Bruce Chen (courtesy Eldon Lindsay/Omaha Royals)
During the Omaha Royals recent road trip on which they struggled mightily, the problem was a pitching staff still trying to find its legs after losing its two aces due to call up over the last few weeks. The offense, lead by JR House, Kila Ka’aihue and Brayan Pena has been one of the best offenses in the PCL. Which is why the complete 180 the team has taken since their return to Omaha is surprising.
Since coming home, Bruce Chen and Brandon Duckworth have both turned in wholly impressive performances, Chen with 7.1 innings pitched and just 1 earned run allowed, and Duckworth with 7 innings, and no runs, and have both come away with no decisions, thanks in large part to a lack of run support.
On Thursday, Omaha scored less than five runs for just the second time in nine games. The Royals opened the game with a two run first thanks an RBI single by House, and a run scoring ground out by Cory Aldridge. In the bottom of the fourth, Tug Hulett hit a solo shot, his fourth of the season, but ironically, that inning was the one where the Royals technically lost the game. During Hulett’s at bat, Irving Falu was thrown out stealing second. One pitch later, the Royals were up 3-0. Had Falu been successful in his attempt, or not attempted at all, the fourth run would have been all Omaha needed.
In the top of the sixth, the River Cats finally got on the board, thanks to a sac fly by Anthony Recker, and an RBI double by Eric Patterson.
In the ninth inning, reliever Greg Atencio recorded two outs, before the bottom fell out, and three straight singles tied the game at three a piece. In the top of the 10th, Atencio yet again record two outs, before a single by Recker, a stolen base, and a single by Patterson gave Sacramento the victory.
Friday night saw the Royals and River cats battle to a 0-0 standstill into the eleventh, with Sacramento finally getting on the board thanks to an RBI single by Gregorio Petit, and the Royals answered with a run scoring single from Kila Ka’aihue. Omaha blew any chance it had to end the game right there and then when Travis Metcalf grounded into a double play.
The top of the 12th brought Sacramento another win, thanks to a run scoring triple by Eric Patterson and a single by Danny Putman that made the score 3-1. Omaha went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the twelfth, dropping their ninth game in the last 11, and their second straight extra inning affair.
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