PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Royals Game Notes

Published on April 10, 2007 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


APRIL 10, 2007, 7:05 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (1-4) @ Round Rock Express (4-1)

HOME: 0-0 (31-41 in '06) AWAY: 1-4 (22-50 in '06) vs. Round Rock: 0-1 (5-11 in '06)

TONIGHT: The Royals visit Round Rock for game 2 of a 4-game series. The Royals are 0-1 in the series and 1-4 on the road trip. Omaha's home opener will be Friday, April 13th at 7:05 p.m., when the Royals host Albuquerque at Rosenblatt Stadium. Air-time tonight is 6:45 p.m. at www.Oroyals.com. The game will also be tape-delayed and aired on News Talk 1420 KOTK following the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights hockey game.

LAST NIGHT: Round Rock erased the Royals 2-0 lead by scoring 6 runs in the bottom of the 2nd inning, and held on for an 8-6 win in the series opener. Omaha starter Ben Hendrickson (0-1) walked the bases full with 1 out in the 2nd. Express first baseman Mark Saccomanno cleared the bases with a double to center field, giving Round Rock the lead. After another walk, left fielder Josh Anderson delivered a 2-run triple and scored on a throwing error by Royals second baseman Andres Blanco. Anderson went 4-for-5 on the night, with 2 RBI, 2 stolen bases and a run scored. Hendrickson allowed 7 runs (6 earned) on 6 hits and 4 walks with 1 strikeout in 3.0 innings. Express reliever Stephen Randolph (2-0) got the win after striking out 4 in 3.0 scoreless frames. Miguel Asencio surrendered a run in the 9th, but finished the contest to pick up his 1st save.

ROYALS REPORT: After committing just 2 errors in their 1st series, the Royals were charged with 4 errors in last night's contest leading to a pair of unearned runs. *** Shortstop Angel Berroa, who committed 2 of those errors, did not collect 2 hits last night for the 1st time this season. However, Berroa singled in the 9th inning, extending his hitting streak to 5 games. Berroa's .450 (9-20) average is tied for 8th-best in the PCL. *** Royals left fielder Billy Butler and DH Graham Koonce belted back-to-back home runs in the 3rd inning last night, cutting Round Rock's lead to 6-5. Butler and Koonce have combined to hit all 4 of the Royals home runs this season. It was the 1st time that Omaha batters have smacked back-to-back jacks this season, after turning the trick 4 times in 2006. Koonce has homered in back-to-back games. The last Royal to go deep in 3 straight: Shane Costa, who did it from July 16-18, 2006. *** Costa has not played this season since taking a pitch off his batting helmet in his 1st at-bat during last Thursday's season opener at Albuquerque. He's day-to-day with a sore right cheek. *** Third baseman Mike Aviles, who was 2-for-10 at the plate entering last night's tilt, went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored, becoming the 1st Royals batter to post a 3-hit game this season. *** Aviles was thrown out attempting to steal 2nd base in the 3rd inning last night. The Royals are just 1-for-4 in steal attempts so far this season. *** Making his 2nd start of the year behind the plate last night, catcher Matt Tupman had a good night at the plate, delivering his 1st 2 hits and 1st RBI of the campaign. *** Royals relievers Thad Markray and Neal Musser both made their 2nd appearance of the season last night and both kept their ERA at 0.00. Markray fired 3.0 scoreless stanzas, giving up 3 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 5. Musser allowed only 1 unearned run on 1 hit in 2.0 innings, fanning 1 batter.

STARTERS: RH Brian Bannister (0-1, 3.86) vs. RH Fernando Nieve (0-0, 2.25)

Bannister makes his 2nd start of the season, after taking the loss in a 9-3 defeat at Albuquerque on Opening Night (4.2 IP, 6 H, 7 R-2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HR). KC acquired the 26-year old righty from the New York Mets in exchange for reliever Ambiorix Burgos last December. Bannister made the Mets Opening Day roster in 2006, and went 2-1 with a 4.26 ERA in 8 games (6 starts) during an injury-shortened season. All 3 of his decisions came as a starter, when he posted a nifty 3.44 ERA. He made his Major League debut on April 5 vs. Washington in the Mets 2nd game of the season, no-hitting the Nationals for 5.1 innings. He settled for a no-decision after giving up 3 runs on 2 hits in 6.0 innings. Bannister suffered a strained right hamstring while running the bases in a game on April 26, caused him to miss most of the rest of the season. He would make a total of 8 rehab starts between Port St. Lucie and Norfolk, but wasn't activated by the Mets until August 24 and made only 1 more start and 2 relief appearances for New York. In 2005, Bannister earned Organizational Pitcher of the Year honors for the Mets after combining to go 13-5 with a 2.74 ERA in 26 starts for Binghamton and Norfolk. He was selected by the Mets in the 7th round of the 2003 draft out of Southern Cal. His father, Floyd, pitched in the Majors for 15 seasons, including 1988-89 with KC.

PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES:

Wed., 7:05: RH Zach Day (0-0, 5.40) vs. RH Matt Albers (0-1, 12.00)

Thur., 7:05: LH Tyler Lumsden (1-0, 0.00) vs. RH Juan Gutierrez (0-0, 1.80)

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 10, 2007


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