Royals Minor League Report (6/18): Storm Chasers Sweep, Naturals Walk Off, and Power Surges Across the Royals System

Josh Rojas and Gavin Cross each homered as the Omaha Storm Chasers took both ends of a doubleheader in St. Paul, 12-4 and 6-2. Ramon Ramirez crushed two home runs and drove in four to lead Quad Cities to a 9-3 win, while David Shields struck out 10 over five innings. Rudy Martin Jr. delivered a walk-off single to lift Northwest Arkansas past Tulsa, 6-5, and Columbia rallied for a 6-4, 10-inning win behind Stone Russell's three RBIs.

Royals Transactions

• Kansas City Royals placed LHP Cole Ragans on the 60-day injured list. Left elbow impingement.
• Seattle Mariners traded RHP Randy Dobnak to Kansas City Royals for cash.

Rojas And Cross Power Omaha In Game One Rout

The Omaha Storm Chasers opened their doubleheader in St. Paul with a 12-4 win over the Saints.

Leadoff man Rojas went 3-for-4 with a home run, three runs, and four runs batted in. Cross added three hits, a home run, and three runs in a 3-for-3 day with a walk, and Peyton Wilson doubled twice while driving in two.

The decisive frame was the sixth, when Omaha plated five runs. Rojas singled home Drew Waters to start the scoring, Wilson doubled in two more, Rojas later scored on a Brett Squires groundout, and Matthew Lugo singled in another to break the game open.

Bailey Falter started and worked four innings, allowing two runs on three hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Génesis Cabrera earned the win with a perfect inning, striking out two, and Luke Jackson finished with two innings, two runs, one walk, and four strikeouts.

Omaha left three runners on base and went 6-for-13 with runners in scoring position. They improved to 31-39 after the game one victory. 

Squires And Drury Go Deep In Omaha's Nightcap Win

The Omaha Storm Chasers completed the sweep with a 6-2 win in the second game.

Squires homered and drove in two runs, and Brandon Drury went 2-for-2 with a home run, a walk, and two runs batted in. Lugo collected two hits, including a double.

Omaha built its lead with a three-run second inning, when Luca Tresh, Drury, and Rojas all delivered run-scoring singles. The Storm Chasers added a pair in the fifth on Squires' solo homer and a Waters single that brought home Lugo.

Henry Williams started and went 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on five hits with four walks and five strikeouts. Ben Sears picked up the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings, Jose Cuas struck out two in a perfect inning, and Eli Morgan worked the ninth for the save.

Omaha left five runners on base and went 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position. After sweeping the doubleheader in St. Paul, the Storm Chasers' record is now 32-39. 

Martin Jr. Walks Off The Naturals In Extras

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals walked off the Tulsa Drillers, 6-5, in 10 innings.

Martin Jr. finished 2-for-5 and delivered the winning single, scoring the zombie runner Spencer Nivens from third. Daniel Vazquez went 2-for-4 with a run batted in, and Omar Hernandez drove in two.

The Naturals built their early lead in the fourth, when Vazquez singled home Sam Kulasingam, and Hernandez followed with a two-run single to plate Nivens and Vazquez. After Tulsa pushed the game to extras, Vazquez moved the zombie runner to third with a sacrifice bunt before Martin Jr. ended it.

Steven Zobac started and allowed four runs on four hits over three innings, walking one and striking out three. Oscar Rayo followed with three scoreless innings, Tommy Molsky gave up one run across two innings, and Augusto Mendieta earned the win with two scoreless frames and five strikeouts.

The Naturals left nine runners on base and went 4-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Northwest Arkansas improved its record to 29-35.

Ramirez's Two Homers And Shields' 10 Strikeouts Carry Quad Cities

The Quad Cities River Bandits rolled to a 9-3 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

Ramirez was the story, going 2-for-4 with two home runs and four runs batted in. Blake Mitchell drove in two, and Asbel Gonzalez led off with a 2-for-5 effort and a run batted in. The fourth inning blew the game open as Quad Cities scored five. Gonzalez singled home a run, Mitchell followed with a two-run single, and Ramirez capped the rally with a three-run homer.

Shields was dominant on the mound, striking out 10 over five innings while allowing three runs on five hits and one walk to earn the win. Max Martin followed with three scoreless innings, and L.P. Langevin closed with a perfect inning and three strikeouts.

Quad Cities left seven runners on base and went 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position. They are 30-33 for the season. 

Russell's Three RBI Lift Columbia In 10-Inning Comeback

The Columbia Fireflies came from behind to beat the Hickory Crawdads, 6-4, in 10 innings.

Russell led the way, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and three runs batted in. Hyungchan Um homered and drove in a run, and Josh Hammond scored twice.

After Um's solo homer accounted for one of two Columbia runs in the fourth, the Fireflies broke a tie in the 10th. Ivan Sosa struck out swinging but reached when the zombie runner JC Vanek scored on a throwing error, and Russell followed with a two-run double to plate Sosa and Hammond.

Ryan McDonagh started and allowed two runs on one hit over five innings, walking two and striking out four.

Andy Basora and Hunter Alberini combined for three scoreless innings out of the bullpen, and Dash Albus earned the win in the 10th despite allowing two unearned runs while striking out three.

Columbia left five runners on base and scored six runs despite going 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. The victory improved the Fireflies' record to 34-32. 

Top-20 Prospect Performance

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

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