PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Royals game notes

Published on August 3, 2006 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


AUGUST 3, 2006, 7:05 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (44-68) vs. Portland Beavers (54-57)

HOME: 26-27 (35-37 in '05) AWAY: 18-41 (37-35 in '05) vs. Portland: 0-1 (3-1 in '05)

TONIGHT: The Royals host the Portland Beavers in a 7:05 p.m. game at Rosenblatt Stadium. It's Thursty Thursday featuring drink specials, courtesy of Dex Media, Miller Brands, Z-92 and Suburban Newspapers. Air-time is 6:45 p.m. on Magic 1490 and at www.Oroyals.com.

LAST NIGHT: Paul McAnulty and Jack Cust homered in a 5-run 6th inning as Portland won the series opener 9-4. McAnulty's 2-run shot broke a 1-1 tie and Cust crushed a 3-run homer off Kyle Middleton (0-6), who allowed 6 runs on 11 hits over 7.0 innings. Beavers lefty Roger Deago (4-3) picked up the win after yielding 2 runs on 6 hits over 7.0 innings. Mike Sweeney went 1-for-4 with a single and a run scored in his 1st rehab assignment game with Omaha.

ROYALS REPORT: Sweeney could be back with KC by next Tuesday, according to KC manager Buddy Bell, who added, "but we also want to be careful." Catcher Paul Bako was recalled by KC last night from his rehab assignment with Wichita. To make room for him, Paul Phillips was optioned to Omaha. Phillips, who was recalled by KC on July 8 after Bako injured his right oblique (side) muscle, batted .273 (6-22) with 1 RBI in 8 games for the parent club. *** Mike Coolbaugh, who had the night off Wednesday, is riding an 11-game hitting streak. During the streak, which is tied for the 3rd longest for a Royal this season, Coolbaugh is batting .296 (16-54) with 2 home runs and 7 RBI. *** Jeff Keppinger and Kerry Robinson both extended their hit strings last night to 10 straight. Keppinger is hitting .476 (20-42) with 2 home runs, 13 RBI and 12 runs scored during his streak. He owns a .415 average in 13 games with Omaha. When he was called out on strikes in the 1st inning last night, it marked his 1st strikeout in his 56th plate appearance for the Royals. Robinson has gone 20-for-39 (.513) with 11 RBI and 10 runs scored during his season-best 10-gamer, which he extended in the bottom of the 9th with an RBI single off the first base bag. *** Fernando Cortez, who has hit leadoff for the past 9 contests, has hit in 4 straight (4-14, RBI, 2 R) and is batting .333 (17-51) with 8 runs scored over the past dozen games. *** Chad Allen is 5-for-his-last-31 (.161), dropping his average 14 points to .315 and falling out of the PCL Top 10 in batting. *** Over their past 11 games, the Royals have been outscored 98-64. Omaha is 4-7 over that stretch. The Royals starters, who have been involved in every decision over those 11 games, have allowed 56 runs in 57.1 innings for an 8.79 ERA. *** KC has agreed to terms on a 4-year Major League contract with Luke Hochevar, the number 1 overall pick from the 2006 June Free Agent Draft. Hochevar will sign the contract Saturday and be placed on the Royals 40-man roster. He is only the 4th number 1 overall pick in the last 20 years to sign a Major League contract, joining Delmon Young (2003), Pat Burrell (1998) and Alex Rodriguez (1993). Financial terms of the deals were not disclosed and the Royals have not announced where they will assign the right-hander, who was a consensus first team All-America selection at the University of Tennessee in 2005 and was the winner of the Roger Clemens National Pitcher of the Year Award. *** Since joining the PCL in 2001, Portland is 11-2 at Rosenblatt Stadium, winning 5 in a row here. Overall, Portland is 17-12 vs. Omaha all-time.

STARTERS: RH Brian Sweeney (0-0, 2.57) vs. RH Seth Etherton (1-1, 5.57)

Etherton makes his 4th start (8th appearance) for Omaha, facing the team he opened the season with. The 29-year old right-hander's last appearance came in relief at Las Vegas last Thursday, when he was not involved in the decision in a 7-5 victory (2.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 4 K). His last start was June 23 at Iowa. In his 3 starts for Omaha, Etherton is 1-1 with a 6.60 ERA. He has no record and a 3.00 ERA in 4 relief appearances. KC acquired Etherton on May 26 from the Padres for a player to be named later or cash. He made 2 starts for KC, going 1-1 with a 9.39 ERA, before being optioned to Omaha on June 5. Etherton began the season with Portland, going 2-2 with a 4.38 ERA in 9 starts. He had been signed by KC as a free agent last November, but was selected by San Diego in the Major League portion of the 2005 Rule 5 Draft on December 8. In 2005 he made 3 starts for Oakland in May, going 1-1 with a 6.62 ERA. He spent most of last season with Sacramento, where he was 7-7 with a 2.72 ERA in 20 games (19 starts). Besides Oakland, he has pitched in the big leagues with Cincinnati (2003) and Anaheim (2000). Etherton attended the University of Southern California from 1995-1998 and was named Outstanding Pitcher for the Trojans 3 years in a row (1996-1998). He was selected by St. Louis in the 9th round of the 1997 draft, but did not sign. He signed with Anaheim as the Angels' 1st round pick (18th overall) in the 1998 draft.

PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES:

Fri., 7:05: RH Dewon Brazelton (3-3, 2.82) vs. TBA

Sat., 6:05: RH Tim Stauffer (5-10, 4.90) vs. RH Adam Bernero (4-3, 2.99)

Check out the Omaha Storm Chasers Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 3, 2006


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