PCL1 Omaha Storm Chasers

Royals Game Notes

Published on August 19, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release


AUGUST 19, 2008, 4:00 p.m. DH: OMAHA ROYALS (54-75) at Oklahoma (70-59)

HOME: 25-38 (45-27 in '07) AWAY: 29-37 (28-44 in '07) vs. Oklahoma: 7-7 (8-8 in '07)

TODAY: The Royals visit Bricktown Ballpark, facing the Oklahoma RedHawks in a 4:00 p.m. doubleheader. Today marks the final 2 games of this series and the season series. Oklahoma leads this series 2-0, while the season series is tied 7-7. The pre-game show airs at 3:40 p.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.oroyals.com.

MONDAY: The Royals' game at Oklahoma was postponed by rain before it ever started, although the scheduled 12:05 p.m. contest was not called until about 5:00 p.m. It marked the 4th time this season that a game between the 2 teams has been affected by bad weather or other factors. Their May 28th game was suspended by an acid spill near Rosenblatt. A doubleheader scheduled for the following day had the 2nd game postponed due to the threat of severe weather. Then their game on June 27 was postponed when hurricane-like winds knocked out power to much of Omaha, including the ballpark.

ROYALS REPORT: KC signed right-hander Kip Wells to a Major League contract today. The 31-year old Wells had spent this season in the Rockies' organization until being designated for assignment last week. He was 1-2 with a 5.27 ERA in 15 games (2 starts) for the Rockies, missing 2-and-a-half months after undergoing surgery for a blood clot in his right hand. Wells, who's 65-93 with a 4.64 ERA in his 10-year career in the big leagues, will pitch out of KC's bullpen. *** Neal Musser was activated from the disabled list Monday. Musser, who went on the DL July 12, is 2-4 with a 4.01 ERA and 6 saves in 30 relief outings for Omaha. He has made 1 relief appearance with KC this year, tossing a scoreless inning on May 29 vs. Minnesota. *** KC infielder Alberto Callaspo began a rehab assignment with Omaha Sunday night. Starting at 2nd base and batting 2nd in the lineup, he went 0-for-4 at the plate. Callaspo was placed on the DL June 28 for the evaluation and treatment for an unspecified medical condition, a day after he was arrested for driving under the influence. In 42 games with KC, he hit .290 (29-for-100) with no home runs and 4 RBI. *** Joey Gathright played in the 6th game of his rehab assignment Sunday night. He was hitless in 3 at-bats, ending a 3-game hitting streak. During the string, he was 4-for-12. *** Chad Spann has hit in all 4 games he has played for Omaha, going 7-for-17 (.412) and driving in 3 runs, including the only run scored by the Royals Sunday night. *** Over his last 9 contests, Damon Hollins is hitting .294 (10-for-34) with 3 home runs, 9 RBI and 7 runs scored. *** Chris Lubanski, who went 0-for-3 Sunday night, is in a 4-for-41 (.098) slide that has seen his average dip from .245 to .229. *** Matt Tupman has hit in 6 of his last 7 games, going 8-for-26 (.308) with 5 RBI. *** Brayan Pena has hit in 4 straight, going 6-for-18 (.333), hitting a home run and knocking in 3 runs. Pena had scored a run in 6 consecutive games until the streak was ended Saturday night. *** The Royals have lost 20 of their last 26 games and 37 of the last 51.

GAME 1 STARTERS: RH Brandon Duckworth (4-11, 4.93) vs. RH Luis Mendoza (2-2, 5.04)

Duckworth makes his 18th start (27th 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 in relief last Wednesday vs. Albuquerque (5.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 BB, 7 K). He left the game after the 7th in line for the win, with the Royals leading 7-5. However, the Isotopes rallied for 4 runs in the top of the 9th leaving him with a no-decision. In his last start on August 8 at Nashville, Duckworth picked up his 1st win since June 10, after losing 6 straight decisions. In 129.2 innings this season, he has surrendered 23 home runs - tied for 3rd 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.

GAME 2 STARTERS: RH Kyle Davies (6-2, 2.06) vs. RH Elizardo Ramirez (10-5, 4.21)

Davies makes his 11th start of the season with Omaha, his 1st since May 26. The 24-year old right-hander was optioned by KC last Friday, when reliever Jeff Fulchino was recalled. Davies opened the season at Triple-A, going 6-2 with a 2.06 ERA in 10 starts for Omaha, before being recalled by KC on May 31. In 14 starts for the parent club, he was 5-4 with a 4.71 ERA. This is his 1st start vs. Oklahoma. Davies was acquired by KC from Atlanta in exchange for reliever Octavio Dotel on July 31, 2007. He began last season with the Braves and was 4-8 with a 5.76 ERA in 17 starts. Following the trade, he went 3-7 and posted a 6.66 ERA in 11 starts for KC. Davies made his KC debut last August 4 at Yankee Stadium, allowing 5 runs on 6 hits in 3.0 innings and surrendering Alex Rodriguez' 500th career home run. He earned a win in his Kauffman Stadium debut vs. Minnesota, firing 6.2 shutout innings in a 1-0 victory. In 2006, he opened the season in the Braves starting rotation, but underwent surgery to repair a torn right groin on May 19 and was on the D.L. until September 1. Davies began his big league career with Atlanta in 2005 by recording 14.0 straight scoreless innings, the most by a Braves rookie starter to open his career since Larry McWilliams (14.1) in 1978. In 2004, he was named the Phil Niekro Award Winner as the top pitcher in the Braves organization and was selected to Baseball America's minor league All-Star 2nd team. Davies was selected by Atlanta in the 4th round of the 2001 draft out of Stockbridge High School in Georgia. Kyle is his middle name - his given name is Hiram.

PROBABLES FOR SERIES VS. MEMPHIS:

Wed., 7:05 p.m.: RH P.J. Walters (8-4, 4.66) vs. RH Matt Wright (3-9, 5.66)

Thur., 7:05 p.m.: RH Mitchell Boggs (7-3, 3.59) vs. RH Roman Colon (4-5, 4.45)

Fri., 7:05 p.m.: RH Clayton Mortensen (5-4, 4.63) vs. LH Dusty Hughes (2-2, 5.09)

Sat., 7:05 p.m.: RH Blake Hawksworth (3-7, 6.87) vs. TBA

Sun., 1:35 p.m.: RH Jess Todd (pitches Tuesday) vs. TBA

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 19, 2008


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