Royals Game Notes
July 17, 2007 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
JULY 17, 2007, 8:05 p.m.: OMAHA ROYALS (45-51) @ Albuquerque Isotopes (48-47)
HOME: 30-17 (31-41 in ‘06) AWAY: 15-34 (22-50 in '06) vs. Albuquerque: 4-5 (5-11 in '06)
TONIGHT: The Royals face Albquerque in an 8:05 p.m. game at Isotopes Park. The 'Topes lead the 4-game series 1-0. Air-time is 7:45 p.m. on News Talk 1420 KOTK and at www.Oroyals.com.
LAST NIGHT: The Royals rallied for 3 runs in the top of the 9th to force extra innings, only to have the Isotopes win 9-8 in 10 innings. In the bottom of the 10th, Brett Carroll's double off Jason Shiell (1-4) scored Scott Seabol, who had led off the inning with a single and moved to 2nd on a passed ball. In the top of the 9th, Richard Lewis delivered a 2-run single and Chris Lubanski plated the tying run with a sacrifice fly off Roy Corcoran, who suffered his 5th blown save. Ross Wolf (4-1) wound up getting the win after blanking the Royals in the top of the 10th. Albuquerque's John Gall went 4-for-5 with a home run, 3 RBI and 3 runs scored.
ROYALS REPORT: The Royals are 0-7 in extra-inning games on the road this season, while going 5-0 in extra innings at home. *** Lefty Tyler Lumsden lasted just 1.1 innings last night for a 2nd consecutive start. The 24-year old prospect has been charged with 12 earned runs in those 2 outings. Over his last 6 starts, Lumsden is 0-2 with a 10.22 ERA, jumping his season ERA from 5.17 to 6.75. *** Joey Gathright is expected to rejoin Omaha late this week, after being optioned by KC yesterday as the Royals activated Reggie Sanders from the disabled list. Gathright hit .315 (23-73) with 13 runs scored, 9 RBI, and 5 stolen bases in 25 games with KC after being called up on June 6. To make room for Sanders on the 40-man roster, Omaha lefty Sean Thompson was designated for assignment, meaning he must clear waivers. The Royals just claimed the former Padres' prospect off waivers on July 4. San Diego had designated Thompson for assignment June 29 to make roster space for Milton Bradley. KC manager Buddy Bell has announced that Omaha right-hander Leo Nunez - who was nearly traded for Bradley on June 22 - will be recalled to make his 1st Major League start tonight at Fenway Park. Nunez was 1-1 with a 2.00 ERA in 4 games (3 starts) for Omaha. He takes the rotation spot of John Thomson, who has been placed on the DL with lower back spasms. Bell said the plan is to option reliever Neal Musser back to Triple-A today to make room for Nunez. Musser was just optioned to Omaha on Saturday, but was recalled by KC yesterday and tossed 2.0 scoreless innings in last night's 4-0 loss to the Red Sox. *** With the recent moves depleting Omaha's bullpen, Roberto Giron stepped up and fired a team-high 5.2 innings of relief last night, allowing just 1 run on 2 hits and no walks, striking out 7. Over his last 6 appearances, Giron owns a 1.15 ERA (2 ER in 15.2 IP), with 20 strikeouts to just 2 walks. *** Ryan Braun logged 2.0 more scoreless innings Monday night, extending his shutout string to 16.2 frames over his last 11 outings (2-0, 4 saves). *** Justin Huber, who hadn't played for the O-Royals since June 13 due to a tight hamstring, returned to the lineup last night. He was 1-for-3 with a double, driving in a run and scoring twice. *** Paul Phillips' home run last night was his 1st of the season, coming in his 122nd at-bat. He had averaged a homer about every 38 at-bats with Omaha in 2006 (9 HR/345 AB). *** Craig Brazell was 0-for-5 Monday night, ending his hitting streak at 14 games. He hit .300 (18-60) during the streak, which was 1 game shy of matching his longest and is the club's 3rd-longest this season. *** Mitch Maier, who left Sunday's game early after fouling a ball off his knee, was back in the lineup last night. Maier, who has played in all of the Royals' 96 games this season, went 2-for-5 with a double and 2 runs scored. Over the past 13 contests, he's hitting .431 (25-58) with 11 runs scored and 7 RBI. *** Last night marked the 3rd 2-hit game in the past 4 days for Lewis, who's 6-for-17 (.353) with 4 RBI over that stretch. *** Derek Wathan was 0-for-5 Monday, snapping his hit string at 5 games. He's still 8-for-his-last-22 (.364) with a home run and 4 RBI.
STARTERS: RH Matt Wright (6-3, 3.81) vs. RH Jesus Silva (0-0, 3.18) Wright makes his 13th start and 20th appearance of the season. The 25-year old right-hander's last action was a start last Thursday vs. Iowa. He was not involved in the decision, as the Royals won 4-3 in 11 innings (5.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 2 HR). Wright has faced the Isotopes twice, both times in relief. He took the loss in his 1st appearance of the season on April 6 at Albuquerque, before getting a win vs. the ‘Topes 10 days later at Rosenblatt. In the 2 outings combined, he posted a 4.32 ERA, allowing 4 runs in 8.1 innings, with no walks and 7 strikeouts. In his 12 starts, Wright is 3-1 with a 3.61 ERA; he's 3-2 with a 4.32 ERA in his 7 relief appearances. He's 4-0 with a 3.92 ERA at home, while going 2-3 with a 3.71 ERA on the road. Wright was signed by KC as a minor league free agent in the off-season after spending the 1st 7 campaigns of his professional career in the Atlanta Braves organization. In 2006, he opened the season pitching for Double-A Mississippi, posting a 7-3 record with a 2.22 ERA in 15 games (14 starts). He was promoted to Richmond in mid-July and went 3-5 with a 5.77 ERA over 10 starts in his 1st action at the Triple-A level. Entering this season, his minor league totals included a 46-47 record, with a 3.68 ERA and 744 strikeouts in 743.2 innings. Wright was selected by the Braves in the 21st round of the 2000 draft out of Robinson High School in Waco, Texas.
PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES:
Wed., 8:05: RH Scott Elarton (2-3, 6.28) vs. RH Daniel Barone (5-0, 2.72)
Thur., 8:05: RH Billy Buckner (7-4, 4.28) vs. RH Kenny Baugh (3-6, 5.78)
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