PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Royals game notes

Published on June 29, 2006 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


JUNE 29, 2006, 8:05 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (30-49) @ Albuquerque Isotopes (43-37)

HOME: 16-19 (35-37 in '05) AWAY: 14-30 (37-35 in '05) vs. Albuquerque: 4-7 (4-12 in '05)

TONIGHT: The Royals conclude their 17-game road trip with an 8:05 p.m. game at Albuquerque. The Isotopes lead the series 3-0. Omaha is 5-11 on the trip. Air-time is 7:45 p.m. on Magic 1490 and at www.Oroyals.com.

LAST NIGHT: Albuquerque ended Tuesday night's suspended game with a walkoff homer in the 9th inning, then used a 2-run rally in the 8th inning to win the regularly scheduled contest, taking both games by 6-5 scores. Tuesday night's suspended affair was resumed in the bottom of the 8th, with Leo Nunez on the mound for Omaha. The game was decided on the 1st pitch from Nunez (0-2) in the bottom of the 9th, as Paul Hoover smacked a home run over the left field fence. Ross Wolf (2-1) picked up the win with a scoreless inning. In the regularly scheduled game, Aaron Guiel, who had tied Tuesday's game with a solo homer in the 8th inning just prior to the rain, hit a 2-run shot in the 8th to put the Royals ahead 5-4. In the bottom of the 8th, the Isotopes got consecutive, 2-out RBI singles by Mark Little and Chris Ashby to pin the loss on Eddie Yarnall (2-2). J.B. Miadich (1-0) got credit for the win. Brad Clontz pitched a perfect 9th to earn his 13th save.

ROYALS REPORT: Outfielder Chad Allen was elected today to the PCL All-Star team as the club's designated hitter, while catcher Paul Phillips was selected to the squad as the backup catcher. Royals manager Mike Jirschele will skipper the PCL vs. the International League All-Stars in the July 12th Triple-A All-Star Game at Fifth Third Field in Toledo. Over his last 27 games, Allen is hitting .386 (39-101) with 2 home runs and 18 RBI. *** Following last night's action, the Royals are now 7-17 in 1-run games and 7-10 in contests decided in the final at-bat. Omaha began the season winning each of its 1st 5 games that were decided in the last at-bat. *** Hoover's walk-off round tripper last night was the 1st for an Omaha opponent since June 14, 2005 when Ian Kinsler smacked a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 12th to give Oklahoma a 5-3 win over the Royals. *** Shane Costa is riding a 7-game hitting streak, hitting at a .400 (12-30) clip during the string, with 2 homers, 6 RBI and 8 runs scored. *** Mike Aviles has hit in 6 straight games (.458, 11-24, 2 HR, 2 RBI) and has a .364 (16-44) average over his past 11 contests, upping his average 22 points to .252. *** Fernando Cortez started at 1st base last night, the third position he has played in 6 games with the Royals. Cortez, who has also played 2nd and 3rd base, has hit in all 6 games with Omaha, going 8-for-25 (.320). *** Shane Loux and Yarnall were each charged with blown saves in the past 2 games, giving the Royals bullpen 11 blown saves in 26 chances. *** Prior to homering in back-to-back contests, Guiel had been in an 11-for-65 (.169) slide at the plate. *** Phillips homered off former battery mate Chris George Tuesday. He had been mired in a 6-for-43 (.140) slump prior to the game. *** Ruben Gotay had 3 hits and 2 RBI in Tuesday's contest, making him 6-for-11 with 5 RBI in a 3-game span. He went 0-for-3 in last night's regularly scheduled game, but still drove in a run and scored once. *** Andres Blanco has just 4 hits in his last 36 at-bats, a .111 average.

STARTERS: RH Mike MacDougal (0-1, 13.50)/Runelvys Hernandez (4-4, 5.01) vs. LH Renyel Pinto (6-2, 2.63)

MacDougal makes his 4th rehab assignment start for Omaha and 5th overall. Hernandez is scheduled to follow him to the hill for his 9th appearance with Omaha (2nd in relief). MacDougal's last start was Monday in the opening game of this series; a no-decision in the Royals 4-2 loss (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K). His 1st rehab assignment start was for Wichita, on June 18 at Arkansas. MacDougal is coming back from a strained muscle in his right shoulder, suffered in mid-March. In 2005, MacDougal was named the Bruce Rice Royals Pitcher of the Year. The KC closer was 5-6 with a 3.33 ERA and 21 saves. MacDougal was KC's 1st round pick (25th overall) in the 1999 draft out of Wake Forest. Hernandez' last appearance was in relief of MacDougal last Saturday at Iowa, when Runelvys got the win in Omaha's 10-4 victory (6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 3 K). In his last 3 games (2 starts), Hernandez is 2-1 with a 1.96 ERA. Hernandez made 7 starts for KC this season, going 1-4 with a 7.44 ERA. In 2005, Hernandez made 29 starts for KC, after missing the 2004 season due to Tommy John surgery. He was 8-14 with a 5.52 ERA last season, setting career highs in wins, losses, starts and innings pitched (159.2). He was 6-9 with a 4.53 ERA prior to the 2005 All-Star break, but went 2-5 with a 7.69 ERA in the 2nd half. Hernandez was signed by KC as a non-drafted free agent in January 1998 out of the Dominican Republic.

PROBABLES FOR SERIES VS. IOWA:

Fri., 7:05: RH Jae-Kuk Ryu (2-6, 3.84) vs. RH Luke Hudson (2-0, 2.80)

Sat., 6:05: LH Rich Hill (5-1, 1.91) vs. RH Brian Boehringer (1-4, 3.38)

Sun., 6:05: LH Ryan O'Malley (4-4, 4.50) vs. TBA

Mon., 6:05: LH Les Walrond (7-2, 3.55) vs. RH Denny Bautista (0-2, 6.88)

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 29, 2006


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