PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Royals Game Notes

Published on August 16, 2007 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


AUGUST 16, 2007, 7:05 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (63-62) vs. Iowa Cubs (70-55)

HOME: 39-22 (31-41 in '06) AWAY: 24-40 (22-50 in '06) vs. Iowa: 5-5 (5-11 in '06)

TONIGHT: The Royals host the Iowa Cubs in a 7:05 p.m. game at Rosenblatt Stadium. It's game 3 of a 4-game series, which is tied 1-1. It's Thirsty Thursday with $1 beer and Cokes during the game and the live music of Mark Sandford in the Stadium View Club afterwards, courtesy of Miller Lite, 96.1 The Brew and the City Weekly! Air-time is 6:45 p.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.Oroyals.com.

LAST NIGHT: Iowa scored 5 runs in the 1st inning and went on to a 6-3 victory. Rehabbing KC right-hander Brandon Duckworth gave up 5 hits in the 1st, including a 2-run single to Matt Craig and a 3-run homer to John Nelson. Duckworth (0-1) pitched a scoreless 2nd inning in his 1st rehab outing with Omaha. Angel Berroa hit a solo homer and Craig Brazell smacked a 2-run blast off Iowa starter Kevin Hart (3-1), who allowed those 3 runs and 7 hits in 6.0 innings. Rocky Cherry fired a perfect 9th inning, striking out the final 2 batters, for his 5th save.

ROYALS REPORT: Duckworth joined Luke Hudson, Scott Elarton and John Bale on the list of KC pitchers who have made rehab assignment starts for Omaha this season. In their combined 15 starts, they are 2-6 with a 6.68 ERA, having allowed 46 earned runs in 62.0 innings. *** Ben Hendrickson had another strong outing last night in relief of Duckworth. Hendrickson gave up just 1 unearned run on 3 hits. Over his last 5 appearances, including 3 starts, he's 3-0 with a sparkling 0.53 ERA (2 ER on 17 hits in 34.0 IP). His ERA has dropped from 6.17 to 4.55 over that span. *** In his last 4 games, Berroa is 9-for-15 (.600) and has smacked 2 solo homers. His average has risen from .283 to .300. *** Brazell's home run last night was his minor league-leading 35th of the season, the 1st 7 coming for Wichita. His 28 round-trippers with Omaha are the 5th-most in a single season in the club's 39-year history. Bob Hamelin ranks 4th with 29 (1993), Aaron Guiel is 3rd with 30 (2005), Calvin Pickering (2004) and Kit Pellow (1999) are tied for 2nd as each hit 35 homers in a season, and Chris Hatcher owns the Royals' single season home run record at 46 (in his 1998 PCL MVP season). *** Justin Huber went 0-for-3 Wednesday night, halting a 4-game hitting streak. Over his past 17 contests, he's batting .343 (23-67) with 6 home runs, 17 RBI and 11 runs scored. *** After missing the past 4 games due to a bruised heel, Shane Costa returned to the top of the Royals lineup last night and was 1-for-4 with a double. It was the 1st action for Costa since his reached-base streak was snapped at 46 games last Friday at Memphis. The on-base string was the longest in the PCL this season and was 2 games shy of the longest in the minors. *** Matt Tupman has hit in 5 straight games, going 6-for-20 (.300) and knocking in 5 runs. *** Derek Wathan has hit in 6 of his last 7 games, going 8-for-27 (.296) with 3 RBI. *** Chris Lubanski is on a 5-game hitting streak, his longest with Omaha. Over his last 12 tilts, he's hitting .317 (13-41) with a home run and 5 RBI.

STARTERS: RH Sean Gallagher (3-1, 2.16) vs. RH Luke Hochevar (1-2, 6.82)

Hochevar, who was KC's 1st-ever #1 overall pick in the 2006 draft, makes his 7th start for Omaha. The 23-year old right-hander's last start was last Saturday at Memphis; he was not involved in the decision as the Royals lost 7-5 (6.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 3 K). Hochevar began the season at Double-A Wichita, going 3-6 with a 4.69 ERA in 17 games, including 16 starts (94.0 IP, 110 H, 26 BB, 94 K, 13 HR). At the time of his promotion, his 94 strikeouts led the Texas League. His best month was June, when he posted a 3.23 ERA in 5 starts, although he went 0-1. On June 26, Hochevar started for the North team in the 2007 Texas League All-Star Game. He also pitched for the U.S. team at the All-Star Futures Game in San Francisco, firing a scoreless inning. After signing with KC on August 4, 2006, Hochevar made 4 starts for Class-A Burlington (IA), going 0-1 with a 1.17 ERA. He also made 2 starts for Wichita in the playoffs last season, going 1-1 with a 9.82 ERA. Hochevar made just 3 starts in the Arizona Fall League for Grand Canyon before being shut down with shoulder soreness; he was 0-0 with an 8.64 ERA in those 3 outings. Entering this season, he was ranked by Baseball America as KC's #2 prospect, behind only Alex Gordon, and was tabbed as having the Best Curveball in the Royals' system. A Colorado native, he was a 3-year standout at the University of Tennessee, finishing his college career with a 25-10 record and a 3.05 ERA and 287 strikeouts, which ranked 2nd in school history. As a junior in 2005, he was 15-3 with a 2.26 ERA, helping lead the Vols to the College World Series. Following the season, he won numerous honors, including the Roger Clemens National Pitcher of the Year award. He was a supplemental 1st round pick of the Dodgers in the 2005 draft, but did not sign. His father, Brian, played pro basketball with the Denver Nuggets in 1979.

PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES:

Fri., 7:05: LH J.R. Mathes (10-6, 5.00) vs. LH Tyler Lumsden (7-5, 6.33)

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 16, 2007


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