Royals Game Notes
April 23, 2007 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
APRIL 23, 2007, 7:10 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (7-11) @ Memphis Redbirds (8-10)
HOME: 5-3 (31-41 in '06) AWAY: 2-8 (22-50 in '06) vs. Memphis: 0-2 (9-7 in '06)
TONIGHT: The Royals visit AutoZone Park for game 3 of a 4-game series vs. the Memphis Redbirds, which the Redbirds lead 2-0. Air-time is 6:50 p.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.Oroyals.com.
SUNDAY: Memphis jumped on Royals starter Tyler Lumsden for 4 runs in the 1st inning and 3 more in the 3rd and cruised to a 10-5 victory. Lumsden (1-3) worked 3.0 innings, allowing 7 runs on 5 hits and 4 walks, while striking out 3. Tagg Bozied knocked in 3 runs for the Redbirds, 2 coming on his 3rd home run of the season off Lumsden in the 3rd inning. Memphis starter Mike Smith (2-2) got the win, allowing just 2 runs on 4 hits over 6.0 innings. Billy Butler continued his hot hitting for the Royals, going 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, 4 RBI and 2 runs scored.
ROYALS REPORT: Butler has hit 2 home runs and racked up 10 RBI over the past 4 games. His 5 home runs on the season are tied for 3rd in the PCL, just 1 fewer than have been hit by Nashville's Ryan Braun and Jack Cust of Portland. Butler ranks 2nd in the league with 20 RBI, 3 behind the league-leading total of Iowa's Micah Hoffpauir. The 3-hit game Sunday was a season high for Butler, who has hit in 5 straight and in 8 of the past 9 games (.433, 13-30, 2 HR, 13 RBI). *** Shane Costa, who was 0-for-2 with a pair of walks entering the 9th inning Sunday, doubled to keep the game going and set the stage for Butler's 3-run homer. Costa's 3rd double of the season extended his hitting streak to 9 games, longest of 2007 for an Omaha batter. He's hitting at a .457 clip (16-35) over that span, scoring 9 runs and driving in 3. The streak has jumped Costa's batting average from .056 (1-18) to .321. *** Lumsden's shaky outing yesterday sent his ERA from 6.28 up to 8.83. The 23-year old lefty had authored a quality start in his previous outing vs. Round Rock at Rosenblatt. But, the 7 runs he allowed Sunday matched the team high which Lumsden set in his April 12th start at Round Rock. *** Andres Blanco, who had missed a week with a sore knee before starting at shortstop for Omaha in the series opener Saturday, has been placed on the disabled list retroactive to yesterday. Infielder Richie Lewis has been promoted from Double-A Wichita. Lewis was hitting .260 (13-50) with no homers and 6 RBI in 15 games for the Wranglers. Over the past 9 contests, he was hitting .324 (11-34). KC selected Lewis in the Minor League Phase of last December's Rule 5 Draft from the Cubs. *** KC manager Buddy Bell has said that right-hander Brian Bannister will be called up from Omaha on Tuesday to start tomorrow night's game vs. the White Sox. Bannister went 1-1 with a 2.61 ERA in 4 starts for the O-Royals, allowing only 4 walks while striking out 14 in 20.2 innings. He'll take the rotation spot of Brandon Duckworth, who'll move to KC's bullpen. *** Matt Tupman owns a 6-game hitting streak (.350, 7-20) and is batting .324 on the season. *** Mike Aviles has hit in 4 straight and 6 of 7 contests (.320, 8-25, 5 RBI). *** Justin Huber was 0-for-4 Sunday, dropping his average to .135.
STARTERS: RH Dewon Brazelton (0-3, 5.14) vs. LH Chris Narveson (1-1, 5.00)
Brazelton, signed by KC as a minor league free agent in the off-season, makes his 4th start. The 26-year old right-hander turned in a quality start his last time out vs. Round Rock last Wednesday, but suffered his 3rd consecutive loss in a 6-1 defeat (6.0 IP, 4 H, 2R, 1 BB, 5 K). Brazelton was the 3rd overall pick in the 2001 draft (behind only Joe Mauer and Mark Prior), taken by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays following his junior season at Middle Tennessee State. He has pitched in the Major Leagues in each of his 1st 5 professional seasons. Brazelton began the 2006 season with San Diego, after the Padres traded third baseman Sean Burroughs to the Devil Rays for him in the off-season. He was 0-2 with a 12.00 ERA in 9 games (2 starts) for the Padres before being outrighted to Portland in May. He was 5-7 with a 4.53 ERA in 17 games (16 starts) for the Beavers. In 2005, Brazelton made the Opening Day start for Tampa Bay and at age 24 was that season's 2nd-youngest Opening Day starter behind Detroit's Jeremy Bonderman (22). He went 1-8 with a 7.61 ERA in 20 games (8 starts) for the Devil Rays in 2005 and spent some time in the minors. Brazelton is 22-29 with a 3.98 ERA in his minor league career, but 8-25 with a 6.38 ERA in the big leagues, where he has compiled more walks (151) than strikeouts (145) in his 271.0 innings. He's 0-16 over 27 road games (19 starts) in his Major League career, becoming the 1st pitcher to lose his 1st 16 road decisions since Cincinnati's Kent Peterson lost 18 straight on the road from 1947-1949.
PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES:
Tue., 1:10: RH Ben Hendrickson (2-1, 6.75) vs. RH Matt Ginter (1-2, 5.17)
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 23, 2007
- Beavers Back On Track With 13-7 Win - Portland Beavers
- Portland takes slugfest - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- 'Topes fall 9-4 to New Orleans - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Zephyrs beat Albuquerque 9-4 - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Topes Fans Satisfy Hunger For Hot Dogs In Large Numbers - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Round Rock Drops Fifth Straight - Round Rock Express
- Memphis tops Omaha, 7-1 - Memphis Redbirds
- Oxspring Tosses Gem As Sounds Notch Sixth Straight Win - Nashville Sounds
- Padres Recall Oscar Robles, Option Aaron Rakers - Portland Beavers
- Humber wins PCL Pitcher of the week - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Oklahoma RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- The Grizzlies Want To Pay Your Cable Bill - Fresno Grizzlies
- Royals Game Notes - Omaha Storm Chasers
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