PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Royals Game Notes

Published on August 28, 2007 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


AUGUST 28, 2007, 6:00 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (69-68) @ Nashville Sounds (84-53)

HOME: 45-27 (31-41 in '06) AWAY: 24-41 (22-50 in '06) vs. Nashville: 6-7 (7-9 in '06)

TONIGHT: The Royals face the Nashville Sounds in a 6:00 p.m. game at Greer Stadium. Omaha is 0-1 in the series, which will be followed by a season-ending, 4-game set at Iowa. Air-time is 5:40 p.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.Oroyals.com.

LAST NIGHT: The Royals took a 2-0 lead in the 1st inning on Craig Brazell's 39th home run of the season - his 32nd with Omaha - but, with the help of 3 Royals errors, Nashville scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 1st and went on to an 11-4 victory. Omaha 2nd baseman Fernando Cortez committed 2 of the 3 errors in the 1st inning, and another in the 2nd, all coming on throws. Of the 7 runs allowed by Matt Wright (9-6) in 3.0 innings, only 2 were earned. R.A. Dickey (12-6) got the win, after giving up 4 runs on 6 hits over 7.0 innings.

ROYALS REPORT: Cortez became the 1st Royals player to make 3 errors in a game this season. Prior to last night, he had committed just 5 errors in 74 contests. The 4 fielding miscues by the team as a whole Monday equaled a season high, which hadn't been done since May 17 at New Orleans. Cortez had a good night at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double and a sacrifice fly. Over his last 5 games, he's 9-for-17 (.529) with a home run and 2 RBI. *** Utility player Richard Lewis mopped up on the mound last night, becoming the 1st position player to pitch for the Royals since Luis Ugueto was pressed into service on July 26, 2005 in a 7-1 loss to Nashville at Rosenblatt. Lewis worked 2.0 innings, giving up 2 runs on 2 hits, including a solo homer to Andy Abad. *** Lefty Anthony Bradley, just promoted to Omaha yesterday from Rookie-level Burlington (NC), followed Wright to the mound. In 3.0 frames, Bradley allowed 2 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks, striking out 1. With Burlington, he was 2-2 with a 2.09 ERA and 3 saves in 12 games (7 starts). Bradley was signed by KC as a non-drafted free agent this June out of Florida Atlantic University. *** Brazell's 39 round-trippers lead the minors and he's also tops with 319 total bases. His 166 hits rank 2nd, 2 shy of the lead and his 75 extra-base hits rank 3rd, 3 off the lead. His 32 home runs for Omaha are 3rd most in a single season (Chris Hatcher-46; Kit Pellow and Calvin Pickering-35 each). *** Ryan Shealy has hit in 5 straight games, going 6-for-16 (.375) with a homer and 6 RBI. Over his past 9 contests, he's hitting .370 (10-27) with 2 home runs and 8 RBI. *** Mike Aviles is in an 0-for-13 skid, dipping his average below .300 to .298. *** Dickey was named today to the 2007 All-PCL Team as the right-handed pitcher. The lefty starter on the post-season All-Star squad is Nashville's Adam Pettyjohn, who is slated to start vs. the Royals in Thursday night's series finale. No Royals were named to the team. The PCL's Rookie of the Year Award was also announced today. It went to Wladimir Balentien of the Tacoma Rainiers.

STARTERS: LH Nate Hoelscher (5-2, 5.05) vs. RH Carlos Villanueva (0-0, 0.00)

Hoelscher makes his 5th spot start - his 2nd in 4 days - and 34th appearance of the season. The 27-year old lefty started game 2 of last Saturday's doubleheader vs. Round Rock; he was not involved in the decision as the Royals won 4-3 in 10 innings (4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 2 HR). Hoelscher is 3-1 with an 8.59 ERA and 1 save in 11 games (2 starts) since the All-Star break. He was 2-1 with a 3.53 ERA and 1 save in 22 games (2 starts) in the 1st half. In his 4 spot starts, Hoelscher is 1-1 with a 4.41 ERA; he's 4-1 with a 5.24 ERA and 2 saves as a reliever. Hoelscher has made 2 appearances, including 1 start vs. Nashville - he has no record and a 1.23 ERA, having given up just 1 earned run in 7.1 innings vs. the Sounds. He's 3-1 with a 5.70 ERA at home, while going 2-1 with a 4.42 ERA and 2 saves on the road. This is Hoelscher's 6th professional season, since being signed by KC as a non-drafted free agent in July 2002 out of St. Cloud State University. He spent each of the past 2 seasons with Double-A Wichita, going 0-5 with a 5.40 ERA and 3 saves in 44 games last season.

PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES:

Wed., 12:00: RH Luke Hochevar (1-3, 6.14) vs. LH Zach Jackson (10-10, 4.76)

Thur., 7:00: LH Tyler Lumsden (9-5, 6.04) vs. LH Adam Pettyjohn (11-4, 3.96)

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