Diamonds in the Rough 5.13

2-2 record for Royals affiliates on Mothers Day.  HR Roll Call Sharlon Schoop (4) Brian Fletcher (2) Geulin Beltre (2) Travis Jones (1) Lane Adams (2)

Wil Myers

Pine Tar Press Hitter of the Day Wil Myers 3-3 2-2b, BB, R, 2 RBI

Michael Mariot

Pine Tar Press Pitcher of the Day Michael Mariot 2.1 IP 0 H 0 R 0 BB 2 K

Fresno Grizzlies 7 Omaha Storm Chasers 1

The Fresno Grizzlies showed why they have the best record in the PCL Sunday after battering the Storm Chasers bullpen for 8 innings and shutting down their starting lineup for 9.  Fresno starter Eric Hacker slowed down the #3 ranked PCL offense for 7 innings limiting them to just one run on three hits in his seven innings while earning his sixth win already in the young season.  With the amount of callups to the major leagues Mike Jirschele was forced to turn to his bullpen to eat up innings.  Louis Coleman started the game for the Chasers, working two innings while giving up a pair of runs.  Sean O’Sullivan would follow Coleman without much luck of his own, allowing five runs in just five innings of work.

W: Hacker (6-1, 3.70) L: Coleman (0-1, 2.89)

NW Arkansas Naturals 6 Springfield Cardinals 5

The Royals twitterverse was set in a spin on Mothers Day with the announcement of top prospect Wil Myers starting at third base for the Naturals.  The experiment only lasted two innings but the Cardinals in that time gave Myers a quick taste of what to expect earning a bunt single in his direction with the opening hitter of the game.  The Cardinals would score in the first and second but in both innings the Naturals would answer back with a pair of runs.  In the first it was Whittleman with a single and Lisson with a sac fly providing the runs while Julio Rodriguez and a Myers double earned the runs in the second.  Another double in the fourth with drive in Rodriguez to extend the lead to 5-2.  The Cardinals would fight back earning a run off Brendan Lafferty in the sixth and two more with a pair of Naturals errors in the eighth.  The Naturals would again answer back in that frame with a  Scharlon Schoop solo home run that would give NW Arkansas the win.  Wil Myers showed all the defensive maneuvering doesn’t seem to affect his offense in any way going 3-3 with a  a pair of doubles and a walk.

W: Volz (3-1, 1.33) L: Freeman (1-3, 1.56)

Frederick Keys 6 Wilmington Blue Rocks 5

Tyler Sample had another rough one in the finale against Frederick costing the Rocks a opportunity to earn a sweep and dropping his fifth decision of the season.  Sample would make it just three innings it was long enough for Frederick to knock around the right-hander for 7 hits and 4 runs.  The Rocks would trail 6-2 entering the final two frames and get within a run after Geulin Beltre and Travis Jones home runs but the rally would end there for Wilmington.

W: Berry (1-0, 8.22) L: Sample (0-5, 5.73)

Kane County Cougars 5 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 4

The Cougars defense continued their struggles in the second game of a four gamer with Wisconsin Sunday but the bats made up for three errors using a Lane Adams home run to take the win.  Jorge Bonifacio looks to be getting out of his mini-funk collecting his second multi hit game in the last three games while driving in Justin Trapp in the 3rd and 5th innings.  Not only were Cougars pitchers forced to work around 3 errors but Wisconsin was putting plenty of pressure on of their own collecting 13 hits off of them.  Luckily for Kane County pitchers they were able to reduce the runs by getting outs when Wisconsin had runners in scoring position, holding them to just 2 for 13 in those situations.  Kane County put up five extra base hits on the day including Lane Adams 2 run home run in the fifth that would give the Cougars a 5-2 lead that they would hang onto.

W: Carl (3-2, 1.87) L: Gagnon (3-1, 2.01)
S: Graffeo (8)