PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Royals Game Notes

Published on July 18, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


TONIGHT: The Royals open a 5-game home stand vs. Round Rock, hosting the Express in a 7:05 p.m. game at Rosenblatt Stadium. The Royals lead the season series 8-3. Country music star Keith Anderson performs live following the game and a fireworks show, presented by Werner Enterprises and KAT 103. Stadium gates open at 5:30 and the 1st 1,000 fans will receive a FREE CD case, courtesy of the Nebraska Independent College Foundation. Great Clips will be giving haircuts and haircut coupons to fans for donations to the rebuilding effort of the Little Sioux Scout Ranch devastated by a tornado last month. The night is also presented by KETV and The City Weekly. The pre-game show airs at 6:45 p.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.oroyals.com.

TRIPLE-A ALL-STAR GAME: Trailing 2-0 entering the 9th inning, the PCL All-Stars rallied for a 6-5 victory over the IL All-Stars. The PCL scored 6 runs (5 earned) in the top of the 9th off Blaine Neal, who was 23-for-25 in converting save chances for Toledo in the 1st half of the season. In the bottom of the 9th, the IL rallied for 3 runs off Nashville closer Luis Pena, who picked up the win after recording the final 4 outs of the contest. Salt Lake 3rd baseman Matt Brown was named as the PCL Star of the Game, while Indianapolis center fielder Andrew McCutchen took home the award for the IL. Omaha's Jason Smith started at shortstop for the PCL and went 0-for-2. Royals hitting coach Terry Bradshaw served in that role for the PCL. The event drew a crowd of 13,131 fans to Louisville Slugger Field. The victory gives the PCL home field advantage for the Bricktown Showdown on September 16 in Oklahoma City.

ROYALS REPORT: The Royals suffered a tough loss last Sunday at Memphis just before the All-Star break, as the Redbirds rallied from deficits in the 7th, 9th and 12th innings to pull out a 6-5 win. Josh Phelps belted a game-winning, 3-run homer with 1 out in the bottom of the 12th off Tyler Lumsden (3-10). It was the 2nd walk-off homer for an Omaha opponent this season - the 1st happened on June 18 at Round Rock, when Edwin Maysonet connected for a solo shot off Devon Lowery in the 10th inning to give the Express a 4-3 victory. *** Last Sunday's defeat dropped the Royals' record in games decided in the final at-bat this season to 6-15. *** Ryan Shealy has hit in 6 straight games and in 13 of his last 14 contests. Over that longer span, he's batting .444 (24-for-54) with 3 home runs and 9 RBI. *** Carlos Rosa fired 6.0 scoreless innings last Sunday, giving up 3 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 6. The effort lowered his ERA from 4.32 to 3.78 after 9 Triple-A starts. *** Brayan Pena has hit in a season-best 4 straight games. Over his last 12 tilts, he's hitting .356 (16-for-45) and has driven in 9 runs. *** Leo Nunez was sent to Northwest Arkansas to continue his rehab assignment for a strained lat Thursday night. He started the game vs. Arkansas and fired 2.0 hitless innings, striking out 2 batters, in the Naturals' 9-4 triumph.

STARTERS: RH Runelvys Hernandez (6-4, 4.06) vs. RH Brandon Duckworth (3-9, 4.34)

Duckworth makes his 14th start (21st appearance) of the season. The 32-year old right-hander opened 2008 in Omaha's bullpen, before taking the rotation spot of Mike Maroth, who was released by KC on April 30. His last start was vs. Nashville last Wednesday, when he took the loss in the Royals' 6-4 defeat (6.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R-2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HR). He has tossed 3 consecutive quality starts, posting a 2.70 ERA in the process, but has taken the loss in each outing. In those last 3 starts, all of which occurred here at Rosenblatt, the Royals have scored a total of 2 runs in the 20.0 innings while Duckworth was on the mound. On the year, he is 1-6 at home, despite having a 4.07 ERA in 11 games (8 starts) here. In 3 games (2 starts) vs. Round Rock, he's 1-1 with a 2.51 ERA. The sinkerballer has surrendered 17 home runs in 95.1 innings for Omaha this season, after allowing just 3 homers in 46.2 innings for KC last year. In 2007, Duckworth made KC's Opening Day roster after being a non-roster invitee at Spring Training, and was 3-5 with a 4.63 ERA and 1 save in 26 games (3 starts). He tore his left oblique last June 13 vs. St. Louis and was placed on the D.L. the next day. In rehab stints with Wilmington and Omaha, he combined for 20 strikeouts and 3 walks in 19.0 innings, before being activated by KC September 1. After opening the 2006 season with the Pirates' Triple-A club, Indianapolis, Duckworth was acquired by KC in exchange for cash on June 10. He went 1-5 with a 6.11 ERA in 10 games (8 starts) for KC, before he underwent season-ending elbow surgery on August 15. Duckworth has spent at least part of the last 7 seasons in the Major Leagues with the Phillies, Astros and Royals. On August 5, 2002 vs. the Dodgers, he struck out the 1st 6 batters of the game, becoming the 1st big league pitcher to fan that many batters to begin a game since Jim Deshaies struck out a Major League record 8 in a row on Sept. 23, 1986, also vs. the Dodgers. He was originally signed by the Phillies as a non-drafted free agent on Aug. 13, 1997, after pitching collegiately at Cal State Fullerton.

PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES:

Sat., 7:05: RH Jack Cassel (5-1, 1.78) vs. LH Dusty Hughes (1-0, 4.91)

Sun., 1:35: RH Ron Chiavacci (3-2, 5.40) vs. RH Carlos Rosa (4-2, 3.78)

Sun., G2: LH Josh Muecke (7-8, 4.24) vs. RH Roman Colon (2-4, 4.75)

Mon., 12:05: RH Chad Reineke (5-9, 4.74) vs. RH Matt Wright (3-5, 5.70)

Check out the Omaha Storm Chasers Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Pacific Coast League Stories from July 18, 2008


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central