Collins successful in first rehab appearance

BALTIMORE -- Left-hander Tim Collins, on the disabled list with a left flexor strain, had a successful first outing in his rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha.

Collins struck out the side in the eighth inning of a 10-5 loss at New Orleans on Friday night. He used 17 pitches -- nine strikes.

"He threw the ball good, three punchouts. Fastball up to 94 [mph]," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He was throwing high fastballs that they were swinging through and fouling off. It's a good first step. I'm not looking for him to go and dominate the world in his first rehab outing. It's a good first step because he got out of it healthy and his fastball was up to 94."

Collins is expected to pitch at least another time or two for the Storm Chasers.

"Again it's going to revolve around him getting to where he can use all three of his pitches to get big league hitters out," Yost said.