City Comets
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