PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Royals Game Notes

Published on July 10, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


TONIGHT: The Royals host the Nashville Sounds in a 7:05 p.m. game at Rosenblatt Stadium. It's the finale of a 5-game series, which Nashville leads 3-1, while the season series is tied 5-5. Omaha is 2-5 on the home stand. It's Thirsty Thursday with $1 beer and Cokes during the game, courtesy of 96.1 The Brew, Action 3 News, The City Weekly and Hereforbeer.com! Following the game, enjoy a Werner Enterprises Fireworks show, plus live music with ELVIS in concert, presented by Two Fine Irishmen! The pre-game show airs at 6:45 p.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.oroyals.com.

WEDNESDAY: Nashville jumped out to an early 4-0 lead and held off the Royals for a 6-4 victory. The Sounds drew 1st blood in the 2nd, when Brendan Katin crushed a 2-run homer off the roof of the U.S. Cellular Home Run Porch in center field. It was Katin's 13th home run of the season and his 4th in 9 games vs. Omaha. Nashville added 2 unearned runs off Brandon Duckworth in the 3rd, when Ryan Shealy made a throwing error to the plate, allowing both runs to score. The Royals would cut Nashville's lead to a run twice - the 1st time on a 2-run homer by David Matranga in the 4th that made it 4-3 and again on a solo shot by Shealy in the 7th (say that 3 times quickly), making it 5-4. Adam Heether's round-tripper leading off the top of the 9th accounted for the final score. Chris Narveson (3-11) snapped a personal 7-game losing skid, posting his 1st win since May 7, after allowing 3 runs on 6 hits over 5.0 innings. Duckworth (3-9) took the loss, yielding 4 runs (2 earned) in 6.0 frames. Luis Pena pitched a perfect 9th inning for his 14th save.

ROYALS REPORT: Since the Royals had a season-high, 7-game winning streak ended on June 28, the club has lost 11 of its last 14 games. Omaha has also dropped 13 of its last 17 home contests. The Royals are 19-26 at Rosenblatt, while going 24-23 on the road. *** Duckworth has been as snake-bit as any Royal. Wednesday marked his 3rd consecutive quality start - all have been losses on his record. Over those 3 games, Duckworth has posted a 2.70 ERA, allowing 6 earned runs in 20.0 innings. He has lost 8 of his last 9 decisions. *** Shane Costa, who has been bothered by sore wrists all year, had it crop up again during yesterday's game. He was pinch-hit for by Chris Lubanski in the 6th. Lubanski went 0-for-2, including a strikeout when he came up with 1 out in the 8th and runners at 2nd and 3rd. *** The Royals went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position yesterday, leaving 11 runners on base. Nashville stranded 5 runners in the game. *** In 4 official at-bats Wednesday, Mitch Maier singled, doubled and walked. Maier has hit in each of the last 3 games, going 5-for-10 and is batting .378 (17-for-45) over his last 12 games, scoring a dozen runs. He has also collected 12 walks in his past 14 contests. *** The home runs yesterday for Matranga and Shealy were the 2nd for both in their past 7 games. During that stretch, Matranga is hitting .368 (7-for-19) with 5 RBI and 4 runs scored. Shealy has hit in 9 of his last 10 tilts, batting at .528 (16-for-36) with 2 homers and 6 RBI. *** Brayan Pena was 2-for-5 with an RBI Wednesday, marking his 11th multi-hit effort in 20 games with Omaha. Over his past 10 games, Pena is hitting .389 (14-for-36) with 5 doubles, a triple and 9 RBI. That hot stretch has jumped his average 50 points to .329. *** Brian Buchanan has gone 7-for-18 (.389) with a home run, 8 RBI and 4 runs scored in his last 6 contests. *** Angel Sanchez is hitless in his last 10 at-bats, dropping his average from .242 to .186. *** Matt Tupman is in a 2-for-35 (.057) slump over his last 11 games.

STARTERS: RH Richie Gardner (6-2, 4.13) vs. LH Dusty Hughes (1-0, 4.32)

Hughes makes his 4th Triple-A start. The 26-year old lefty's last outing was last Saturday vs. Memphis; a no-decision for him as the Royals won 8-6 (5.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HR). The rocky outing jumped his ERA with Omaha from 2.31 to 4.32. Hughes had a memorable Triple-A debut on June 22 at New Orleans, combining with Devon Lowery on a 5-hitter to lead the Royals to a 3-0 victory. He opened this season with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. In 20 games (4 starts) he was 5-2 with a 2.91 ERA and 3 saves. In 2007, Hughes was named by KC as Double-A Wichita's Pitcher of the Year, after he went 6-2 with a 3.08 ERA and 1 save in 25 games (16 starts). In 108.0 innings last year, he surrendered only 5 home runs. Following last season, he was 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in 6 starts for the Surprise Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, earning AFL Pitcher of the Year honors in a fan vote. Last year was an impressive rebound by Hughes, who missed the entire 2006 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Entering this season, he was ranked by Baseball America as KC's #28 prospect. On April 12, 2004, he combined with Burlington (IA) reliever Jake Mullis on a no-hitter. In his 1st professional season, he was named the 2003 Pitcher of the Year for the Surprise Royals of the Rookie Arizona League, after going 5-2 and ranking 4th in the league with a 2.84 ERA. Hughes was selected by KC in the 11th round of the 2003 draft out of Delta State University in Mississippi, where he earned all-conference and team MVP honors as a junior and senior. He led the Statesmen to the Division II World Series in both 2001 and 2002. The Tupelo, Mississippi native was selected by the Marlins in the 50th round of the 2002 draft, but did not sign.

PROBABLES FOR SERIES AT MEMPHIS:

Fri., 7:05 p.m.: RH Matt Wright (3-5, 6.06) vs. TBA

Sat., 12:05 p.m.: TBA vs. RH Anthony Reyes (1-2, 3.02)

Sat., 6:05 p.m.: TBA vs. RH P.J. Walters (6-1, 4.78)

Sun., 1:35 p.m.: RH Carlos Rosa (4-2, 4.32) vs. RH Mitchell Boggs (6-1, 3.14)

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 10, 2008


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