Royals Minor League report: June 16
Omaha Storm Chasers (33-32)
Omaha 6, Iowa 4
WP: Brian Broderick (4-3)
HR: Francisco Pena 3 (6, 7, 8), Casey Kotchman (5)
Francisco Pena slugged three home runs and Casey Kotchman hit a two-run walk-off shot as Omaha evened the series at a game apiece. Pena, who also went deep on Monday, hit solo homers in the second and seventh, plus a two-run blast with two away in the fourth. He became the first Omaha player with a three-homer game since Mike Moustakas in 2010. Aaron Brooks scattered four runs (three earned), 10 hits and a walk while striking out five over 7.0 innings.
NW Arkansas Naturals (38-26)
NW Arkansas 5, Arkansas 1 (Game One - Seven Innings)
WP: Christian Binford (1-2)
SV: Malcom Culver (5)
HR: Parker Morin (1), Balbino Fuenmayor (11), Mike Bianucci (12)
Arkansas 8, NW Arkansas 1 (Game Two - Seven Innings)
LP: Luke Farrell (1-2)
HR: Zane Evans (4 with NW Arkansas, 8 overall)
The Naturals split a pair of seven-inning games at home. Parker Morin's homer in the third gave Northwest Arkansas a 1-0 lead in game one. Balbino Fuenmayor and Mike Bianucci each connected on two-run shots in the sixth. Bianucci is second in the league with 12 home runs, while Fuenmayor is third at 11. Christian Binford tossed 5.0 shutout innings, yielding a lone hit with four walks and three strikeouts. Zane Evans went deep in the second inning of game two, tying the score at 1-1. Arkansas then plated seven runs in the third. Lane Adams and Hunter Dozier had two hits apiece.
Wilmington Blue Rocks (35-30)
Salem 4, Wilmington 3
LP: Matt Alvarez (1-2)
HR: None
The Blue Rocks lost a back-and-forth game, with Salem's Jordan Betts belting a go-ahead homer in the ninth. Jake Junis was charged with two unearned runs on three hits and a walk over 5.0 innings. He fanned four, giving him 61 strikeouts and nine walks on the year. Mauricio Ramos was 2-for-4 plus an RBI and a run. Jack Lopez added two hits and an RBI.
Lexington Legends (29-36)
Lexington 4, Augusta 2
WP: Nik Stephenson (2-5)
SV: Evan Beal (4)
HR: Ryan O'Hearn (15)
Lexington opened with a win at Augusta. Ryan O'Hearn delivered his league-leading 15th home run, a two-run shot in the first. He has five more home runs than any other player in the league. Humberto Arteaga, Wander Franco, Elier Hernandez and Chad Johnson posted two hits apiece. Nik Stephenson (5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO) earned the win.