Royals Game Notes
April 16, 2007 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
APRIL 16, 2007, 11:05 a.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (4-7) vs. Albuquerque Isotopes (5-5)
HOME: 2-1 (31-41 in '06) AWAY: 2-6 (22-50 in '06) vs. Albuquerque: 3-4 (5-11 in '06)
TODAY: The Royals host Albuquerque in the final game of the series, which Omaha leads 1-0. It's an 11:05 a.m. 1st pitch for the annual Cox Communications Home Run for Youth Day, with more than 9,000 area students scheduled to attend the contest, courtesy of Cox Communications. Air-time 10:45 a.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.Oroyals.com.
SUNDAY: With the scored tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the 8th, Billy Butler stroked a 2-run single through the left side of a drawn-in Isotopes infield, lifting the Royals to a 3-1 victory. Butler's second hit of the game scored Angel Berroa, who had singled to lead off the inning, and Shane Costa, who had laid down a sacrifice bunt. On that play, Lee Gardner (0-1) made a high throw down the right field line that put runners at 2nd and 3rd for Butler. Royals starter Brian Bannister took a 1-0 shutout into the 7th, before Scott Seabol led off that inning by belting his 2nd home run of the season over the left-center field wall. That home run took Albuquerque starter Chris George (5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R) off the hook for a loss. Neal Musser (1-0) wound up getting the win, after firing 2.0 perfect innings, striking out 3 'Topes.
ROYALS REPORT: The Royals have posted back-to-back wins for the 1st time this season. Sunday marked the 1st time this season that a game involving Omaha has been decided in the final at-bat. It was also the 1st time the Royals won when scoring 4 runs or fewer, after losing their 1st 6 such games. *** Butler, whose RBI double in the 1st inning Sunday had given the Royals an early 1-0 lead, posted the team's 1st 3-RBI game of the season. Omaha's cleanup batter, who hadn't knocked in a run in the previous 4 games, raised his club-leading RBI total to 10, tied for 5th-most in the PCL. *** Bannister's strong outing yesterday lowered his ERA from 2.31 to 1.93. He ranks 3rd in the league with 18.2 innings pitched over his 1st 3 starts, striking out a team-high 13 batters (including 6 yesterday), while issuing only 4 walks. *** In his 1st 4 relief appearances, Musser has allowed just 1 unearned run and 3 hits over 7.0 innings, walking just 1 batter and fanning 7. *** Omaha's pitching staff has compiled 26 strikeouts over 27.0 innings in the 1st 3 games of this series. *** Mitch Maier went 1-for-3 on Sunday, with his 6th inning single extending his hitting streak to 6 games. During the string, which is tied for the longest this season for a Royal, Maier is hitting .333 (8-24). *** Returning to action Sunday after missing 5 games with a tight groin, Berroa's 8th inning single gave the Royals shortstop at least 1 hit in all 6 games he has played in this season. *** Costa is 4-for-8 with an RBI and 3 runs scored in the past 2 contests, after going 1-for-18 to begin the campaign. *** Fernando Cortez was 0-for-3 yesterday, halting his hitting streak at 5 games. He went 8-for-18 (.444) with 3 RBI during the streak.
STARTERS: RH Jeff Fulchino (1-0, 6.52) vs. RH Zach Day (0-0, 3.86)
Day makes his 3rd start of the season, working on a pitch limit as he rebounds from shoulder surgery last summer. Matt Wright has followed Day to the mound in both of his starts and wound up taking the loss each time in a pair of 1-run decisions. The day-by-day on Day's starts: last Wednesday at Round Rock (3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 0 K) and April 6 at Albuquerque (1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 1 K). The 28-year old right-hander was signed by KC as a minor league free agent last December, after spending most of the past 5 seasons pitching in the Major Leagues with Montreal, Washington and Colorado. Day began the 2006 season with the Rockies, going 1-2 with a 10.80 ERA in 3 starts before being released on April 21. He was claimed by the Washington on April 26 and made 5 starts for the Nationals and was 1-3 with a 4.73 ERA. Day was shut down following his May 22 start and underwent season-ending surgery to repair a partial tear in his right rotator cuff on June 6. The 2006 season marked the 4th straight campaign he has spent time on the disabled list. Day has compiled a 21-27 career Major League record with a 4.66 ERA, while going 54-46 with a 3.64 ERA in his minor league career. He has posted a 2.25 groundball/flyball ratio in his big league career, 7th-highest in baseball since 2002. In this decade, Day has been involved in trades for Preston Wilson, Milton Bradley and David Justice. He was originally selected by the New York Yankees in the 5th round of the 1996 draft out of LaSalle High in Cincinnati.
PROBABLES FOR SERIES VS. ROUND ROCK:
Tue., 6:35: RH Matt Albers (1-1, 4.50) vs. LH Tyler Lumsden (1-1, 7.56)
Wed., 6:35: RH Juan Gutierrez (0-1, 3.60) vs. RH Dewon Brazelton (0-2, 6.75)
Thur., 6:35: RH Chad Reineke (1-1, 7.56) vs. RH Ben Hendrickson (1-1, 7.27)
Fri., 7:05: RH Chance Douglass (0-1, 7.71) vs. RH Brian Bannister (1-1, 1.93)
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 16, 2007
- Zephyrs top Sounds, 10-2 - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Zephyrs Avoid Sweep, Hand Sounds 10-2 Loss - Nashville Sounds
- Randy Johnson Scheduled To Make Second Start For Tucson Thursday - Tucson Sidewinders
- Lincecum Named PCL Pitcher of the Week - Fresno Grizzlies
- Portland rallies from 3-0 deficit for afternoon victory - Portland Beavers
- Redbirds Avoid Sweep - Oklahoma City Comets
- 'Topes let lead slip away, fall 9-5 to Omaha - Albuquerque Isotopes
- PCL names players of the week - PCL1
- Oklahoma RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Royals Game Notes - Omaha Storm Chasers
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