PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Royals Game Notes

Published on June 8, 2007 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


JUNE 8, 2007, 7:05 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (31-29) vs. Nashville Sounds (33-27)

HOME: 23-10 (31-41 in ‘06) AWAY: 8-19 (22-50 in '06) vs. Nashville: 5-0 (7-9 in '06)

TONIGHT: The Royals host the Nashville Sounds in a 7:05 p.m. game at Rosenblatt Stadium. It's game 2 of a 4-game series and homestand. Omaha leads this series 1-0 and is 5-0 in the season series vs. Nashville. It's Fireworks Friday, with post-game fireworks presented by NAIFA, KETV-Channel 7 and NewsRadio 1110 KFAB! Air-time is 6:45 p.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.Oroyals.com.

LAST NIGHT: Justin Huber hit 2 home runs - including a grand slam in the 1st inning - and the Royals won the series opener, 7-1, roughing up top pitching prospect Yovani Gallardo in the process. Gallardo (8-2) gave up both of Huber's long balls, the slam coming after a single and back-to-back walks. Huber's 2nd homer of the game and 7th of the season led off the 5th inning, which Gallardo did not survive. He wound up allowing 7 runs and walking 6 - both season highs - while giving up 6 hits and striking out a season-low 3 batters. Meanwhile, Ben Hendrickson (6-3) won his 4th straight start, giving up just 1 run on 4 hits over 6.2 innings.

ROYALS REPORT: Huber's 2 home runs and 5 RBI last night both matched season highs for an Omaha batter, while his grand slam was the 2nd one belted by a Royal in 2007. In 6 games since spending 3 weeks (May 9-30) on the disabled list, Huber is 7-for-23 (.304) with 3 homers and 8 RBI. On the season, he has compiled 7 home runs and 29 RBI in 30 games. *** In winning each of his last 4 starts, Hendrickson has posted a 3.28 ERA and has walked only 5 batters in 24.2 innings. He had issued 25 walks over his 1st 37.2 innings this season. *** The Royals have won 9 of their last 10 home games and are 23-10 at Rosenblatt. The only PCL club with a better home record is Fresno, at 23-9. *** Royals right-hander Zach Day, who was attempting to rebound from shoulder surgery last June, has re-injured his shoulder and has been placed on the disabled list. Day was 1-1 with a 3.93 ERA in 11 games (9 starts) for Omaha. *** Reliever Ryan Braun was optioned to Omaha by KC yesterday, after the parent club activated Joakim Soria from the disabled list. In his 2nd stint with KC this season, Braun gave up 6 earned runs in 4.1 innings, but 5 of those came in one 2.0 inning stint. He's 0-1 with a 0.00 ERA and 3 saves in 8 relief outings for Omaha. *** Thad Markray and Neal Musser combined to toss 2.1 innings of hitless relief last night, striking out 4. Markray has not allowed a run in 3 of his last 4 appearances, while Musser's ERA is 0.00. *** Shortstop Jace Brewer was impressive in his Omaha debut last night, going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Brewer was promoted from Wichita, where he hit .250 with 2 homers and 12 RBI in 47 games. *** Richard Lewis has hit in 4 straight and in 11 of his last 12 tilts. Over the longer stretch, he's hitting .333 (13-39) with 1 home run and 8 RBI. *** Mitch Maier went 2-for-3 with a double and 2 runs scored Thursday. He's riding an 8-game hitting streak, equaling his longest of the season. Maier has hit in 12 of the past 13 games in which he's had an at-bat, with 9 RBI and 10 runs scored. *** Billy Butler, who was in a 3-for-30 funk entering last night's game, went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored.

STARTERS: LH Zach Jackson (6-3, 5.07) vs. LH Tyler Lumsden (5-3, 5.17)

Lumsden makes his 11th start and 12th appearance of the season. After going 1-3 with an 8.83 ERA in his 1st 4 starts, Lumsden was sent to the bullpen to work things out. He got knocked around in a relief outing on April 30 vs. Memphis, giving up 5 runs in 1.0 inning. Back in the starting rotation for his last 6 outings, Lumsden has rebounded by going 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA. The 24-year old lefty's last start was last Saturday at Portland, when won his 3rd consecutive start, pitching Omaha to a 3-1 victory (6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 5 K). Lumsden was ranked by Baseball America as KC's #5 prospect and 2nd-best pitching prospect entering this season. He was acquired by KC along with right-hander Daniel Cortes from the Chicago White Sox last July, in a trade for reliever Mike MacDougal. After missing the entire 2005 season following surgery on his left elbow, Lumsden was terrific in 2006. He began the campaign with Double-A Birmingham, going 9-4 with a 2.69 ERA in 20 starts. His 2.69 ERA ranked 4th-best in the Southern League. Following the trade to KC, Lumsden made 7 appearances (6 starts) for Double-A Wichita, going 2-1 with a 3.06 ERA to help the Wranglers win the 2nd half title and advance to the Texas League Championship series. Lumsden was selected by the White Sox as a sandwich pick between the 1st and 2nd rounds (34th overall) of the 2004 draft, out of Clemson. He compiled a 17-7 record in his 3 seasons at Clemson and pitched for the Tigers in the 2002 College World Series.

PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES:

Sat., 6:05: LH Adam Pettyjohn (0-1, 5.40) vs. RH Billy Buckner (4-1, 4.18)

Sun., 1:35: RH Tim Dillard (3-3, 3.68) vs. RH Jason Shiell (0-2, 2.93)

Check out the Omaha Storm Chasers Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 8, 2007


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