PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Royals Game Notes

Published on July 21, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


JULY 21, 2008, 12:05 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (46-55) vs. Round Rock (47-55)

HOME: 21-29 (45-27 in '07) AWAY: 25-26 (28-44 in '07) vs. Round Rock: 9-6 (9-9 in '07)

TODAY: The Royals host the Round Rock Express in a 12:05 p.m. game at Rosenblatt Stadium. It's the finale of a 5-game series, which Round Rock leads 3-1. Omaha leads the 16-game season series 9-6. It's a Business Person Special/Summer Day Camp day game, brought to you by 1110 KFAB and Strictly Business, featuring ½-price Omaha Steaks burgers! Fans will also enjoy the hilarious antics of the mascot Rally. The pre-game show airs at 11:45 a.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.oroyals.com.

SUNDAY: The Royals continued their futility in twin bills this season, getting swept on a sweltering afternoon by scores of 2-1 and 5-4. In the opener, Round Rock starter Ron Chiavacci walked 7 Royals in 3.0 innings, but Omaha could only produce 1 run, which came in on Gookie Dawkins' fielder's choice in the 3rd to give the Royals a 1-0 lead. Round Rock scored twice in the 4th, with the deciding unearned run scored by Nick Gorneault, who had reached base on a throwing error by Royals shortstop Jason Smith. Ray King (2-1) got the win with 2 scoreless innings of relief. Smith doubled off the wall in the bottom of the 7th, but pinch-runner Damon Hollins was thrown out at the plate for the 1st out of the inning and Jim Brower retired the next 2 batters for his 6th save. Roman Colon (2-5) took the loss, allowing just 1 earned run in 5.0 innings. In game 2, Reggie Abercrombie snapped a 4-4 tie with 1 out in the top of the 7th, smacking a home run off Matt Wright (3-6)d, who surrendered all 5 runs in 6.1 frames. Omaha had tied the game at 4-all on Brayan Pena's RBI single in the bottom of the 6th, but on the play Mitch Maier was gunned out trying to go from 1st to 3rd by Yordany Ramirez as Maier went into 3rd standing up. Nick Regilio (4-4) retired all 4 batters he faced to get the win.

ROYALS REPORT: The Royals walked 9 times in Sunday's opener, but went 0-for8 with runners in scoring position and left 11 men on base. In the 2nd game, Omaha banged out 12 hits, but was 2-for-9 with RISP and stranded 9 more runners. *** Yesterday marked the 4th time the Royals have been swept in a doubleheader this year, with 3 of those occurring at home. Omaha has split 6 other twin bills, but has not swept one of their own. *** The Royals have lost 17 of their last 23 games overall and 16 of their past 22 contests at Rosenblatt. Omaha is 4-15 in July. *** The defeat in game 2 Sunday drops the Royals' record in games decided in the final at-bat to 6-16. *** Dawkins had 3 hits in game 2 yesterday, including his 6th home run in his 28th game with Omaha. In this series, he's 9-for-13 with 3 doubles, 2 homers, 6 RBI and 6 runs scored. He's hitting .357 (15-for-42) in July, with 4 homers and 9 RBI. *** Ryan Shealy is riding a season-best, 10-game hitting streak. He has hit in 17 of his last 18 games, hitting at a sizzling .414 pace (29-for-70) with 3 home runs and 12 RBI. *** Maier, who is on a 5-game hit string, is batting .375 (27-for-72) this month, walking 14 times and scoring 17 runs in 19 contests. *** Mike Stodolka has hit in 5 straight and in 6 of his last 7 tilts. Over the longer span, he's 10-for-25 (.400), upping his average from .230 to .254. *** Pena had 2 more hits and 2 RBI in game 2 Sunday. However, he also failed to block the plate on a fly out to left, with Val Majewski sliding under his late tag in the top of the 5th for a sacrifice fly and a 4-3 Round Rock lead.

STARTERS: RH Chad Reineke (5-9, 4.74) vs. LH John Bale (0-0, 0.00)/RH Jose Capellan (2-0, 3.60)

Bale makes his 2nd start for Omaha, as he continues a rehab assignment he began last week with Northwest Arkansas. The 34-year old lefty started game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader, tossing 1.0 scoreless inning, allowing 1 hit, walking 1 and striking out 1. In 2 games (1 start) with the Naturals, he was 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA. Bale opened this season in KC's rotation, going 0-3 with a 7.63 ERA in 3 starts before being placed on the disabled list April 17 with left shoulder fatigue. He broke his left hand May 2, after punching a door at the Royals' team hotel in Cleveland. In 2007, Bale's 1st season in the Royals' organization was also marred by injuries. He spent the 1st 89 games of KC's '07 season on the D.L., initially sidelined in Spring Training with a tight left shoulder. He began a rehab assignment with Wichita on April 30, but was shut down after 3 starts due to a recurrence of the injury. Bale began a 2nd rehab assignment on May 27 with Omaha and compiled 6.0 scoreless innings over 4 games (2 starts) through June 5, before suffering a torn glute while long tossing in the outfield. He began a 3rd rehab stint for KC - his 2nd with Omaha - on June 29 and made 4 appearances (2 starts) at Triple-A before finally being recalled by KC and reinstated from the D.L. on July 14. He wound up making 26 relief appearances for KC last year, going 1-1 with a 4.05 ERA. Bale was signed by KC as a minor league free agent prior to the 2007 season after pitching in Japan for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp from 2004-2006. Besides KC, Bale has pitched in the big leagues for Toronto, Baltimore and Cincinnati. Bale attended Jefferson Davis Community College in Alabama and the University of Southern Mississippi. He was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 12th round of the 1994 draft, but did not sign. He signed with Toronto after being selected by the Blue Jays in the 5th round of the 1996 draft.

Capellan follows Bale to the hill and makes his 2nd appearance for Omaha. His 1st outing was a start on July 12 at Memphis; he was not involved in the decision as the Royals won 3-2 in game 2 of a twin bill (4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 4 K). The 27-year old right-hander was signed by KC as a minor league free agent on June 23 and placed on the temporary inactive list on the 28th. He opened this season in the Rockies' organization, after being acquired by Colorado from Detroit last December in a trade for former KC and Omaha pitcher Denny Bautista. Capellan began this year with Colorado Springs, going 2-0 with a 3.94 ERA in 3 starts. The Rockies purchased his contract on April 26 and he pitched in relief that night in Los Angeles vs. the Dodgers, allowing 1 run on 3 hits over 2.0 innings, striking out 2. That was his only appearance before the Rockies designated him for assignment on May 2. He elected free agency on May 5. Capellan has also seen action in the Major Leagues each of the last 4 seasons, making 98 appearances (2 starts) with Atlanta (2004), Milwaukee (2005-2007) and Detroit (2007). Entering the 2007 season, he was rated as the Brewers' 9th-best prospect by Baseball America. He opened last season with Nashville and was recalled by the Brewers on June 1, before being traded to the Tigers in exchange for LHP Chris Cody on July 1. He split the rest of the season between Detroit and Toledo. His combined 2007 Major League numbers: 0-3, 5.54 ERA in 17 games; in the minors last year: 3-3, 4.34 ERA in 26 games (3 starts). Capellan made a career-high 61 relief appearances with Milwaukee in 2006, going 4-2 with a 4.40 ERA. He entered 2005 rated as the Brewers' 4th-best prospect, according to Baseball America, and spent most of the year with Nashville but also posted a 2.87 ERA in 17 games for Milwaukee. Capellan was acquired by the Brewers, along with a player to be named, prior to the '05 season from Atlanta in exchange for RHP Dan Kolb. Capellan was originally signed by the Braves as a non-drafted free agent in August 1998.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 21, 2008


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