Royals Game Notes
Published on August 17, 2007 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
AUGUST 17, 2007, 7:05 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (64-62) vs. Iowa Cubs (70-56)
HOME: 40-22 (31-41 in '06) AWAY: 24-40 (22-50 in '06) vs. Iowa: 6-5 (5-11 in '06)
TONIGHT: The Royals host the Iowa Cubs in a 7:05 p.m. game at Rosenblatt Stadium. It's the finale of a 4-game series, which Omaha leads 2-1. It's Werner Enterprises Fireworks Friday, also presented by KETV-Channel 7 and NewsTalk 1110 KFAB! Air-time is 6:45 p.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.Oroyals.com.
LAST NIGHT: Chris Lubanski belted a game-winning, 3-run homer in the bottom of the 11th, giving the Royals a 6-4 victory in a see-saw battle. Lubanski turned on a 2-0 pitch from Neal Cotts (0-2), sending it over the right-center field wall. Nate Hoelscher (5-2) picked up the win, despite allowing a run on 2 hits in the top of the 11th, which put Iowa on top 4-3. The Royals tied the game at 3-3 in the 9th when Mike Aviles was called safe on a close play at 1st, giving him a fielder's choice RBI, instead of a game-ending double play. Justin Huber's RBI single in the 9th tied the contest at 2-all, before Iowa's Joe Simokaitis led off the 10th with a triple and later scored on Eric Patterson's sacrifice fly to put Iowa ahead 3-2.
ROYALS REPORT: Lubanski's game-ending home run was the 3rd of the season for the Royals, all of them coming in extra-inning games. Aviles hit a walk-off solo shot in the 13th inning on May 8 vs. Sacramento, giving Omaha a 7-6 win. Huber's solo homer in the 10th inning on April 29 vs. Nashville lifted the Royals to a 5-4 victory. Last night's round-tripper was Lubanski's 3rd in 34 games with Omaha. He has 2 home runs and 6 RBI during his season-best, 6-game hitting streak. He hit 9 taters in 64 games with Wichita before being promoted to Omaha in late June. *** Of the Royals 11 games with Iowa this season, 4 have gone extra innings, with Omaha going 3-0 at Rosenblatt and 0-1 at Principal Park. The Royals have a 7-8 mark in extra-inning contests on the season, including a 6-1 record at home. *** Craig Brazell smacked his minor league-leading 36th home run last night, his 29th in 89 games with Omaha. He's now tied for 4th with Bob Hamelin (1993) on the club's single season home run chart, 1 homer shy of Aaron Guiel's 3rd-ranked total, set in 2005. Brazell has homered in back-to-back games and has 4 long balls in his last 9 contests, following a 15-game stretch when he did not go deep. *** Huber's 9th inning RBI single last night boosted his average with runners in scoring position this year to .403. He has 55 RBI in 59 games. *** Making his 7th start with Omaha Thursday, Luke Hochevar turned in his 2nd quality start, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits in 6.0 innings, walking 1 and fanning 6. He has 1 walk and 9 K's over 12.2 innings in his last 2 outings. *** Angel Berroa has hit in 5 straight games, going 11-for-20 (.550) with 2 home runs and 2 RBI. *** A 3-day silent auction begins tonight at Rosenblatt, with all proceeds going to the Mike Coolbaugh Memorial Fund. Coolbaugh, who finished his playing career with Omaha in 2006, was tragically killed on July 22 when struck by a line drive coaching 1st base for the Tulsa Drillers in a game at Little Rock, Arkansas. *** Ryan Braun earned his 1st big league win last night, firing 2.2 scoreless innings of relief in KC's 6-2 win at Texas.
STARTERS: LH J.R. Mathes (10-6, 5.00) vs. LH Tyler Lumsden (7-5, 6.33)
Lumsden makes his 22nd start and 23rd appearance of the season. The 24-year old lefty's last start was last Sunday at Memphis; he was not around for the decision as the Royals won 7-5 in 12 innings (4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 7 BB, 1 K). Lumsden has faced the Cubs once this season, having arguably his best start of the season at Iowa on June 13. He hurled 8.0 scoreless innings and left with a 3-0 lead, only to see the Cubs rally for 3 runs in the 9th and another in the 11th off Ryan Braun to stun Omaha 4-3. Lumsden is 3-2 with a 6.07 ERA at home, while going 4-3 with a 6.52 ERA on the road. Entering this season, he was ranked by Baseball America as KC's #5 prospect and 2nd-best pitching prospect. Lumsden 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, he was terrific in 2006. In 20 starts for Double-A Birmingham, he was 9-4 with a 2.69 ERA, which ranked 4th in the Southern League. After the trade to KC, he made 7 appearances (6 starts) for Double-A Wichita, going 2-1 with a 3.06 ERA. 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 SERIES VS. ALBUQUERQUE:
Sat., 6:05: LH Chris George (4-10, 5.78) vs. RH Matt Wright (9-3, 3.69)
Sun., 1:35: LH Paul Mildren (5-7, 5.86) vs. RH Billy Buckner (9-7, 3.82)
Mon., 7:05: RH Kenny Baugh (6-7, 7.08) vs. RH Brandon Duckworth (0-1, 22.50)
Tue., 12:05: RH Wes Obermueller (2-1, 3.35) vs. RH Luke Hochevar (1- 2, 6.23)
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