Royals Game Notes
August 30, 2008 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
AUGUST 30, 2008, 7:05 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (61-80) at Iowa (82-57)
HOME: 30-42 (45-27 in '07) AWAY: 31-38 (28-44 in '07) vs. Iowa: 2-11 (10-6 in '07)
TONIGHT: The Royals visit Principal Park in Des Moines, taking on the Iowa Cubs at 7:05 p.m. It's game 2 of a season-ending, 4-game series. Iowa leads the series 1-0 and is 11-2 in the season series. The pre-game show airs at 6:45 p.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.oroyals.com.
LAST NIGHT: The Cubs used clutch hits with the bases full and 2 away in 2 different innings to beat the Royals 7-2. Trailing 2-1, the Cubs loaded the bases in the bottom of the 3rd and with 2 outs Casey McGehee drilled a 3-run double to right field. Iowa loaded the bases with 2 outs in the 6th and Andres Torres capped the scoring with a 2-run single through the right side. J.R. Mathes (9-5) got the win, allowing 2 runs on 7 hits over 5.0 innings. Matt Wright (4-10) absorbed the defeat, surrendering 6 runs on 9 hits over 6.0 stanzas.
ROYALS REPORT: Since splitting their 1st 4-game series vs. Iowa at Rosenblatt in late May, the Royals have lost 9 straight meetings with Iowa. McGehee has been a huge Royals killer, hitting .420 (21-for-50) with 5 doubles, 2 homers and 21 RBI in the 13 contests. *** Wright took the loss in 6 of his last 7 decisions. In 2 games (1 start) vs. Iowa, he was 0-2 with a 14.00 ERA, giving up 14 earned runs in 9.0 innings. *** Brayan Pena went 2-for-4 Friday night, posting his 20th multi-hit effort in his 57th game with Omaha. He's on a 13-game hitting streak, his longest and the 3rd-longest for a Royal this season. During the streak, Pena is hitting .375 (18-for-48) with 2 home runs and 7 RBI. *** Josh Labandeira drove in both of Omaha's runs last night with a 2nd inning single that gave the Royals a short-lived, 2-1 lead. It extended his hitting streak to 4 games, tied for his longest of the year with Omaha. During the string, he's 6-for-14 (.429) with a home run and 4 RBI. Labandeira has hit in 6 of his last 7 contests (.346, 9-for-26, 5 RBI, 5 R), upping his average from .152 to .207. *** Jorge Gutierrez made his 1st Triple-A start last night, playing 2nd base and batting 9th. The 23-year old infielder, recently promoted from rookie-level Burlington (NC), singled in the 2nd inning for his 1st hit at the Triple-A level. *** Chris Lubanski, who was scratched from the Royals' starting lineup prior to Thursday night's home finale due to a vision problem, sat out last night's contest as well. On the last home stand of the season, Lubanski went 12-for-26 (.462) with 7 extra-base hits, including 2 homers, and 6 RBI. *** Neal Musser made his 3rd consecutive start last night, giving up a run on 1 hit in 2.0 innings. He did not record a strikeout or a walk, throwing only 11 of 24 pitches for strikes. *** Iowa manager Pat Listach was named last night as the Pacific Coast League's Manager of the Year. In his 1st full season as the Cubs' skipper, he has guided them to the American Conference North division title. Iowa is 82-57, with 3 games remaining. Previous PCL Managers of the Year include Tommy Lasorda of Spokane in 1970, Mike Hargrove of Colorado Springs in 1989 and Charlie Manuel of the Sky Sox in 1992.
STARTERS: LH John Bale (0-2, 9.31) vs. RH Mitch Atkins (7-1, 4.56)
Bale makes his 7th rehab assignment start (10th appearance) with Omaha, pitching for the 3rd time since his original rehab stint was shut down following his August 4 start vs. Colorado Springs. The 34-year old lefty's last outing was last Wednesday vs. New Orleans. He was not involved in the decision as the Royals won 4-2 (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K). Bale began the rehab assignment on July 15 with Northwest Arkansas, making 2 appearances (1 start) for the Naturals; he was 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA. He 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. While on the DL, he broke his left hand May 2, after punching a door at KC's 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 DL, initially sidelined in Spring Training with a tight left shoulder. He began a rehab assignment with Wichita last 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) before finally being recalled by KC and reinstated from the DL 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, he 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 in the 5th round of the 1996 draft.
PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES:
Sun., 1:35 p.m.: RH Roman Colon (5-5, 4.64) vs. RH Mike Burns (8-12, 4.75)
Mon., 1:35 p.m.: LH Dusty Hughes (3-2, 4.59) vs. LH Jason Stanford (3-0, 4.22)
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