Royals Game Notes
August 31, 2007 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
AUGUST 31, 2007, 7:05 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (70-70) @ Iowa Cubs (78-62)
HOME: 45-27 (31-41 in '06) AWAY: 25-43 (22-50 in '06) vs. Iowa: 7-5 (5-11 in '06)
TONIGHT: The Royals face the Iowa Cubs in a 7:05 p.m. game at Principal Park, opening the final 4-game series of the season. Omaha began the trip by going 1-3 at Nashville. Air-time is 6:40 p.m. at www.Oroyals.com. The game will be tape-delayed and aired about 9:30 p.m., following high school football, on News Talk 1420 KOTK.
LAST NIGHT: Mitch Maier led off the game with a home run and Justin Huber gave the Royals a 2-1 lead in the 4th with a solo shot, but Nashville rallied for a 6-2 victory. The Sounds tied the game in the bottom of the 4th on Andy Abad's RBI double and Chris Barnwell's single in the same frame gave Nashville the lead for good. Vinny Rottino capped the scoring with a 3-run homer in the 7th. Adam Pettyjohn (12-4) picked up the win, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits over 7.0 innings. Tyler Lumsden (9-6) took the loss, giving up 3 runs - 2 earned - on 8 hits over 6.0 stanzas.
ROYALS REPORT: Maier has led off 3 of the Royals' last 7 games with a home run and owns all 4 of the club's leadoff homers hit this season. Maier has gone deep in back-to-back contests and has 4 round-trippers in the past 7 tilts, after hitting 10 home runs in his 1st 129 games. *** Huber belted 3 homers in the 4-game set at Nashville, going 7-for-16 (.438), driving in 3 runs and scoring 4 runs. On the season, Huber has compiled 18 home runs and 65 RBI in just 73 games. *** In his last scheduled outing of the season last night, Lumsden turned in his 2nd consecutive quality start and his 8th such effort in his 24 starts for Omaha. The 24-year old lefty finishes 9-6 with a 5.88 ERA, but over his last 8 starts he went 4-1 with a 4.20 ERA. *** Jarod Plummer was promoted to Omaha from Double-A Wichita yesterday. The 23-year old right-hander made his Triple-A debut last night, relieving Lumsden to begin the bottom of the 7th. He allowed a single and a walk before giving up Rottino's 3-run homer, but settled down to retire 6 of the last 7 Nashville batters. Plummer, who KC acquired from the Dodgers in exchange for infielder Wilson Valdez prior to the 2006 season, was 5-6 with a 3.08 ERA and 11 saves in 44 games for Wichita this season. *** In what was expected to be his final rehab assignment game last night, Mike Sweeney was 1-for-4 with a single. In 6 games with Omaha, Sweeney batted .190 (4-21) with a double and 1 RBI. *** Brandon Duckworth, who started Omaha's home finale last Sunday and fired 7.0 scoreless innings vs. Round Rock, is slated to start KC's 11:10 a.m. game tomorrow at Minnesota. The early start time is to allow the Metrodome to be converted for the University of Minnesota's football season opener tomorrow night. In 3 starts with Omaha on his rehab assignment following a strained left oblique, Duckworth was 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA. Prior to suffering the injury on June 10, he went 2-3 with a 2.94 ERA and 2 saves in 18 games (2 starts) for KC. *** Chris Lubanski ended an 0-for-15 skid with a double in his 1st at-bat Thursday night. *** The Royals finished 7-9 in their head-to-head meetings vs. Nashville, but are 16 games behind the Sounds, who have already clinched the PCL American Conference North.
STARTERS: LH Paul Mildren (6-7, 5.82) vs. RH Cory Bailey (4-3, 3.06)
Mildren makes his 3rd start for Omaha and 24th start of the season. The 23-year old lefty was claimed by KC off waivers from the Marlins on August 18. Mildren made his Omaha debut the next day vs. his former club, Albuquerque in a game he was supposed to have started for the Isotopes. He was not involved in the decision in the Royals' 11-8 loss. His last start was in the opener of last Saturday's doubleheader vs. Round Rock, when he got the win in a 5-2 victory (5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 4 K). As a member of Albuquerque, the Australian native made 3 starts vs. Iowa, going 1-2 with a 7.62 ERA. In 3 starts for the Isotopes vs. Omaha, Mildren was 1-0 with a 2.51 ERA. This is his 6th professional season and his 1st at the Triple-A level. In 2006, he spent his 1st season at Double-A, going 10-10 with a 4.14 ERA for the Carolina Mudcats, establishing career highs in starts (28) and innings pitched (167.1), and holding left-handed batters to a .219 average. He pitched for Australia in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in the spring of 2006, allowing 6 hits in 3.0 innings as Australia went 0-3 in Orlando, failing to move on to Round 2. Mildren was signed by the Marlins as a non-drafted free agent in February 2001.
PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES:
Sat., 7:05: RH Matt Wright (9-5, 4.15) vs. LH J.R. Mathes (10-7, 5.38)
Sun., 1:05: RH Ben Hendrickson (11-5, 4.31) vs. RH Randy Wells (5-6, 4.76)
Mon., RH Luke Hochevar (1-3, 5.37) vs. TBA
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 31, 2007
- Sidewinders Eliminated From Pennant Race With Loss To Sacramento - Tucson Sidewinders
- Cat's 6-5 victory Over Tucson Sidewinders Gives Team Sixth Division Crown in Eight Seasons - Sacramento River Cats
- Sounds Drop Road Trip Opener To Redbirds - Nashville Sounds
- Redbirds edge Sounds - Memphis Redbirds
- Mets Call Up Pelfrey, Humber, Collazo - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Astros Call On Express - Round Rock Express
- Oklahoma RedHawks game notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Royals Game Notes - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Redbirds ready for final weekend - Memphis Redbirds
- Nashville's Frank Kremblas Named Manager Of The Year - PCL1
- Frank Kremblas Named PCL Manager of the Year - Nashville Sounds
- 51s Record Third Largest Home Attendance in 25-year History (371,676) - Las Vegas Aviators
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