Royals Game Notes
Published on June 21, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
JUNE 21, 2008, 6:00 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (35-38) @ New Orleans (38-38)
HOME: 15-19 (45-27 in '07) AWAY: 20-19 (28-44 in '07) vs. New Orleans: 5-3 (8-6 in '07)
TONIGHT: The Royals visit Zephyr Field for the opener of a 4-game series vs. the New Orleans Zephyrs. Omaha is 6-6 on this 16-game road trip, which began here with the Royals taking 3 of 4 games. Omaha leads the series 5-3. 1st pitch is 6:00 p.m., with the pre-game show on the air at 5:40 p.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.oroyals.com.
LAST NIGHT: Jason Smith's solo homer in the top of the 13th inning lifted the Royals to a 3-2 win at Round Rock and a split of the 4-game series vs. the Express. With 2 outs in the inning, Smith went deep to right on a 1-0 delivery from Ryan Houston (1-3). It was the 3rd home run of the game for the Royals, who took on 1-0 lead in the 1st on a Billy Butler blast and tied it at 2-2 in the 6th on Butler's 2nd shot of the night. Omaha's bullpen blanked the Express over the final 7.2 innings, with Roberto Giron (3-3) earning the win with 4.0 frames of 1-hit ball.
ROYALS REPORT: Omaha has won each of the last 2 games in the final at-bat. Prior to that, the Royals were just 2-10 in games decided in the last at-bat. *** Butler last night became the 3rd Royal this season to homer twice in a game and the 2nd to do it against Round Rock. Smith was the 1st to do it, also vs. the Express on April 7 at Rosenblatt in a 7-5 Royals win. Mike Aviles also went deep twice in a game this year, helping the Royals beat Oklahoma 5-2 on May 27 at home. Over the last 17 contests, Butler is batting .388 (26-for-67). He has belted 5 home runs and driven in 12 runs over that stretch. *** In the last 5 games, Smith is 8-for-20 (.400) with 2 home runs and 3 RBI. Eleven of his team-leading 16 homers have come on the road. His 16 taters are tied for 4th-most in the PCL. *** Last night's marathon was the longest of the campaign both in terms of innings and time of game - it lasted 4-hours-27-minutes. *** Just prior to Smith's game-deciding blast Friday night, Mike Stodolka pinch-hit for Ryan Shealy and struck out swinging. It was just the 6th pinch-hit at-bat for Omaha this season and those batters have gone 0-for-6. *** The Royals struck out 15 times last night, setting a new season high. Omaha pitchers recorded 14 K's, matching the team's season standard. *** Round Rock's Nick Gorneault whiffed 4 times last night, becoming just the 2nd opposing batter to fan that many times in a game this season. Brendan Katin also struck out 4 times on April 17 at Nashville in the Royals' 6-5 victory over the Sounds. *** Giron has made 4 relief appearances on this long trip, allowing just 1 earned run in 10.0 innings to drop his ERA from 7.36 to 5.86. He has yielded only 1 home run in that span, after serving up 12 gopher balls in his 1st 33.0 innings this year. *** Joel Peralta fired 2.0 more shutout stanzas Friday. He has worked 17.1 innings in 9 outings with Omaha this season and has yet to be scored upon. *** Last night's Royals starter, Brandon Duckworth, racked up 7 strikeouts in 5.1 frames, giving him 16 K's compared to 3 walks in 10.1 innings over his last 2 starts.
STARTERS: LH Tyler Lumsden (2-7, 6.88) vs. RH Brian Stokes (7-5, 4.00)
Lumsden makes his 14th start of the season, his 2nd vs. the Zephyrs. In his last outing at Albuquerque last Monday, the 25-year old lefty was not involved in the decision in the Royals' 9-8 loss (5.0 IP, 9 H, 7 R-5 ER, 5 BB, 4 K). His previous start was on June 11 at Zephyr Field, when he turned in a quality start but did not factor in the decision as Omaha won 7-2 (6.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 1 K). He's 2-3 with a 5.26 ERA in 7 starts on the road, while going 0-4 with an 8.90 ERA in 6 starts at home. Lumsden was acquired by KC along with right-hander Daniel Cortes from the White Sox in exchange for Mike MacDougal in July 2006. He spent all of last season with Omaha, going 9-6 with a 5.88 ERA in 25 games (24 starts) during his 1st year at the Triple-A level. In 2 starts vs. the Z's last year, he was 1-0 with a 3.97 ERA. Following the 2007 season, Lumsden pitched for Surprise in the Arizona Fall League and was 1-0 with a 6.00 ERA in 7 relief appearances. He was ranked by Baseball America as KC's #13 prospect entering 2008, after being rated #5 prior to 2007. The same publication named him as having the Best Slider in the White Sox organization entering the 2006 season. In '06, he was 9-4 with a 2.69 ERA in 20 starts for the White Sox Double-A club, Birmingham. Following the trade to KC, he finished the '06 campaign 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., 2:00 p.m.: LH Dusty Hughes (NR) vs. RH Nelson Figueroa (3-1, 3.18)
Mon.,: 7:00 p.m.: LH Horacio Ramirez (1-1, 1.42) vs. RH Tony Armas (5-6, 2.47)
Tue., 12:00 p.m.: RH Matt Wright (2-4, 5.38) vs. LH Willie Collazo (4-4, 3.96)
Pacific Coast League Stories from June 21, 2008
- Portland takes first game with Northwest rivals - Portland Beavers
- Albuquerque Wins Fourth Straight Home Game - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Colorado Springs Takes Opener 9-5 Over Fresno - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Tucson Takes First Game from Las Vegas 5-1 - Tucson Sidewinders
- Royals defeat Zephyrs - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Oklahoma RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Royals Game Notes - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Budde Activated, Austen Placed on DL - Salt Lake Bees
- Beavers Add Justin Huber To Active Roster; Mauro Zarate Transferred To San Antonio - Portland Beavers
- Big Inning Boosts Sounds In 8-5 Win - Nashville Sounds
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