Royals Minor League Report (5/22): Royals Affiliates Drop Three As Columbia Game Halted

Across the Royals' system, the affiliates dropped three games. Gavin Cross tripled in two runs, and Brett Squires doubled in two as Omaha fell 9-5 to St. Paul. Justin Johnson collected three doubles in Northwest Arkansas's 8-5 loss to Amarillo. Nick Conte struck out two over two hitless innings of relief for Quad Cities, though the Bandits dropped a 5-4 decision. Kendry Chourio fanned three across two scoreless frames before rain suspended Columbia's game.

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Cross Triples, Squires Doubles As Storm Chasers Fall To Saints

Omaha jumped on St. Paul in the top of the first inning, scoring three runs to set the tone.

Josh Rojas, John Rave, and Kameron Misner each drew walks to load the bases. After Drew Waters lined out, Squires laced a two-RBI double to right field, plating Rojas and Rave. Abraham Toro followed with a groundout that scored Misner from third for the third run.

The lead did not hold. St. Paul answered with two runs in the bottom half off starter Aaron Sanchez, who allowed three hits and two runs (one earned) over his one inning of work while striking out two. Ethan Bosacker followed and worked three innings, surrendering six hits and three earned runs while striking out three.

Omaha grabbed the lead back briefly in the third when Gavin Cross tripled to center, scoring Waters and Toro, but the Saints again answered in the bottom half. The decisive blow came in the bottom of the seventh, when Anthony Gose served up a two-run home run that pushed St. Paul ahead 9-5.

Cross finished 2-for-4 with the triple, two RBI, and was the offensive standout.

Squires also drove in two with his double. Misner added a double and a walk. Mason Black took the loss in 1 2/3 innings of relief, allowing two earned runs. The Storm Chasers stranded four runners and were held to four hits as a team.

Johnson Doubles Three Times, But Naturals Drop Game To Sod Poodles

Northwest Arkansas could not contain Amarillo's bats, falling 8-5 despite a three-hit night from Johnson.

The Naturals opened the scoring in the top of the second when Daniel Vazquez walked, and Spencer Nivens drove a two-run home run to left center to put NW Arkansas ahead 2-1.

The lead did not last. Amarillo countered with two runs in the bottom of the third, then broke the game open in the fifth with back-to-back home runs that turned a 3-2 deficit into a 6-2 hole. Hunter Patteson took the loss in five innings, allowing eight hits, six earned runs, and two home runs while striking out five and walking none.

The Naturals chipped back in the sixth, when Sam Kulasingam led off with a solo home run, Vazquez later singled, and Jack Pineda singled to bring home Vazquez from third.

In the seventh, Johnson doubled, advanced to third on a Carson Roccaforte groundout, Colton Becker walked, and Kulasingam delivered an RBI single to plate Johnson and cut the deficit to 8-5. That was as close as NW Arkansas would get.

Johnson finished 3-for-3 with three doubles and was hit by a pitch in the ninth. Kulasingam went 2-for-5 with the home run and drove in two. Nivens added two RBI with his home run. Vazquez walked, singled, and scored twice. Roccaforte added a hit and a walk from the leadoff spot.

Zachary Cawyer allowed two runs in his lone inning of relief, while Andrew Morones and Tommy Molsky combined for two scoreless frames. The Naturals stranded eight runners on base.

Ramirez's late double not enough as River Bandits Lose To Sky Carp

Quad Cities battled back twice but could not overcome an early deficit in a 5-4 loss to Beloit. The Sky Carp scored a single run in the top of the first off Emmanuel Reyes, and he later surrendered the decisive blow in the fifth.

The Bandits answered in the bottom of the fourth. Nolan Sailors singled, Asbel Gonzalez walked, and after a pair of strikeouts, Luke Pelzer tripled to center, plating both runners to give Quad Cities a 2-1 lead.

The fifth inning swung the game back. Reyes walked two batters with two outs, and Connor Caskenette pulled a three-run home run to right-center to put Beloit ahead 4-2. Reyes ultimately took the loss after 5 1/3 innings, surrendering eight hits, five earned runs, three walks, and one home run while striking out three.

Quad Cities mounted one more push in the bottom of the eighth. Sailors singled and Gonzalez walked to begin the frame, and after a Blake Mitchell strikeout, Ramon Ramirez doubled to left to bring both runners home and trim the deficit to 5-4.

The Bandits stranded the tying run on third when Pelzer flew out and Jose Cerice grounded out to end the inning.

Sailors finished 2-for-4 with two runs and a stolen base. Gonzalez did not record a hit but walked twice, scored twice, and stole two bases. Pelzer and Ramirez each drove in two runs. Coleman Picard threw 1 2/3 innings of one-hit relief out of the bullpen, and Nick Conte added two hitless innings with two strikeouts. The Bandits stranded seven runners.

Chourio Strong Before Fireflies Game Suspended By Rain

The Columbia Fireflies and Augusta GreenJackets played to a scoreless tie through two innings before rain forced a delay in the top of the third, with the game ultimately suspended. Each team had a single hit through the abbreviated action.

Kendry Chourio drew the starting assignment for Columbia and was sharp in his two innings of work, allowing one hit while striking out three and walking none. He worked around a one-out triple in the bottom of the first by retiring the next two hitters, then put together a clean second inning that included two more strikeouts.

Offensively, Sean Gamble singled to left field with one out in the top of the first for the only Columbia hit through the abbreviated action. Josh Hammond followed with a pop-out, and Brooks Bryan struck out swinging to end the threat. In the second, Hyungchan Um and Stone Russell both struck out, JC Vanek was hit by a pitch, and Connor Rasmussen grounded out to leave the runner stranded. Columbia left two runners on base.

The game was halted before any decisions were rendered or relief pitchers used.

Chourio's three strikeouts and zero walks against just one hit allowed marked another effective short outing in his young season.

Top-20 Prospect Performance

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

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