• Tuesday's box score
• Craig Brazell's player page • Audio: Brazell cranks one in the fifth • Flip on an O-Royals lid Craig Brazell says he hasn't changed his approach during the last two weeks. Nevertheless, the results have been markedly different. The 27-year-old first baseman smashed two home runs -- his fourth in his last two games and ninth in the past 11 -- to lead Omaha over visiting Oklahoma, 8-3, on Tuesday. In doing so, he took over the Minor League lead with 16 on the season. Brazell led off the third inning with a solo homer over the right-field wall to tie the game, 1-1. "I had a good idea [that it would go out]," he said. "I hit it pretty good." The cleanup hitter wasn't as sure about his second blast, a wind-aided two-run shot to left. "That one I didn't think was going out," Brazell said. "I thought it was a routine fly ball." After going hitless in his first game with Omaha on May 9, Brazell is 22-for-53 with nine home runs and 18 RBIs in his last 12 games. He also homered twice in Monday's win 8-1 win over the Redhawks. "I'm doing nothing different," he said. "Really, I'm just trying not to do too much or think too much about it." But his Royals teammates aren't allowing him to go about business as usual during the stretch he admits is "definitely" the hottest of his career. "It's been a lot of fun," Brazell said. "They've been laughing at me, asking if I'm done yet whenever I make an out." Mike Aviles also went deep twice for his third and fourth home runs of the season and Matt Tupman smacked a two-run single in the fourth for Omaha (21-24). Starter Tyler Lumsden (3-3) got the win after giving up three runs on six hits while striking out two and walking two in 6 2/3 innings. Oklahoma starter Steven Rowe (2-1) surrendered five runs on six hits and a walk without a strikeout in 3 2/3 innings. Ezequiel Astacio yielded two runs on two hits while striking out one and walking three in 1 1/3 frames. Marlon Byrd, Nate Gold and Dave Matranga each hit solo home runs for the RedHawks (21-23), who have dropped three straight. Ryan McConnell is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs. |
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