Royals Minor League Report: July 28

Omaha Storm Chasers (56-52)

Omaha 7, New Orleans 6
WP: Joe Saunders (1-2 with Omaha, 1-3 PCL)
SV: Tim Collins (3)
HR: Matt Fields (21), Whit Merrifield (2)

Omaha finished 4-4 on the road trip. Fields hit a solo homer in the sixth. Pedro Ciriaco and Paul Janish followed with singles, setting up Merrifield's go-ahead three-run home run. Janish had three hits, two runs and an RBI. Tim Collins (two innings) recorded a third straight scoreless outing, giving him eight strikeouts over his last 7 1/3 innings.

NW Arkansas Naturals (18-20 second half, 43-65 overall)

Arkansas 9, NW Arkansas 3
LP: Matt Murray (0-4)
HR: Justin Trapp (4)

The Naturals dropped game one at Arkansas as they matched up with rehabbing Angels hurler C.J. Wilson (5 1/3 innings, four hits, two earned runs, two walks, seven strikeouts). Cheslor Cuthbert's single scored Trapp to give the Naturals a 1-0 lead in the first. Cuthbert is ranked 15th among Royals prospects by MLB.com. Trapp hit a solo homer off of Wilson in the third. Murray (three innings, six hits, three earned runs, three walks and three strikeouts) took the loss.

Wilmington Blue Rocks (18-17 second half, 51-52 overall)

The Blue Rocks had Monday off. They play three at Lynchburg (Braves) before returning home for six games.

Lexington Legends (14-24 second half, 43-65 overall)

Lexington 7, Savannah 0 (Game 1 -- seven innings)
WP: Alec Mills (1-0)
HR: Dex Kjerstad (4), Fred Ford (9)

Savannah 7, Lexington 2 (Game 2 -- seven innings)
LP: Matt Alvarez (4-5)
HR: Fred Ford (10)

Lexington is 3-1 in a five-game series after a doubleheader split on Monday. Mills held Savannah to a hit and two walks over six shutout innings in Game 1, striking out seven. Kjerstad and Ford hit back-to-back homers in the fifth, with Kjerstad's accounting for two runs. Kjerstad had three at-bats in the seven-inning game as he recorded a double, triple and home run. Lexington was held to three hits in the nightcap. Ford hit a two-run homer in the fifth.

Idaho Falls Chukars (0-2 second half, 20-20 overall)

Ogden 10, Idaho Falls 7
LP: Emilio Ogando (1-1)
HR: None

The Chukars have lost three straight in a home-and-home set. They scored in each of the first four innings, including four in the fourth. Ryan O'Hearn was 3-for-3 with two walks, needing only a homer for a cycle. He leads the league with a .418 average and is batting .447 with 16 runs during an 11-game hitting streak.

Burlington Royals (18-19)

Burlington 8, Pulaski 2
WP: Corey Ray (1-2)
HR: Brandon Dulin (6)

Burlington won the opener vs. Pulaski, improving to 4-2 on the homestand. Lee's Summit native Brandon Dulin hit a go-ahead three-run homer in a four-run third inning. 2014 fifth-round pick Ray (six innings, seven hits, two earned runs, two walks and seven strikeouts) earned his first professional win.