Royals Minor League Report (6/19): Royals Farm Falls in Four-Game Sweep as Toro and Morones Shine

Abraham Toro powered Omaha with a triple, a two-run homer, and three hits, but St. Paul walked off the Storm Chasers 6 to 5. Andrew Morones struck out six over three scoreless innings in relief for Northwest Arkansas in a 9-to-1 loss to Tulsa. Kendry Chourio fanned 10 across 4 2/3 innings for Quad Cities in a 12-to-2 defeat, and Luis Valdez tossed two scoreless innings for Columbia in a 10-to-0 shutout at Hickory.

Royals Transactions

• Kansas City Royals activated RHP Seth Lugo from the 7-day injured list.
• Kansas City Royals optioned RHP Mason Black to Omaha Storm Chasers.

Toro's Power Not Enough As Storm Chasers Fall In Walk-Off

Omaha collected 11 hits but stranded nine runners in a 6-to-5 walk-off loss to the St. Paul Saints.

Toro led the way, going 2-for-5 with a triple, a home run, and two runs batted in. Drew Waters added two doubles, a run, and an RBI, while Matthew Lugo and Brett Squires each had two hits.

Omaha jumped on the board in the second inning. Waters doubled to right to score Toro, and Brandon Drury followed with a single that brought Waters home, cutting the deficit to 3 to 2. The Storm Chasers tied it in the fifth when Squires singled home Lugo. Toro put Omaha ahead in the eighth with a two-run homer to left center that scored Luca Tresh, making it 5 to 4.

Randy Dobnak took the bulk of the work, allowing three runs, all earned, on six hits with one walk and five strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings. The bullpen could not hold the late lead, as St. Paul tied the game in the ninth and pushed across the winning run to take it 6 to 5.

Naturals Bats Go Quiet In Lopsided Loss To Tulsa

Northwest Arkansas managed just four hits and stranded five runners in a 9-to-1 loss to the Tulsa Drillers.

Daniel Vazquez drove in the lone run, going 1-for-3 with a walk. Colton Becker added a double and scored the only run, while Rudy Martin Jr. and Omar Hernandez each chipped in a single.

The Naturals scored their only run in the first inning, when Vazquez singled to left to bring home Becker and tie the game at one. Tulsa answered immediately, building a lead with a four-run second inning and never looking back.

Hunter Owen had a rough outing, surrendering six runs, all earned, on seven hits with four walks and one strikeout across two innings. Morones was the bright spot out of the bullpen, working three scoreless innings while allowing one hit, walking two, and striking out six. Chase Jessee followed with three innings, allowing one run on two hits, and Brandon Johnson gave up two runs in the ninth.

Chourio Strikes Out 10 But River Bandits Drop Slugfest

Quad Cities piled up 12 runners left on base and could not string together offense in a 12-to-2 loss to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

Erick Torres had the lone multi-hit day at 2-for-4, while Asbel Gonzalez, Ramon Ramirez, Luke Pelzer, Derlin Figueroa, and Angel Acosta each added a single. Figueroa and Tyriq Kemp drove in the runs.

The River Bandits got both of their runs in the first inning. Figueroa singled home Blake Mitchell, and Kemp followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Ramirez to tie the game at two.

The offense went silent from there as Wisconsin pulled away, scoring 10 unanswered runs. The River Bandits left 12 runners on base and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. 

Chourio was sharp at times and overpowering with the strikeout, fanning 10 batters over 4 2/3 innings, but he was charged with seven runs, five earned, on seven hits and a home run while issuing no walks. Mason Miller allowed one run over 2 1/3 innings, and Ryan Ure was tagged for four runs in two innings to close it out.

Fireflies Shut Out At Hickory In Quiet Night At The Plate

Columbia was held to three hits and was shut out 10 to 0 by the Hickory Crawdads.

Hyungchan Um, Sean Gamble, and Angel Ramirez each had a single, and Yandel Ricardo and Josh Hammond drew the only walks. The offense never advanced a runner across the plate. The Fireflies went 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left five runners on base. 

The damage came in the fifth inning, when Hickory broke the game open with six runs to turn a manageable deficit into a rout. The Crawdads had taken an early lead with three runs in the third and tacked on another in the seventh.

Coleman Picard absorbed the loss, allowing three runs, all earned, on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts over 2 2/3 innings. Randy Ramnarace was charged with five runs, though none were earned, across two innings. Valdez finished strong, striking out three over two scoreless innings while allowing two hits and two walks.

Top-20 Prospect Performance

1. Kendry Chourio: 4 2/3 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 10 K, 1 HR
2. David Shields: DNP
3. Sean Gamble: 1-for-3
4. Blake Mitchell: 0-for-3, 2 BB, 3 K
5. Josh Hammond: 0-for-3, BB
6. Ramon Ramirez: 1-for-4, R, BB, 2 K
7. Drew Beam: DNP
8. Asbel Gonzalez: 1-for-4, BB, 3 K
9. Ben Kudrna: DNP
10. Carson Roccaforte: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
11. Yandel Ricardo: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K
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, RBI, BB, K
19. Warren Colcano: 0-for-2, 1 BB
20. Shane Panzini: DNP

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