June 9 Notes: Royals vs. Oklahoma
LAST NIGHT: Oklahoma banged out 15 hits to take the series opener 5-3. Jamie Burke doubled twice and scored 2 runs. Jace Brewer had a pair of RBI singles. Jason Hart had 2 hits, including his 1st home run with the RedHawks. Royals starter Runelvys Hernandez (2-3) surrendered 12 hits and 4 runs in 6.0 innings to take the loss. Derek Lee (2-2) gave Oklahoma a quality start, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits over 7.0 stanzas. Bryan Corey gave up a single and a walk to begin the 9th inning. But, following Justin Huber's sacrifice bunt, Corey struck out Chip Ambres and got Andres Blanco on a ground out to end the game and notch his 8th save.
ROYALS REPORT: Chad Allen, who had 2 singles in 4 at-bats last night, is riding a team-high 14-game hitting streak. He's hitting .456 (26-57) during the streak and is up to .342 on the season, 3rd-best in the PCL. *** Mike Aviles' 2-run homer in the 2nd inning last night, which tied the game at 2-all, was his 1st home run since April 23 vs. Memphis, a span of 41 games. Aviles had hit 2 homers in his 1st 15 contests. *** Paul Phillips tied his season high with 3 hits last night, his 3rd 3-hit game of the year. Phillips is hitting .323 (10-31) over his last 8 games with a home run and 9 RBI. *** Ruben Gotay is just 1-for-20 in the past 5 games, on the heels of a 12-game stretch where the switch-hitting second baseman batted .396 (19-48). *** The 12 hits off Hernandez last night was the most allowed by an Omaha pitcher this season. Kyle Snyder had surrendered 11 hits in an April 21 start at Nashville. *** Snyder, whose contract was purchased by KC yesterday, gave up 10 hits and 9 runs (5 earned) in 2.0 innings last night vs. Texas. Snyder took a no-decision when KC rallied from down 11-4 to shock the Rangers 16-12. Mark Teahen went 4-for-4 with 2 RBI and scored twice. In 5 games with KC since returning from Omaha, Teahen is 8-for-20 (.400) with a home run and 6 RBI. *** To make room for Snyder on KC's 25-man roster, right-hander Denny Bautista was optioned to Omaha. Bautista was 0-2 with a 5.66 ERA in 8 games (7 starts) with KC. He was recently moved to the bullpen to work on his mechanics, but manager Buddy Bell said he wasn't going to get enough innings in relief to straighten out his delivery. To make room for Snyder on KC's 40-man roster, right-hander Seth Etherton was outrighted to Omaha. That means Etherton, who was optioned to Omaha last Monday when Leo Nunez was recalled by KC, will have to clear waivers.
STARTERS: RH Robinson Tejada (1-2, 4.24) vs. RH Brian Boehringer (0-1, 1.54)
Boehringer makes his 3rd start for Omaha, since KC purchased his contract from the Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League. In his last start last Saturday at Round Rock, the 36-year old righty took the loss in a 1-0 defeat (5.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K). At the beginning of this season, Boehringer made 5 starts for Bridgeport, going 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA. In 30.2 innings, he allowed 25 hits, walking 12 and striking out 24. He gave up just 2 homers and held opposing batters to a .231 average. In 2005 Boehringer made 9 appearances between 3 New York Yankees' minor league clubs. He made 3 starts between the Gulf Coast League Yankees and class-A Tampa, before making 6 relief appearances for Triple-A Columbus. He was 0-1 with a 21.32 ERA for the Clippers, allowing 15 earned runs in 6.1 innings. Boehringer has pitched in 356 games in the Major Leagues with the Yankees, Padres, Giants and most recently the Pirates (2002-2004). He was a member of the 1996 World Champion Yankees. In his big league career, he is 26-32 with a 4.36 ERA. Boehringer was originally selected by the White Sox in the 4th round of the 1991 draft out of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
PROBABLES FOR REMAINDER OF SERIES:
Sat., 6:05: RH Edinson Volquez (3-5, 4.48) vs. LH J.P. Howell (3-2, 5.76)
Sun., 1:35: RH Nick Masset (1-3, 9.00) vs. LH Donnovan Osborne (NR)