PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Royals Game Notes

Published on September 2, 2007 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


SEPTEMBER 2, 2007, 1:05 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (71-71) @ Iowa Cubs (79-63)

HOME: 45-27 (31-41 in '06) AWAY: 26-44 (22-50 in '06) vs. Iowa: 8-6 (5-11 in '06)

TODAY: The Royals face the Iowa Cubs in a 1:05 p.m. game at Principal Park. It's game 3 of a 4-game series, which is tied at 1-1. Omaha is 2-4 on the trip. Air-time is 12:45 p.m on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.Oroyals.com.

LAST NIGHT: Matt Wright pitched 5.0 solid innings and Nate Hoelscher finished up with 4.0 scoreless stanzas in the Royals' 8-1 victory. Wright (10-5) allowed 1 run on 4 hits, walking 2 and striking out 6 to become the 2nd Omaha pitcher to reach double digits in victories. Hoelscher gave up just 2 hits and fanned 2 while notching his 3rd save. Paul Phillips stroked 2 hits, including a 2-run homer in the 4th inning that snapped a 1-1 tie. Justin Huber drove in 3 runs and Craig Brazell scored 3 times. Iowa lefty J.R. Mathes (10-8) took the loss, yielding 7 runs - 6 earned - on 8 hits in 4.1 frames.

ROYALS REPORT: Wright finishes 2007 with a 4.06 ERA, which currently ranks 8th in the Pacific Coast League. His 10 wins rank 2nd on the club to the 11 victories owned by today's starter, Ben Hendrickson. *** Phillips now has 2 home runs in 198 at-bats. Besides his round-tripper last night, his only other one came on July 16 at Albuquerque off current teammate Paul Mildren. *** Huber is riding a 6-game hitting streak. He's 9-for-22 (.409) with 3 home runs, 6 RBI and 4 runs scored during the streak. *** Hoelscher had been struggling prior to his outstanding effort last night. He had surrendered 10 earned runs over 8.0 innings in his previous 3 appearances and had given up 26 earned runs in 23.0 innings for a 10.17 ERA over his previous 11 games, including 3 starts, since July 15. *** Reliever Neal Musser was recalled by KC yesterday for the 4th time this season. The 27-year old lefty was dominant at the Triple-A level in 2007, finishing 4-1 with a 0.49 ERA and 8 saves in 32 appearances for Omaha. Musser owned a 0.00 ERA over his 1st 45.2 innings before finally allowing his 1st earned run on August 12 at Memphis. He pitched 1.2 scoreless innings for KC Saturday, giving up a hit and a walk, while striking out 3 batters. Musser has no record and a 4.50 ERA in 14 relief outings for the parent club. *** Brandon Duckworth, who just completed a rehab assignment with Omaha, made his 1st appearance for KC yesterday since June 10 and his 1st start since April 13. He allowed 6 runs (5 earned) on 8 hits over 4.1 frames and took the loss in the Royals' 6-4 defeat. Duckworth went 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA in 3 starts for Omaha, finishing his rehab assignment for a strained left oblique. *** Brazell, who had been in a 2-for-25 (.080) slump over his previous 6 contests, banged out his 32nd and 33rd doubles of the season last night. His 65 extra-base hits with Omaha rank 3rd in the PCL and his 75 extra-baggers on the season are tied for 3rd-most in the minors. *** Chris Lubanski had 2 hits, including a double, and knocked in 2 runs Saturday night. He had been mired in a 4-for-40 slide (.100) over his previous 12 games and had just 1 RBI in his prior 10 tilts.

STARTERS: RH Ben Hendrickson (11-5, 4.31) vs. RH Randy Wells (5-6, 4.76)

Hendrickson makes his 18th start and 27th appearance of the season. It's the 26-year old right-hander's 1st start since August 10 at Memphis. Hendrickson's last relief outing was Tuesday at Nashville; he was not involved in the decision in the Royals' 7-3 loss (3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K). Over his last 8 games (3 starts), Hendrickson is 4-0 with a 0.63 ERA (3 ER in 42.2 IP). In 3 appearances (1 start) vs. Iowa, he's 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA. He was 7-1 with a 2.78 ERA at home, but is 4-4 with a 6.27 ERA on the road. As a starter, he's 8-4 with a 4.37 ERA and went 3-1 with a 4.13 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:

Mon., 1:05: RH Luke Hochevar (1-3, 5.37) vs. TBA

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Pacific Coast League Stories from September 2, 2007


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