PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Royals Game Notes

Published on April 12, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


APRIL 12, 2008, 6:05 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (6-2) at Memphis Redbirds (4-5)

HOME: 5-2 (45-27 in '07) AWAY: 1-0 (28-44 in '07) vs. Memphis: 0-0 (8-8 in '07)

TONIGHT: The Royals visit AutoZone Park in Memphis for game 2 of a 4-game series and 8-game road trip. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m., with the pre-game show on the air at 5:45 p.m. on News Talk 1420-AM KOTK and at www.oroyals.com.

LAST NIGHT: The Royals won their 5th straight, spoiling the Redbirds home opener by cruising to a 6-2 victory. Seven of Omaha's 13 hits were doubles, with a trio of 2-baggers coming in the top of the 3rd when the Royals took a 2-0 lead. Shane Costa collected the 1st of his 3 hits on the night by slapping a double to left to lead off the 3rd. Mike Aviles doubled to center, scoring Costa, and 2 outs later Damon Hollins doubled to right to score Aviles. Angel Berroa had a pair of doubles in the contest, with Mike Stodolka and Matt Tupman each chipping with a 2-base hit. Kyle Davies (1-0) earned the win with 5.0 innings of 1-run ball, while Jeff Fulchino fired 2.0 innings of hitless relief in his 1st appearance since being promoted from Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Memphis starter John Wasdin (1-1) took the loss, giving up 4 runs (3 earned) on 8 hits in 5.2 frames.

ROYALS REPORT: Omaha's 5-game win string matches its longest of 2007, accomplished twice. The Royals have the largest lead of any of the PCL's 4 division leaders early on this season, already 2.5 games ahead of Memphis. *** Last night marked just the 2nd time in 8 games that the Royals have scored first and both wound up as wins. Omaha is 4-2 when the opponent scores first. *** Friday night marked the 1st win for a Royals starter. Omaha starters are now 1-1 with a 4.14 ERA, while the bullpen is 5-1 with a 3.27 ERA and 3 saves. After 2 starts, Davies' ERA is 2.25, tied for 9th-best in the PCL. *** Stodolka recorded his 5th 2-hit effort in his 6th game last night. The converted pitcher, in his 3rd season as a 1st baseman and his 1st at Triple-A, ranks 2nd in the PCL in average (.526), now that he has enough plate appearances to qualify. His .591 OBP is also 2nd-best in the loop. *** Berroa, who has hit in all 8 games this season, ranks 8th in the PCL with a .419 (13-for-31) average. His 5 doubles are tied with Costa for the team lead. *** Costa's 3 hits Friday were his season-best. He has hit in 4 straight games, going 7-for-17 (.412) with 4 doubles. The streak has upped his average from .250 to .333. *** Aviles' double last night was his 7th extra-base hit of the season, tied for 3rd-most in the league. Friday's game also marked his 4th 2-hit effort and 5th multi-hit tilt of the campaign. *** Hollins picked up his PCL-leading 11th walk of the season last night. The Royals outfielder/DH is only batting .208, but owns a .457 OBP. *** Jason Smith saw his season-opening hit streak halted last night at 7 games, as he was 0-for-3 with a walk and a sacrifice. The Omaha 3rd baseman leads the team and is tied for 2nd in the PCL in both home runs (3) and RBI (9), while his .800 slugging percentage ranks 4th in the PCL. *** Since hitting his 2nd homer of the year last Sunday vs. Albuquerque - both coming in a span of 5 at-bats - Chris Lubanski has gone 1-for-his-last-15. *** Omaha turned a season-high 4 double plays Friday, 3 going around-the-horn, 5-4-3.

STARTERS: LH Tyler Lumsden (0-0, 5.79) vs. RH Mitchell Boggs (1-0, 0.00)

Lumsden makes his 2nd start of the season. The 24-year old lefty started last Sunday vs. Albuquerque, but came up 1 out shy of qualifying for the win in the Royals' 12-5 victory (4.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR). Lumsden who was acquired by KC along with right-hander Daniel Cortes from the White Sox in exchange for Mike MacDougal in July 2006, spent all of last season with Omaha. He was 9-6 with a 5.88 ERA in 25 games (24 starts) during his 1st season at the Triple-A level. He held left-handed batters to a .245 average. Lumsden pitched for Surprise in the Arizona Fall League and was 1-0 with a 6.00 ERA in 7 relief appearances. He is ranked by Baseball America as KC's #13 prospect entering 2008, after being rated #5 prior to 2007. Entering the 2006 season, the same publication named him as having the Best Slider in the White Sox organization. In '06, he was 9-4 with a 2.69 ERA in 20 starts for the White Sox Double-A affiliate at Birmingham. Following the trade to KC, he finished the season at Wichita, going 2-1 with a 3.06 ERA in 7 games (6 starts). He missed the entire 2005 season after undergoing surgery on his left elbow. Lumsden was selected by the Chisox as a sandwich pick between the 1st and 2nd rounds (34th overall) of the 2004 draft after compiling a 17-7 record in 3 seasons at Clemson. He graduated from Cave Spring High School in Roanoke, Virginia, where he lettered all 4 years in baseball and basketball and was a hoops teammate of J.J. Redick, who went on to star at Duke. Out of high school, Lumsden was selected in the 5th round of the 2001 draft by the Marlins, but did not sign.

PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES:

Sun., 1:35: RH Matt Wright (0-0, 6.23) vs. LH Joe Rogers (0-1, 8.53)

Mon., 7:05: LH Jorge De La Rosa (0-0, 1.93) vs. RH Mike Parisi (1-0, 2.53)

Check out the Omaha Storm Chasers Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 12, 2008


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