The Royals trade Aviles to Boston for Navarro and Volz

Mike Aviles (File photo: Lee Warren)

The Kansas City Royals traded infielder Mike Aviles to the Boston Red Sox Saturday for infielder Yamaico Navarro and right handed pitcher Kendal Volz. Navarro will join the Royals, while Volz will be assigned to Wilmington.

Aviles, 30, was drafted by the Royals in the seventh round of the 2003 MLB amateur draft. He put up solid numbers in the minor leagues from 2003-2005, hitting 14 home runs and driving in 80 runs for Double-A Wichita in 2005. He played for the Omaha Royals in 2006-07, hitting 17 home runs and driving in 77 runs in 2007, before earning a shot with the big league club in 2008.

After his rookie season in Kansas City, Aviles was thought to be the shortstop of the future. He hit .325 with a .354 OBP and hit 10 home runs with 51 RBIs in 102 games, earning him the 2008 Player of the Year award in Kansas City. He finished fourth in the AL Rookie of the Year voting. But in 2009, he suffered an elbow injury, leading to Tommy John surgery.

Luis Mendoza tosses his second career PCL no-hitter

Luis Mendoza tossed his second career PCL no-hitter
in Memphis last night (File photo: Lee Warren)

Memphis, TN – Luis Mendoza tossed the first Omaha no-hitter in 23 years Monday night. He shut down the Memphis Redbirds and Omaha cruised to a 4-0 win, improving to 53-43 and increasing their lead over the Redbirds in the PCL American North to four games.

The Chasers also clinched the divisional tie-breaker over the Redbirds and are now 9-4 against them this season with three games remaining.

But the story everyone is talking about is the no-hitter that was changed to a one-hitter after the game and then reversed back to a no-hitter later in the night.

 

Aviles leads the charge in Chasers win

Omaha, Neb. – The Storm Chasers turned the tables on New Orleans on Saturday, coming back to beat the Zephyrs 9-5 at Werner Park. Mike Aviles had a big night at the plate, belting three doubles and driving in four runs in the winning effort.

After starting and winning pitcher Sean O’Sullivan spotted New Orleans three quick runs in the top of the first inning, the Chasers began chipping away. Jarrod Dyson chopped a single over the mound leading off the bottom of the first, and one out later Aviles ripped an RBI double past a diving Joe Thurston in left, bringing home Dyson on the play. Aviles tied the game at 4-4 in the fifth on a two-run gap shot, and later drilled an RBI double to center to extend the lead to 9-4. The four runs batted in matched a season high for the 30-year-old shortstop.

O’Sullivan (2-1) settled down, finishing seven strong innings despite a triple-digit heat index. He allowed four runs on seven hits, walked three and struck out five in 105 pitches. He was particularly effective with his breaking pitches, consistently getting his curve ball over for strikes. O’Sullivan then gave way to Kevin Pucetas, who allowed a run in two innings of relief duty.

RedHawks walk off with win over Chasers

Oklahoma City, OK – Tommy Manzella's sacrifice fly brought home the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to push Oklahoma City past Omaha, 4-3, Friday night in the second of a four-game set at Bricktown Ballpark. The Storm Chasers dropped their second straight game to fall to 48-41 and saw their lead over Memphis in the PCL American North trimmed to one-half game.

Anderson Hernandez led off the home ninth with a looping single off Robinson Tejeda and moved to second base on a balk. Oswaldo Navarro dropped down a sacrifice bunt to advance Hernandez to third from where he scored the decisive marker on Manzella's fly ball to center field.

Brandon Barnes drove in the first run of the game in the home third with a fielder's choice grounder before Lorenzo Cain laced a line drive home run to left to even the score in the fourth and match a career-high with his 11th round tripper of the season.

OKC moved back in front 2-1 in the sixth when Drew Locke singled home Luis Durango before the Storm Chasers countered in the seventh with a two-out run of their own courtesy of a Johnny Giavotella single that plated Irving Falu.

Cancel's late inning home run lifts the RedHawks

Oklahoma City, OK – Robinson Cancel’s three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted Oklahoma City to a 7-5 come-from-behind win over Omaha Thursday night in the opener of a four-game set at Bricktown Ballpark.

The Storm Chasers dropped to 48-40 but maintained their 1.5 game lead over Memphis in the PCL American North after the Redbirds lost at Round Rock.

Jesse Chavez was brought on to face Cancel with runners at first and second one out in the decisive inning. The right-hander ran the count full before the OKC first baseman, with the runners in motion, hit his fourth home run of the season to left field to put the RedHawks back in front, 7-5. Mickey Storey came on to retire the Chasers in the ninth to earn the save.

The hosts broke up a scoreless game with three runs in the fourth when J.B. Shuck doubled home a run and scored on a Drew Locke sacrifice fly. Koby Clemens then hit a solo home run off the left field foul pole to complete the three-run burst against Omaha starter Sean O’Sullivan.

Omaha scores five in the ninth for improbable win

David Lough delivered the game-winning
sacrificy fly in the ninth inning
(Photo: Minda Haas / Royal Blues)

Metairie, LA – David Lough delivered the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly to finish off a five-run ninth inning rally as Omaha came back to fashion an improbable 6-5 victory over New Orleans Tuesday night in the middle contest of a three-game set at Zephyr Field. The Storm Chasers stopped a two-game slide to improve to 47-39 and maintain their hold on first place in the PCL American North.

Trailing 5-1 and held to just three hits entering the ninth, the visitors loaded the bases with nobody out on two hits and an error to chase Mariano Gomez from the hill. Pete Andrelczyk took over and was greeted by a Cody Clark single that knocked in a run and a two-run double by Joaquin Arias that trimmed the deficit to 5-4.

Jarrod Dyson was hit by a pitch to fill the bases before New Orleans native Johnny Giavotella singled home the tying run with his first hit of the series. Lough then followed with a fly ball off Dan Jennings deep enough for Arias to tag from third and score the decisive run. Mike Aviles, who started the game-changing rally with a leadoff double, went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 13 games.

Mike & Mike provide 1-2 punch in shutout win

Mike Montgomery celebrated his 22nd birthday in style, throwing 6.2 shutout innings en route to a 6-0 blanking of the Albuquerque Isotopes Friday night at Werner Park. Shortstop Mike Aviles provided Montgomery and the bullpen all the offense they would need, belting a third-inning grand slam to put the Chasers up for good.

It was the Storm Chasers third win in a row, each of which have come in dramatically different types of ballgames. First it was Kila Ka’aihue’s walk-off grand slam on Tuesday to beat Memphis 6-2, then Thursday’s 18-13 slugfest against the Isotopes that featured nine home runs. This time, Montgomery came back strong after taking a start off.

The 6-foot-4 lefty allowed just a pair of singles, walked three and struck out seven in 98 pitches. He exited to a standing ovation from many of the 6,805 in attendance, improving his record to 3-4 on the season. It was Montgomery’s first home win since his first home start back on April 17 against Nashville. Mario Santiago and Jesse Chavez retired seven of the eight batters they faced to finish off the ballgame.

Chasers win a crazy one

Irving Falu hit his first home run of the season
(Photo: Minda Haas / Royal Blues)

It was a crazy night at Werner Park. With a stiff wind blowing out to left field and the heat index over 100 degrees at first pitch, home runs were sure to follow.

Boy did they – nine total.

The Chasers hit five and the Albuquerque Isotopes hit four. Kila Ka’aihue, Lorenzo Cain, Johnny Giavotella, Mike Aviles and Irving Falu each homered in front of 6,516 fans, enroot to an 18-13 win.

The big inning of the night was the bottom of the sixth, which began with Omaha trailing 12-8. The Chasers sent 12 men to the plate in the frame, with Aviles getting things started with a one out solo homer, his eighth long ball in 19 games with the Chasers. Eight batters later, No. 9 hitter Falu – without a home run to his credit all season – belted a three-run blast onto the right field berm to make it 16-12 Omaha.

The 18 runs, five homers and eight-run inning were all season highs for the Chasers, as were the 10 walks the Omaha pitching staff allowed. Starter Vin Mazzaro came away with a no-decision, despite allowing eight runs on eight hits with six walks in four-plus innings.

Omaha and Memphis split twin bill

Manny Pina homered, doubled and walked in game one
(Photo: Gage Matthews, Kings of Kauffman)

The Omaha Storm Chasers and Memphis Redbirds split a sun-soaked doubleheader Monday afternoon at Werner Park, with the Chasers (42-37) taking game one 2-1 and Memphis (41-37) rallying to win game two 5-2. The seven-inning contests were played in front of 6,917 fans, the most-ever to watch day baseball at Werner Park.

Game one was a tidy 2-1 victory for the Storm Chasers, backed by yet another solid outing from veteran Jeff Suppan. The 36-year-old righthander improved his record to 7-4 on the season, with wins in each of his past three starts and 10-consecutive outings without a defeat. Jesse Chavez came on with a runner on in the seventh, retiring all three batters he faced to earn his ninth save.

Cleto outduels Davies in Redbirds win

Kyle Davies went 7 innings, allowing just 4 hits,
striking out nine. (File Photo: Lee Warren)

Memphis starter Maikel Cleto shook off a leadoff home run by Mike Aviles in the bottom of the first inning, flashing an upper-90s fastball and a devastating curveball in a 3-1 Memphis win in front of 8,658 fans Saturday night at Werner Park.

He out-dueled Omaha starter Kyle Davies, who matched the youngster pitch-for-pitch but suffered the loss thanks to a pair of Storm Chasers throwing errors.

Cleto (1-0) fired 7.1 excellent innings in his Triple-A debut – though he previously made two appearances in the big leagues with St. Louis this season. The 22-year-old Dominican allowed just one run on four hits, struck out nine and did not walk a batter. His dominating performance marked another key milestone in his time with the St. Louis organization after being acquired from Seattle for infielder Brendan Ryan in the offseason.

Three-run first is enough for Nashville

Kevin Pucetas had a rough first inning but he
recovered to toss four scoreless innings
(Photo: Lee Warren)

Chase Wright spun 7 2/3 solid innings and Mat Gamel homered to lead the Sounds to a 3-2 victory over Omaha Friday night in the last of a five-game set at Greer Stadium.

The Storm Chasers wound up going 4-5 on their road trip to Round Rock and Nashville and return home at 41-35 – still leading the PCL American North by 1.5 games.

Gamel's two-run homer capped a three-run first inning rally for the Sounds, who struck in their initial at-bat for the second time in the series. Storm Chasers starter Kevin Pucetas recovered from the rough opening frame to finish his night with four scoreless innings before departing the hill but did suffer the loss after yielding three runs on five hits.

Clint Robinson's fielder's choice grounder in the fourth got the visitors on the board before the Storm Chasers couldn't fully take advantage of a big opportunity in the sixth.

Three singles loaded the bases with nobody out for Robinson, who grounded into a force play at the plate. Kila Ka'aihue followed with a single that plated Mike Aviles to trim the lead to 3-2 but Johnny Giavotella was thrown out at the plate attempting to score the tying run.

Omaha powers past Nashville

Cody Clark (Photo: Lee Warren)

Cody Clark and Mike Aviles slugged solo home runs in a decisive four-run seventh inning to power Omaha past Nashville, 8-2, Thursday night in the fourth of a five-game set at Greer Stadium.

The Storm Chasers quieted the Sounds for a ninth time in 11 meetings to improve to 41-34 and increase their lead to 1 1/2 games over Memphis in the American Conference North Division. 

Lance Zawadzki smashed a two-run home run in the second to put the Chasers ahead 2-0 and extend his hitting streak to 14 games, the longest for any Omaha hitter this season.

Homer happy Express Handle Storm Chasers

From the Omaha Storm Chasers ...

Chris Davis slammed two home runs to power Round Rock past Omaha, 7-5, Saturday evening in the second of a four-game set at the Dell Diamond. The Storm Chasers fell to 38-31 and lost to the Express for the fifth time in sixth meetings this season.

Omaha scored first for a second straight night when David Lough led off the second with a triple and scored on a Davis throwing error. Lance Zawadzki's two-out single later in the inning drove in Lorenzo Cain to make it 2-0.

The Express, who had been blanked in their prior two contests, cut the lead in half in the bottom of the frame on a solo shot by Luis Cruz before the visitors answered right back in the third when Mike Aviles tripled and scored on a Clint Robinson sacrifice fly.

Round Rock grabbed the lead for the first time in the home third when Davis blasted a three-run homer. A leadoff long ball by Aviles in the sixth evened the game at four.

Defensive miscues plague Storm Chasers

From the Omaha Storm Chasers ...

Manny Pina hit his second home run of the
season tonight. He also had a double.
(Photo: Lee Warren)

A series of Omaha miscues turned a two-run lead into a six-run loss Tuesday night at Werner Park, spoiling a strong performance by Storm Chasers starting pitcher Mike Montgomery. Iowa tallied three runs in the seventh and five more in the eighth, rallying for the 11-5 win.

The turning point of the game took place in the top of the seventh inning, with one out and the bases full and the Storm Chasers clinging to a 5-4 lead. Iowa catcher Chris Robinson took a hack at a Blake Johnson offering and rolled an easy double play ball to shortstop Mike Aviles, but after a clean relay to second for the second out, Johnny Giavotella’s toss to first short-hopped Clint Robinson and skipped toward the Iowa dugout. Two runs came home on the play, adding to an inning that began with the second fielding error of the night by third baseman Lance Zawadzki.

Omaha starting pitcher Mike Montgomery was the story early on, striking out the first three batters he faced and punching out a season-high eight Cubs hitters in his five innings of work. He did allow a pair of runs on two hits and five walks, though only one run was earned. Three Chasers relievers, including Johnson, losing pitcher Robinson Tejeda (0-1) and Blaine Hardy, gave up nine runs (six earned) on 13 hits over four innings. The four Storm Chasers errors equaled a season high.

Home runs, rehabbing hurlers lead Chasers

From the Omaha Storm Chasers ...

The television debut of the Omaha Storm Chasers did not fail to disappoint, as the Chasers powered their way past the Iowa Cubs 6-3 Monday night in front of 5,037 fans at Werner Park. The live broadcast by Kansas City’s Time Warner Cable Metro Sports was the first in the club’s history at Werner Park, the first of at least three television games that will air this season.

Johnny Giavotella, Mike Aviles and Lorenzo Cain all went deep for Omaha during the game, providing starter Bruce Chen and winning pitcher Kyle Davies (1-0) with enough run support to hold off the I-Cubs. Chen and Davies were in town on big-league rehabilitation assignments, after both throwing for Double-A Northwest Arkansas this past Wednesday.

Chen went the first four frames, allowing two runs on six hits with one strikeout, while Davies closed out the final five innings, giving up a run on four hits while striking out five. Neither pitcher issued a walk, throwing 92 of their collective 136 pitches for strikes.

Late sacrifice fly lifts Chasers over RedHawks

From the Omaha Storm Chasers ...

Mike Aviles brought home pinch runner Jarrod Dyson with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth inning, giving the Storm Chasers a 5-4 win over visiting Oklahoma City Sunday afternoon at Werner Park. The win puts Omaha at seven games over .500 (35-28) for the fifth different time this season.

Clint Robinson had a big day for the Chasers, belting two home runs and doubling to the gap – all three extra-base hits went to left-center – before being replaced by the pinch-running Dyson after the two-base hit. His two-run, opposite-field home run in the first inning made it 2-1 Omaha, while his nearly identical solo blast in the third inning increased the Storm Chasers margin to 3-1. His leadoff double in the bottom of the eighth was followed by a groundout by Kila Ka’aihue and the Aviles sac fly.

Robinson has now hit five home runs over his past five games, increasing his team-leading totals to a .356 average with 17 home runs and 50 runs batted in. It was his third multi-homer game of the season and 11th of his minor league career, dating back to 2007.