Royals Game Notes
Published on August 6, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
AUGUST 6, 2008, 12:05 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (51-66) vs. Colo. Springs (56-61)
HOME: 24-34 (45-27 in '07) AWAY: 27-32 (28-44 in '07) vs. Colorado Springs: 1-2 (2-2 in '07)
TODAY: The Royals host the Colorado Springs Sky Sox in a 12:05 p.m. game at Rosenblatt Stadium. It's the finale of a 4-game series and an 8-game home stand. The Sky Sox lead the series 2-1. Omaha is 3-4 on the home stand. It's a Business Person Special, brought to you by 1110 KFAB and Strictly Business, featuring ½-price Omaha Steaks burgers! The pre-game show airs at 11:45 a.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.oroyals.com.
LAST NIGHT: Joe Koshansky hit 2 home runs and drove in 5 runs to lead Colorado Springs to an 8-5 win. The slugging 1st baseman had an RBI single in a 2-run 1st inning, walked with the bases loaded as part of a 2-run 3rd, smacked a solo homer in the 5th and capped the scoring with a 2-run bomb in the 9th. The Royals belted 3 home runs of their own, courtesy of Ryan Shealy, Kila Kaaihue and Brayan Pena. Former KC All-Star Mark Redman (7-3) picked up the win, giving up 3 runs on 5 hits in 6.0 innings, walking 1 and striking out 6. After yielding Pena's leadoff homer in the 9th, Ryan Speier retired the next 3 batters to earn his 3rd save. Jose Capellan (4-1) took the loss, after allowing 5 runs on 6 hits and 5 walks in 6.0 innings.
ROYALS REPORT: Koshansky's 5 RBI last night gives him 93 on the season, ranking 2nd in the PCL to Oklahoma's Nelson Cruz - who has driven in 98 runs - and ranking 6th in the minors. *** Kaaihue has hit 4 home runs in his 1st 7 games with Omaha. He missed a 2nd round-tripper with a long foul down the right field line in the 6th inning last night, before striking out. That marked the 3rd time in 7 games that has occurred. After clouting 26 homers to begin the season with Northwest Arkansas, the former University of Nebraska recruit now has 30 home runs on the year. That is tied for 4th-most in Minor League Baseball. Albuquerque's Dallas McPherson leads the minors and the PCL with 39 round-trippers. Kaaihue has hit in all 7 games at Triple-A and has hit in 9 straight counting his last 2 games at Double-A. The left-handed hitter's homer Tuesday night came off the lefty Redman; Kaaihue is 3-for-6 with 1 homer vs. Triple-A southpaws. *** The home run last night by Pena was his 1st with Omaha, coming in his 148th at-bat. *** Shealy's home run was his 1st in his past 12 games. He had entered last night's contest in a 3-for-22 (.136) slump. In the 25 games prior to Tuesday, he hit .389 (35-for-90) with 4 homers and 17 RBI. *** Mike Stodolka injured his hand on a fly ball to right field last night and was pinch-hit for by Pena in the 4th. Over his last 21 contests, Stodolka is batting .403 (29-for-72), with 2 home runs and 8 RBI. He also walked 9 times in the past 7 games. *** Matt Tupman singled in the 7th inning last night, extending his hitting streak to 9 games. During the streak, which is his longest of the year, he's hitting .349 (15-for-43) with 5 doubles and 6 RBI. *** Over the last 16 tilts, Chris Lubanski is batting .322 (19-for-59) with 2 doubles, 3 triples, 5 homers and 12 RBI. However, he went 0-for-2 facing Redman last night, dropping his average vs. lefties this season to .141 (9-for-64). He's hitting .271 (70-for-258) vs. right-handers, with 12 of his 13 homers coming off righties. *** Brian Buchanan is hitless in his last 14 at-bats. *** Angel Sanchez is 0-for-8 the past 2 contests, after hitting in 4 straight games.
STARTERS: RH Josh Hall (0-2, 4.50) vs. LH Jimmy Gobble (0-0, 0.00-rehab)/LH Josh Newman (1-2, 2.70)
Gobble makes his 2nd rehab assignment start. The 27-year old lefty's 1st start was vs. Salt Lake last Saturday; a no-decision as the Royals lost 5-3 in 11 innings (2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3K). Gobble has been on the D.L. with a stiff lower back since July 22, a day after he surrendered 10 earned runs in 1.0 inning vs. Detroit. The rough outing jumped his ERA from 7.99 to 11.31 after 31 relief outings with KC. He was 0-2 and had 1 save for the parent club this season. In 2007, Gobble enjoyed the best season of his Major League career, going 4-1 with a 3.02 ERA and 1 save in 74 relief outings for KC. The career-high 74 appearances ranked 4th all-time in Royals history behind Dan Quisenberry (84 in 1985 and 75 in 1980) and Jason Grimsley (76 in 2003). He held left-handed hitters to a .241 average. In 2006, Gobble spent his 1st full season in the big leagues and made 60 appearances, leading KC pitchers with 80 strikeouts. He 1st made it to KC in 2003 as a starter, getting called up from Double-A Wichita. Gobble split the 2004 and 2005 seasons with KC and Omaha, making 16 Triple-A starts over those 2 years, with a combined record of 5-8 with a 6.12 ERA in his Omaha career. Billy James Gobble was KC's sandwich pick (43rd overall) between the 1st and 2nd rounds of the 1999 draft out of John Battle (VA) High.
Newman makes his 5th appearance with Omaha since being claimed by KC off waivers from Colorado on July 11th. The 26-year old lefty made the 2nd start of his professional career last Friday vs. Salt Lake, taking the loss in a 5-1 defeat (4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K, 1 HR). Newman opened this season with Colorado Springs, going 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA and 1 save in 20 games. He also made 8 relief appearances for the Rockies in April and May; he was 0-0 with a 9.35 ERA. In 2007, Newman saw his 1st action both at the Triple-A level and in the Major Leagues. He was 3-2 with a 4.06 ERA in 55 appearances for the Sky Sox, before being added to the Rockies' roster in September. He made his big league debut on September 12 at Philadelphia, tossing a perfect inning in Colorado's 12-0 win. In 2 games with the N.L. Champions, he was 0-0 with a 4.50 ERA. In 2006, Newman made his Double-A debut and pitched in a Texas League-leading 62 games with Tulsa, going 9-5 with a 3.16 ERA and 2 saves. He led the Drillers in wins, innings (77.0) and strikeouts (77) and was named to the Texas League mid-season All-Star team. Newman was selected by the Rockies in the 19th round of the 2004 draft out of Ohio State University. He was drafted by the Reds in the 30th round of the 2003 draft, but decided to return for his senior year with the Buckeyes. In his college career, he was 32-21 with a 4.20 ERA in 61 games (54 starts). Newman was a USA Today High School All-American at Wheelersburg High in Ohio.
PROBABLES FOR SERIES AT NASHVILLE:
Fri., 7:00 p.m.: RH Brandon Duckworth (3-11, 4.97) vs. LH Lindsay Gulin (5-5, 3.64)
Sat., 6:00 pm.: RH Roman Colon (3-5, 4.64) vs. RH Richie Gardner (6-5, 5.73)
Sat., Gm. 2: RH Matt Wright (3-7, 5.86) vs. TBA
Sun., 6:00 p.m.: RH Jose Capellan (4-1, 3.56) vs. LH Sam Narron (6-3, 4.78)
Mon., 6:00 p.m.: LH Jimmy Gobble/LH Josh Newman (pitch today) vs. LH Chris Narveson (pitches today)
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 6, 2008
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- Cubs Buzz by Bees - Iowa Cubs
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- Whitesell, Torra Give Sidewinders Series Win - Tucson Sidewinders
- Royals Game Notes - Omaha Storm Chasers
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- Sounds Beat Fresno Again In Extras, 5-4 - Nashville Sounds
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