PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Royals Game Notes

Published on April 8, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


APRIL 8, 2008, 6:35 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (3-2) vs. Round Rock Express (3-2)

HOME: 3-2 (45-27 in '07) AWAY: 0-0 (28-44 in '07) vs. Round Rock: 1-0 (9-9 in '07)

TONIGHT: The Royals host Round Rock in game 2 of a 4-game series at Rosenblatt Stadium, with first pitch set for 6:35 p.m. It's $2 2uesday, featuring $2 General Admission tickets and $2 hot pretzels, while coffee and hot chocolate will be $1, courtesy of Valpak, Z-92 and The Reader! Air-time is 6:15 p.m. on News Talk 1420-AM KOTK and at www.Oroyals.com.

LAST NIGHT: Jason Smith belted two home runs and Mike Stodolka stroked a tie-breaking, 3-run double, as the Royals took the series opener 7-5. Reggie Abercrombie hit Omaha starter Mike Maroth's 1st pitch off the batter's eye in center field for a home run, but Smith countered with a 3-run homer in the bottom of the 1st off Round Rock starter Chad Reineke. Maroth allowed 3 runs over 4.0 innings in his Omaha debut. Stodolka's bases-clearing double with 1 out in the home 4th chased Reineke (0-1) and gave the Royals a 6-3 lead. Smith's 2nd home run of the night - a solo shot in the 5th off Josh Miller - made it 7-3. Brad Salmon (2-0) got the win, working 3.0 innings and allowing a run on 3 hits, including J.R. House's RBI single in the 7th which made it 7-4. Chin-Hui Tsao gave up a gopher ball to the 1st batter he faced, as Lance Niekro took him deep to lead off the 8th. However, Tsao retired the next 6 batters to notch his 1st save.

ROYALS REPORT: Five games into the season Omaha leads the PCL with a .321 (54-for-168) team batting average. The Royals have smacked 8 home runs, tied for most in the league. The club has averaged 7.2 runs per game, with its 36 total runs 2nd most in the loop. *** Smith is the 1st Royal to belt 2 home runs in a game since Shane Costa turned the trick on August 19, 2007 in an 11-8 loss vs. Albuquerque. Smith has hit safely in all 5 games this year, compiling a .381 (8-for-21) average. He is tied for the league lead in home runs with 3 and is leading the PCL with 9 RBI. Smith is tied for the league lead in extra-base hits (5) and ranks 3rd in slugging (.952). *** Salmon is the PCL's 1st 2-game winner. In 2 relief appearances, the big right-hander owns a 1.50 ERA, having allowed just 1 run on 3 hits over 6.0 innings, walking 1 and fanning 4 batters. *** The Royals have scored in the 1st inning in 4 straight games, winning 3. *** Abercrombie last night became the 1st opposing batter to lead off a game with a home run since his former Albuquerque teammate, Robert Andino hit a home run here on August 18, 2007 to start the Isotopes on their way to an 11-4 romp. *** Angel Berroa has opened the season on a 5-game hitting streak. He's batting .368 (7-for-19) with 3 doubles, 2 RBI and 5 runs scored. However, his errorless streak with Omaha ended last night at 53 games when he committed an error in the 1st inning. *** While Mitch Maier has missed the past 3 games due to a wrist injury, Mike Stodolka has stepped into Omaha's lineup and delivered 2 hits in each of those tilts. The converted pitcher, who was named by KC as Wichita's Player of the Year in 2007, is 6-for-11 (.545) so far with Omaha. *** After not attempting a stolen base in the 4 games vs. Albuquerque, the Royals were 2-for-2 in steal attempts last night with Costa and Smith each stealing 2nd. *** When Niekro hit his home run leading off the 8th inning last night, it marked the 3rd home run allowed by Tsao in the span of the 1st 6 batters he faced this season. *** In each of the 1st 5 games this year, the Royals opponent has homered twice. Omaha's pitching staff leads the PCL with 10 home runs allowed. *** Mike Aviles went 0-for-4 last night, halting a 3-game hitting streak.

THE FIELD STAFF: Mike Jirschele is managing Omaha for a 6th consecutive season and 9th overall, having also skippered the club from 1995-1997. In eleven seasons as a minor league manager, "Jirsch's" teams have posted a record of 768-712 (.519). His eight Omaha clubs have gone a combined 555-596 (.482). He was selected to manage the Pacific Coast League All-Star team in the 2006 Triple-A All-Star Game. Tom Burgmeier returns for a 3rd season as Omaha's pitching coach. Burgmeier pitched for Omaha from 1970-1973 and enjoyed a 17-year big league career, compiling a career record of 79-55 with a 3.23 ERA and 102 saves. Terry Bradshaw, who was an outfielder with Omaha in 1998, rejoins the team for a 5th season as its hitting coach - his 9th season as a hitting coach in KC's organization. Drew Van Dam joins the Royals organization as Omaha's trainer and Justin Annin is back for season #2 as Omaha's strength coach.

STARTERS: LH Josh Muecke (1-0, 1.80) vs. LH Jorge De La Rosa (NR)

De La Rosa makes his 1st start of the season and 1st-ever start for Omaha. The left-hander, who turned 27 years old last Saturday, was acquired by KC from Milwaukee in exchange for Tony Graffanino on July 25, 2006. De La Rosa opened the 2007 season as KC's #4 starter. He went on to set new career highs in starts (25), wins (8), losses (12), innings (130) and strikeouts (82). He posted a 5.82 ERA in 26 games with KC, including 3 relief outings. He opened the '07 season strong, going 4-3 with a 3.59 ERA through his 1st 9 starts, issuing just 12 walks in 57.2 innings during that span. At that point, his average of 1.87 walks per 9 innings ranked 5th-best in the A.L. However, he allowed 41 free passes in 72.1 frames over the rest of the season. A left elbow strain landed him on the D.L. on August 1 and he made 3 rehab appearances with Wichita before being activated on September 11. In 2006, he was 2-2 with an 8.60 ERA in 18 games (3 starts) for the Brewers and following the trade to KC he was 3-4 with a 5.18 ERA in 10 starts for the Royals. Prior to the '06 season, he represented his native Mexico in the World Baseball Classic and tossed 3.1 scoreless innings of relief. After the '03 season, De La Rosa was involved in 2 big trades - 1st being acquired by Arizona along with 3 other players from the Red Sox for Curt Schilling and being sent to the Brewers a few days later in a 9-player deal. De La Rosa was originally signed by the Diamondbacks as a non-drafted free agent in 1998.

PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES:

Wed., 6:35: RH Jared Gothreaux (1-0, 7.36) vs. RH Luke Hochevar (0-1, 4.76)

Thur., 11:05: RH Jack Cassel (0-1, 7.20) vs. RH Kyle Davies (0-0, 3.00)

Check out the Omaha Storm Chasers Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 8, 2008


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