PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Royals Game Notes

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


AUGUST 10, 2007, 7:10 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (59-60) at Memphis Redbirds (48-71)

HOME: 38-21 (31-41 in '06) AWAY: 21-39 (22-50 in '06) vs. Memphis: 5-7 (9-7 in '06)

TONIGHT: The Royals visit AutoZone Park, facing the Memphis Redbirds in a 7:10 p.m. game. It's the opener of a 4-game series and road trip. Omaha is coming off a 5-3 homestand. Air-time is 6:50 p.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.Oroyals.com.

LAST GAME: Tucson blanked the Royals 9-0 on Wednesday to take the series 3-1. Yusmeiro Petit (8-4) allowed just 1 hit in 5.0 scoreless innings to get the win and 4 Tucson relievers each hurled a scoreless stanza in the combined 6-hitter. The Royals committed 3 errors - 2 by 1st baseman Craig Brazell - that led to 5 unearned runs for the Sidewinders. Billy Buckner (8-7) took the loss, after giving up 5 runs - 3 earned - on 8 hits over 6.0 innings.

ROYALS REPORT: Wednesday's game marked the 1st time the Royals had been shutout since May 30 at Tacoma and dropped their record in shutouts this season to 7-3. Strangely, 4 of the last 5 whitewashings Omaha has been involved in have been by a score of 9-0, with the Royals winning 3 times by 9-0 margins, including the last 2 starts made by tonight's starter, Ben Hendrickson. *** The Royals have committed 7 errors in their last 3 games after making just 76 in their 1st 116 contests. In fact, prior to the last 3 games, Omaha was riding an 8-game errorless streak. The Royals are 40-17 in games where they play flawlessly in the field. *** Shane Costa was 2-for-4 on Wednesday, with his 1st inning double extending his streak of reaching base to 46 games. It's the longest on-base streak in the PCL this season and is 2 games shy of the longest in the minors this year. Costa has also hit in 7 straight games, going 9-for-30 (.300) with 2 RBI and 5 runs scored. *** Justin Huber was 0-for-4 Wednesday, halting his season-best, 11-game hit string. Huber has belted 4 home runs in his last 6 contests and over his last 12 games owns a .354 (17-48) average with 5 long balls and 14 RBI. *** Ryan Shealy has been recalled by KC from his rehab assignment with Omaha. However, he remains on the disabled list pending an examination by the Royals' team physician, Dr. Steve Joyce. In 18 games with Omaha during his most recent of 2 rehab stints with Omaha, Shealy hit .282 (20-71) with 5 homers and 15 RBI. *** Reliever Roman Colon, who began a rehab assignment with Omaha last weekend following off-season neck surgery but left his 1st appearance on Sunday with tightness in his right forearm, has had his rehab stint transferred to the Royals' Rookie League team in Arizona. *** Nate Hoelscher finished Wednesday's game by tossing 2.0 perfect innings of relief, striking out the final batter he faced. *** Mike Aviles has driven in 23 runs over his past 20 games. Over his past 22 tilts, he's batting .356 (32-90) with 7 home runs and 23 RBI. *** In addition to committing 2 errors Wednesday, Brazell was 0-for-4 with 3 strikeouts. He homered on Tuesday night, going deep for the 1st time in 65 at-bats. Over the past 10 games, Brazell is hitting .351 (13-37) and has knocked in 6 runs. *** Chris Lubanski is 6-for-his-last-13 (.462) with an RBI and 5 runs scored. *** Paul Phillips has hit in 5 consecutive starts behind the plate, going 5-for-19 (.263) with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored.

STARTERS: RH Ben Hendrickson (10-5, 5.03) vs. RH Mike Smith (10-10, 4.90)

Hendrickson makes his 17th start and 22nd appearance of the season. The 26-year old right-hander's last outing was a start vs. Las Vegas last Saturday, when he hurled a 4-hitter in the Royals' 9-0 win, walking none and striking out 4. His gem was the 1st 9.0 inning complete game shutout for a Royals pitcher since August 30, 2004, when Chris George tossed a 6-hitter in a 7-0 win vs. Nashville. It was Hendrickson's 2nd career 9.0 inning complete game shutout and his 6th career complete game. In his previous start on July 29 at Colorado Springs, Hendrickson got the win, combining with Roberto Giron on a 4-hitter in another 9-0 shutout (7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 K). Over his last 3 games (2 starts), he's 3-0 with a 0.43 ERA (1 ER in 21.0 IP). Hendrickson has faced the Redbirds once, on April 24 at Memphis; he was not involved in the decision in Omaha's 8-7 loss (7.0 IP, 10 H, 5 R-1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR). He's 6-1 with a 3.32 ERA at home, but just 4-4 with a 7.24 ERA on the road. He's 8-4 with a 4.62 ERA as starter, while going 2-1 with a 7.00 ERA out of the bullpen. Hendrickson was acquired by KC from Milwaukee on March 27 in a trade for catcher Max St. Pierre. In 2006, he spent most of the season with Nashville, but also pitched for the Brewers. He was 9-8 with a 3.36 ERA in 23 starts for the Sounds. His 3.36 ERA ranked 9th in the PCL and he was selected to the mid-season PCL All-Star team. He pitched in 4 games (3 starts) for Milwaukee, going 0-2 with a 12.00 ERA. Prior to both the 2005 and 2006 seasons, he was named as having the "Best Curveball" in the Brewers organization by Baseball America, which rated him as Milwaukee's #7 prospect prior to 2005 and #19 entering 2006. In 2004, he was named as Milwaukee's Minor League Pitcher of the Year and the International League's MVP, after going 11-3 with a 2.02 ERA for Indianapolis. Hendrickson was the Brewers' 10th round pick in the 1999 draft out of Bloomington Jefferson High in the Twin Cities.

PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES:

Sat., 6:10: RH Luke Hochevar (1-2, 7.18) vs. LH Randy Keisler (8-8, 4.38)

Sun., 2:10: LH Tyler Lumsden (7-5, 6.32) vs. RH Blake Hawksworth (3-12, 5.49)

Mon., 7:10: RH Matt Wright (8-3, 3.86) vs. TBA

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