Royals Game Notes
Published on August 8, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
TONIGHT: The Royals open a 5-game series at Nashville with a 7:00 p.m. game at Greer Stadium. Omaha is coming off a 2-6 home stand, going 1-3 vs. both Salt Lake and Colorado Springs, including 3 straight losses to the Sky Sox. The Royals lead the season series vs. the Sounds 6-5. The pre-game show airs at 6:40 p.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.oroyals.com.
WEDNESDAY: Colorado Springs banged out 14 hits, including 5 doubles, downing the Royals 6-4. Omaha scored all 4 of its runs and collected 3 of its 4 hits on the day in the 2nd inning to take a 4-2 lead. The Sky Sox scored 2 runs off Josh Newman in the 6th inning to tie the game. Jeff Fulchino (3-3) took the loss, giving up Edwin Bellorin's RBI double in the 7th and a run-scoring double to Doug Bernier in the 8th. Josh Hall (1-2) got the win, retiring 13 of the last 14 batters he faced after Gookie Dawkins' RBI double in the 2nd made it 4-2. Three Sky Sox relievers each tossed a scoreless frame, with Ryan Speier pitching a perfect 9th for his 4th save.
ROYALS REPORT: KC outfielder Joey Gathright joins Omaha today to begin a rehab assignment. He has been on the disabled list since July 24 with a bone bruise in his right shoulder. In 82 games with KC this season, Gathright is batting .251 with no home runs, 17 RBI and 36 runs scored. He's 21-for-25 in stolen base attempts. *** John Bale has suffered a setback in his rehab assignment with Omaha. Bale was given a cortisone shot in his left shoulder on Tuesday and will be shut down for at least 7 days. He is 0-2 with an 8.22 ERA in 7 games (4 starts) with Omaha. *** KC lefty Jimmy Gobble made his 2nd rehab start for Omaha Wednesday, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits over 2.2 innings, walking 1 and striking out 3. *** Ryan Shealy has hit 2-run homers in back-to-back games. Prior to the last 2 contests, he went 11 games without hitting a home run. The last O-Royal to go deep in 3 straight games was...Shealy. He homered April 28-30 of this season at Sacramento. *** Kila Kaaihue did not belt another home run on Wednesday, but his 2nd inning single extended his hitting streak to all 8 games that he has played at Triple-A. The former University of Nebraska recruit is hitting .400 (12-for-30) with 4 home runs and 7 RBI with Omaha. On the season, his 30 home runs are tied for 5th-most in the minors, while he ranks 6th in slugging percentage (.640) and is tied for 6th in on-base percentage (.463). *** Mike Stodolka, who injured his hand trying to catch a fly ball in right field Tuesday night, did not play on Wednesday. Over his last 21 games, he's hitting .403 (29-for-72) with 2 home runs and 8 RBI. *** Matt Tupman went 0-for-2 with a pair of walks on Wednesday, ending his season-best, 9-game hitting streak. In his last 10 tilts, he's hitting at a .333 clip (15-for-45), including 5 doubles and has knocked in 6 runs. *** Over his past 17 contests, Chris Lubanski is batting .302 (19-for-63) with 2 doubles, 3 triples, 5 homers and 12 RBI. *** KC's low-A team, the Burlington (IA) Bees, had 2 pitchers combine on a no-hitter Thursday. 19-year old left-hander Danny Duffy (7-4) went 6.0 innings, fanning 4 and walking 2. 23-year old Juan Abreu pitched the final 3.0 stanzas, whiffing 5 and walking 1 as the visiting Bees rolled over Peoria 10-0. It was Abreu's 7th save, all coming in Duffy's wins. It was the 1st no-hitter for Burlington since Chris Coughlin hurled a perfect game on June 30, 2004 vs. Beloit.
STARTERS: RH Brandon Duckworth (3-11, 4.97) vs. LH Lindsay Gulin (5-5, 6.34)
Duckworth makes his 17th start (25th 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 outing was last Saturday vs. Salt Lake, in relief of Gobble. Duckworth got a no-decision as the Royals lost 5-3 in 11 innings (6.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 HR). He has lost 10 of his last 11 decisions, including the last 6 in a row. In 111.1 innings this season, he has surrendered 21 home runs - 4th-most in the PCL - 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 undergoing 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 in August 1997 out of Cal State Fullerton.
PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES:
Sat., 6:00 pm.: RH Roman Colon (3-5, 4.64) vs. LH Sam Narron (6-3, 4.78)
Sat., Gm. 2: RH Matt Wright (3-7, 5.86) vs. LH Troy Cate (2-2, 5.22)
Sun., 6:00 p.m.: RH Jose Capellan (4-1, 3.56) vs. LH Chris Narveson (4-12, 5.10)
Mon., 6:00 p.m.: LH Jimmy Gobble/LH Josh Newman (pitch today) vs. RH Nic Ungs (1-2, 12.86)
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 8, 2008
- Tucson Comes Up Short Against Tacoma In 4-3 Loss - Tucson Sidewinders
- Sky Sox Score Three In Final Two Innings; Win 4-3 - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Sky Sox Score Two In Ninth To Beat Beavers - Portland Beavers
- Zephyrs jump on Redbirds early - Memphis Redbirds
- Angels Option Budde to Salt Lake - Salt Lake Bees
- Z's win in Memphis - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Sounds Open Homestand With 6-1 Loss - Nashville Sounds
- Paul LoDuca to return to Albuquerque - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Owings To Start Homestand for the Sidewinders - Tucson Sidewinders
- Oklahoma RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Royals Game Notes - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Alvarado and Wilson Return to Bees - Salt Lake Bees
- Sounders Win Final Regular Season Game Vs Timbers - Portland Beavers
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