Minor League Report (5/2): Royals Affiliates Go 3-1 Behind Quality Pitching And Late Rallies

Henry Williams turned in a quality start with two earned runs over six innings, fanning five, as Northwest Arkansas rallied past Springfield 7-5. Tommy Molsky added two scoreless innings to nail the save. Omaha cruised 8-4 behind Abraham Toro's two-run homer during a four-run fifth, and Beck Way picked up the win. Quad Cities fell 2-1 despite Austin Charles' ninth-inning solo homer. Columbia edged Myrtle Beach 4-3, with Yandel Ricardo collecting two hits.

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Storm Chasers Storm Back To Beat Bats 8-4

Omaha rallied from an early hole to beat Louisville 8-4.

The Storm Chasers got on the board in the bottom of the first when Luca Tresh singled home Kameron Misner, but the Bats kept inching ahead and led 3-1 entering the fifth. The fifth inning broke the game open. John Rave doubled to right, and Tyler Tolbert followed with a single. Misner brought home Rave on a sacrifice fly, Tresh singled to score Tolbert, and Abraham Toro launched a two-run home run, his fourth of the year, to put Omaha ahead 5-3.

The Storm Chasers tacked on three more in the eighth. Gavin Cross singled, Dustin Dickerson doubled to plate Elih Marrero and Cross, and Rave singled in Dickerson. Rave finished 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Toro went 2-for-3 with a homer, a walk, two RBI, and a run. Tresh added a 2-for-3 day with two RBI, a walk, and a run, and Tolbert collected two hits with two stolen bases. Beck Way provided the relief that won the game, working 2 2/3 innings with five strikeouts, two hits, no walks, and one run on a solo home run. Eli Morgan tossed two scoreless frames with three strikeouts, and Eric Cerantola finished with a clean ninth.

Naturals Rally Past Cardinals 7-5 With Late Heroics

Northwest Arkansas weathered two Springfield rallies to win 7-5.

Rudy Martin Jr. opened the scoring with an RBI double in the third, and Carson Roccaforte's RBI single in the fifth pushed the lead to 2-1. Springfield grabbed a 3-2 edge in the top of the sixth, but the Naturals answered with three in the bottom half. Martin Jr. singled, Sam Kulasingam doubled him in, Daniel Vazquez singled home Kulasingam, and Spencer Nivens singled to plate Vazquez for a 5-3 lead.

The Cardinals tied it back up in the seventh on a string of free passes, only for Northwest Arkansas to push two more across in their half. Justin Johnson walked, Roccaforte singled, Martin Jr. dropped a sacrifice bunt to bring in Johnson, Kulasingam walked, and Brett Squires lined a single to score Roccaforte for the eventual final score. Roccaforte and Daniel Vazquez each finished 2-for-4 with an RBI, with Vazquez adding a double and a stolen base. Martin Jr. went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI.

Henry Williams turned in a quality start, working six innings while allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits with no walks and five strikeouts. Christian Chamberlain entered the seventh, did not record an out, and was charged with two runs on two walks. Caden Monke escaped the inning to earn the win, and Tommy Molsky locked things down with two scoreless innings, two walks, and two strikeouts for the save.

River Bandits Drop 2-1 Pitchers' Duel In Wisconsin

Quad Cities was held in check by the Timber Rattlers in a 2-1 loss.

Josh Hansell delivered five strong innings for the River Bandits, allowing one run on three hits with no walks and four strikeouts, with the lone run coming on a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth. Tanner Jones followed with three innings of work, surrendering one run on two hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Wisconsin tacked on its second run on a single in the bottom of the seventh.

The lone Quad Cities offense came in the top of the ninth. Luke Pelzer popped out to start the inning, then Austin Charles ripped a solo home run to left field, his third of the year, to cut the deficit to 2-1. The next two River Bandits struck out to end the game. Charles finished 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, an RBI, and a run scored. Tyriq Kemp went 2-for-3 with a double, and Derlin Figueroa added a 1-for-4 day with a double. The River Bandits stranded six runners on the bases. Blake Mitchell drew a walk in his only time on base, going 0-for-3 with a strikeout. Ramon Ramirez also worked a walk while striking out twice.

Fireflies Edge Pelicans 4-3 With Late Comeback

Columbia overcame an early deficit to beat Myrtle Beach 4-3 on the road.

The Pelicans jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, and the Fireflies battled back in the fifth. With one out, Daniel Lopez reached on an error, Josi Novas walked, and Yandel Ricardo singled to load the bases. Josh Hammond walked to force in Lopez, and Brooks Bryan singled to score Novas to tie the game 2-2. Columbia took the lead in the seventh after Novas reached on another error, advanced on Ricardo's sacrifice bunt, and scored on Hammond's groundout. Myrtle Beach answered to make it 3-3, then the Fireflies went back ahead in the eighth on Lopez's RBI groundout that scored pinch-runner Roni Cabrera.

Ricardo led the Fireflies with a 2-for-4 day at the plate with a double. Lopez added a 1-for-4 effort with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Josi Novas reached three times and scored twice.

Shane Van Dam labored through 4 2/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits with five walks and one strikeout. Jose Gutierrez took over and tossed 4 1/3 strong innings, scattering two hits and one earned run while issuing one walk and striking out three to earn the win.

Top-20 Prospect Performance

1. Carter Jensen: DNP
2. Blake Mitchell: 0-for-3, BB, K
3. David Shields: DNP
4. Kendry Chourio: DNP
5. Ben Kudrna: DNP
6. Sean Gamble: 0-for-3, BB, K
7. Josh Hammond: 0-for-4, 2 RBI, BB, K
8. Ramon Ramirez: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
9. Drew Beam: DNP
10. Asbel Gonzalez: DNP
11. Yandel Ricardo: 2-for-4, 2B
12. Felix Arronde: DNP
13. Luinder Avila: DNP
14. Daniel Vazquez: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, SB
15. Steven Zobac: DNP
16. Carson Roccaforte: 2-for-4, RBI, K
17. Blake Wolters: DNP
18. Michael Lombardi: DNP
19. Warren Calcaño: DNP
20. Frank Mozzicato: DNP

Interested in learning more about the Kansas City Royals' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!