Royals Game Notes
Published on May 19, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
MAY 19, 2008, 6:35 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (19-22) vs. Iowa (20-22)
HOME: 11-11 (45-27 in '07) AWAY: 8-11 (28-44 in '07) vs. Iowa: 0-0 (10-6 in '07)
TONIGHT: The Royals host the Iowa Cubs at Rosenblatt Stadium in the opener of a 4-game home stand. Omaha is coming off a 2-2 series split at Albuquerque. Enjoy $1 hot dogs, courtesy of 89-7 The River and The Daily Nonpareil. 1st pitch is 6:35 p.m., with the pre-game show on the air at 6:15 p.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.oroyals.com.
SUNDAY: Mike Aviles smacked a grand slam in the Royals 5-run 2nd inning - 1 of 4 home runs for Omaha in the nightcap of a doubleheader - and the Royals cruised to a 10-4 win at Isotopes Park. Just 1 out after Aviles' grand slam gave the Royals a 6-1 lead, Brian Buchanan hit a solo shot to make it 7-1 and Jason Smith followed with a triple to chase 'Topes starter Dallas Trahern (0-4), who was raked for 7 hits and 7 runs in 1.2 innings. Shane Costa hit a solo homer and Smith added a 2-run blast in the 4th inning as the Royals stretched the lead to 10-1. Former Isotope Jeff Fulchino (2-1) got the win for Omaha, allowing 4 runs on 8 hits in 5.0 frames, but also fanning 9 batters while not issuing a walk. Albuquerque took the opener 11-2. Paul Hoover's 3-run homer in the 2nd inning gave the Isotopes a 3-1 lead. It came off Matt Wright (0-2), who allowed 7 runs on 11 hits over 4.0 innings. George Lombard capped a 5-run 5th inning for Albuquerque with a grand slam off Brad Salmon, putting the Isotopes on top 9-2. Former Royal Bobby Keppel (6-2) became the PCL's 1st 6-game winner, yielding 2 runs on 5 hits over 5.0 innings of work for Albuquerque.
ROYALS REPORT: Mitch Maier's hitting streak was halted at 19 games Sunday, when he went 0-for-2 with a walk in game 1. The streak was tied for 2nd-longest in the PCL this season. Iowa's Andres Torres owns the league's longest hit string of the season - 24 games. During Maier's streak, he hit .363 (29-for-80) with 4 home runs and 13 RBI. He went 1-for-3 with a run scored in game 2 yesterday. *** Aviles' grand slam was the 2nd of the year for a Royal. The 1st was delivered by Smith on May 3 at Fresno in a 13-7 Royals win. Aviles' blast was his 1st round-tripper in the last 15 games; he hit 6 homers over the 1st 26 contests of the campaign. *** Buchanan's long ball was his 1st in 11 games, dating back to April 20 vs. New Orleans. Over the last 5 tilts, he's hitting .500 (9-for-18) with 2 RBI and 6 runs scored. The hot stretch has upped his average 62 points to .362. *** Smith and Costa have each hit 2 home runs in the past 3 games. In the 4 games at Albuquerque, Smith was 7-for-14 (.500) with a double, 2 homers and 7 RBI. Costa is batting .351 with 6 homers and 15 RBI in 19 road games, while hitting .256 with 3 home runs and 13 RBI in 20 games at Rosenblatt. *** The 6 RBI for Lombard and the 4 runs scored by Hoover in Sunday's opener marked the 1st time those marks had been attained by an opposing batter since an Isotope reached both figures on July 18, 2007 in Albuquerque. Brett Carroll had 6 RBI and scored 4 runs that night to lead the 'Topes to a 12-8 triumph. Lombard's slam yesterday was the 2nd of the season yielded by an Omaha pitcher; Laynce Nix hit the 1st on April 16 at Nashville. *** The 11-2 defeat in game 1 Sunday was the worst loss of the season for the Royals. The 11 hits allowed by Wright were the most off an Omaha pitcher in a game this year. In game 2 Fulchino's 9 strikeouts set a new season high for a Royals pitcher and the staff's 12 K's matched a season standard. *** Catcher Cody Clark started yesterday's opener, going 2-for-3 with a triple, RBI and a run scored in his 1st action since being called up recently to replace Matt Tupman, who was recalled by KC. It was Clark's 3rd career triple in 6 professional seasons. Meanwhile, Tupman collected a pinch-hit single in his 1st Major League at-bat Sunday, getting the knock off Florida's Kevin Gregg in the top of the 9th inning of KC's 9-3 win. *** Chris Lubanski has hit in 4 straight games, going 5-for-14 (.357).
STARTERS: RH Kevin Hart (0-0, 2.53) vs. LH Tyler Lumsden (1-4, 6.82)
Wright makes his 8th start of the season. The 26-year old right-hander's last outing was last Sunday, in game 2 of doubleheader vs. Tacoma. He was in line to pick up his 1st win of the year, being lifted after 6.0 innings with the Royals leading 2-0. But the Rainiers rallied in the top of the 7th for a 3-2 win, with Shawn Garrett smacking a 3-run homer off Neal Musser. The outing marked Wright's 1st quality start of the season (3 H, 0 BB, 3 K). He has faced Albuquerque once this season, making his 1st start of the year vs. the Isotopes at Rosenblatt on April 5 in game 2 of a twin bill; he was not involved in the decision as the Royals lost 6-3 in 9 innings (4.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR). Wright was signed by KC as a minor league free agent prior to 2007 and spent the entire campaign with Omaha, going 10-5 and ranking 7th in the PCL with a 4.06 ERA. In 21 starts last season, he was 7-3 with a 4.01 ERA; he went 3-2 with a 4.32 ERA in 7 relief appearances. In 4 games (2 starts) vs. the Isotopes last season, Wright was 1-2 with a 6.98 ERA. He gave up 10 home runs in 19.1 innings vs. the 'Topes, with 6 of those homers coming in his August 18 start in Omaha. Wright pitched well in tight spots last season, holding opponents to a .216 average with runners in scoring position and .193 with runners in scoring position and 2 outs. He won 6 of his 7 decisions at Rosenblatt Stadium last year, although his ERA was actually better on the road than at home (3.89 to 4.24). Following the season, he was a member of the gold-medal winning USA Baseball Team at the World Cup in Chinese Taipei, going 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA in 2 games (1 start). Prior to 2007, Wright spent his 1st 7 professional seasons in the Braves organization. He was named to the Carolina League All-Star team in 2004, when he ranked 6th in Atlanta's system with 133 strikeouts for Myrtle Beach. Wright was selected by the Braves in the 21st round of the 2000 draft out of Robinson High School in Texas.
PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES:
Tue., 6:35 p.m.: RH Randy Wells (2-1, 3.38) vs. RH Brandon Duckworth (2-1, 5.00)
Wed., 6:35 p.m.: RH Justin Berg (0-2, 11.81) vs. RH Kyle Davies (5-2, 2.09)
Thur., 6:35 p.m.: LH Sean Marshall (0-0, 1.50) vs. RH Carlos Rosa (0-1, 15.00)
Pacific Coast League Stories from May 19, 2008
- Isotopes roll Round Rock 12-6 - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Oklahoma tops New Orleans - Oklahoma City Comets
- Z's lose in Oklahoma - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Sounds Defeat Division-Leading Redbirds, 7-3 - Nashville Sounds
- Royals Game Notes - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Michael Barrett Transferred To Portland For Major League Rehab - Portland Beavers
- Oklahoma RedHawks Game Notes- May 19, 2008 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Lindsay Gulin Named PCL Pitcher Of The Week - Nashville Sounds
- Royals To Recognize Lancers National Title - Omaha Storm Chasers
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