Fast forward to today, and Brooks may just be the best of the six.

Heading into last night’s start at home versus Lynchburg, Brooks had gone at least six innings in his last three starts. He was the only Blue Rocks starter to finish seven innings.

Last night, he was even better.

Brooks pitched eight shutout innings and only allowed five hits. He allowed a hit to the first hitter of the game and did not allow his second hit until there were two outs in the fifth. The Hillcats never had more than one baserunner on at any time against him.

By my count, he threw 86 pitches, 59 for strikes. In his final inning, he only threw eight pitches and faced four batters. He threw pitches to all four quadrants of the strikezone and topped out at 95 over the fourth and fifth innings (the two innings I was watching the scout’s radar gun).

He credited his defense behind him, which was great.

After struggling over his first three starts of the 2013 season, he said the major adjustment he made was just not trying for strikeouts. “Trying to get outs from the first three pitches. We have a great defense, so just trying to let them work behind me.”

It was his second start against Lynchburg in his last four starts. In Lynchburg, he allowed two hits over six scoreless innings. He talked after the game about facing the first place Hillcats twice in four starts.

“It definitely has a little bit of a motivation factor, once you’ve thrown against them, done well. Just try to take that into the next start.”

When I asked Brooks if he uses it as motivation to prove that he is just as good as the so-called prospects in the Blue Rocks rotation, he said ”I do try to use that as motivation because obviously like you said, we have alot of prospects on the staff. I do try to use that as motivation and let them know like, hey I’m not a five or six starter for no reason. I’m here just like they are.”

Manager Vance Wilson talked glowingly about Brooks following the game:

“He was awesome. Outside of the first few starts of the year, he has rolled off four or five that were really impressive. Tonight was 100% pitching. The things he did to them, the way he pumped the zone. Very impressed and very proud of the way he’s worked.”

Wilson gave a little insight into why Brooks has been so good of late: “It’s learning how to pitch. Aaron was full effort all the time. He read an article from Greg Maddux, learning how to pitch back and forth, how not to be all effort all the time. He’s making better quality pitches with the same velocity. If any of our pitchers have learned and continue to get better, not only with their physical talents, but their mental game, he’s done that. And he’s getting results.”

For Brooks, going deeper into games is all about “throwing strikes. If you force contact early, more times than not, they’re gonna get out. And that’s less pitches for you.”

Hopefully the rest of the Blue Rocks staff can follow suit.

To see the entire postgame interview, check it out below:

Manager Ned Yost must have forgotten that the Astros are not in the National League anymore. But his move in the 7th inning paid off.

Alcides Escobar

After Astros starter Bud Norris left with an injured back, lefty Travis Blackley entered in relief. With two outs and runners on the corners, Yost pinch-hit for Chris Getz with Alcides Escobar. But Astros manager Bo Porter countered with a right-handed reliever. Esky delivered with an RBI single. David Lough followed with an RBI single to cut the Astros lead to 3-2.

The Royals offense exploded in the 8th inning.

With one out and the bases loaded, Mike Moustakas finally came through with an RBI single to tie the game. George Kottaras once again walked to drive in the go ahead run. Esky came through again, with a ground out to score two more runs (though the shortstop threw the ball away).

The Royals 2-5 hitters went a combined 9-for-18 with four runs scored. The Royals collected 13 hits and went 4-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Unfortunately, all 13 hits were singles.

After another sub-par start from Wade Davis (5IP, 8H, 3R, 4BB, 6K), the Royals bullpen came through. It started with JC Gutierrez‘ scoreless inning. Bruce Chen picked up the win with another scoreless inning of relief. Aaron Crow and Greg Holland also threw a scoreless inning. Holland struck out three.

The two teams finish the series tomorrow night, as James Shields looks for his third win of the season. The Astros send Jordan Lyles to the hill.

The two bench players were the majority of the offense on Monday.

Miguel Tejada

Elliot Johnson gave the Royals a 1-0 lead in the top of the second with an RBI single. Unfortunately, Jeremy Guthrie gave the lead up in the bottom of the inning. He then gave up two more runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning to give the Astros a 3-1 lead.

But then something miraculous happened: Miguel Tejada hit a homerun. With people on base. It was his first homerun since 2011 and the first non-solo homerun for the Royals since May 11th. Tejada hit a three-run shot with one out to give the Royals a 4-3 lead.

Unfortunately, Guthrie gave up his own three-run homerun in the bottom of the fourth to give the Astros the lead right back. Guthrie lost his second game in a row, as he allowed six runs on eight hits and three walks over just five innings.

Of course, the Royals out-hit the Astros, 11-9, but went 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position. They also hit into two double plays. Eric Hosmer and Jeff Francoeur each collected three hits. I know, shocking.

*On another negative note, catcher Salvador Perez slid into the fence in front of the Astros dugout and left later in the game with an injured hip. Hip injuries for a catcher are not good.

Omaha split their most recent series at home versus Las Vegas and went 2-4 over the week. The Storm Chasers are still in second place in the Pacific Coast League’s American Northern Division at 21-20. They begin a four-game home series tonight against Tuscon.

NW Arkansas won just one game last week (1-6), which dropped them further back in the Texas League’s North Division (ten games back). The Naturals are the worst team in the league and finished their home series with Tulsa this afternoon with a loss. With an off day tomorrow, they head to Corpus Christi and San Antonio for three games each.

Wilmington went 3-4 last week. The Blue Rocks are 20-23 overall, four games back in the Northern Division of the Carolina League. They have today off before welcoming first place Lynchburg to town for three games beginning on Tuesday night.

Lexington went 5-2, the only Royals affiliate to have a winning record last week. However, the Legends are still in sixth place in the Southern Division of the South Atlantic League (just 3.5 games back). They return home for three games beginning tonight against Asheville.

Now to the awards…

Hitter of the Week

Majors: It is a tie between Billy Butler and Alex Gordon. Both went exactly 12-for-25 (.480) in six games. They both also hit three doubles. Butler drove in ten runs. Gordon scored five runs.

Minors: Alex Hudak, Wilmington. He went 7-for-20 (.350) with three doubles, a homerun, and four RBIs. One of the newest Blue Rocks had his five-game hitting streak come to an end on Sunday.

Honorable Mention: Irving Falu, Omaha. He went 7-for-21 (.333) with a double, two triples, and three runs scored.

Pitcher of the Week

Majors: The top two starters in the rotation, James Shields and Ervin Santana. Shields allowed two runs on six hits (two solo homeruns) and one walk over eight innings. He struck out nine, but zero run support led to a loss. The same can be said for Santana. He allowed two runs on four hits and three walks over seven innings. He struck out five.

Cory Hall

Minors (starter): Brooks Pounders, NW Arkansas. He won the Naturals only game last week, after pitching five scoreless innings. Overall last week, Pounders allowed two runs on nine hits and two walks in two starts (ten innings). He struck out eight.

Minors (reliever): Cory Hall, Lexington. In two appearances last week, he allowed three hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out four. Those two outings helped lower his ERA to 1.17.

Honorable Mention: Cody Fassold, Wilmington. In two appearances last week, he allowed one run on four hits and three walks over 5.2 innings. He struck out five and picked up the victory on Saturday night.

The offense collected 11 hits (out-hitting Oakland by two hits), but went 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left 12 men on base. However, only two of their hits were for extra bases (doubles by Eric Hosmer and Alex Gordon).

The middle of the Royals order (Gordon, Billy Butler, and Hosmer) went 8-for-13 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Gordon collected four hits.

Luis Mendoza was solid in the start and left with the lead. He allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits over six innings. He struck out four. Mendoza allowed a single to lead off the 7th inning, but David Lough misplayed the hit, allowing Derek Norris to go all the way to third base. That fielding blunder proved costly with reliever Bruce Chen on the mound.

Chen allowed two straight fly balls, with the second being deep enough to drive in the tying run.

With the game tied heading into the bottom of the 8th inning, Kelvin Herrera entered in relief. On the second fastball he threw, Yoenis Cespedes deposited it over the left-centerfield wall to give the A’s a 4-3 lead. That was the seventh homerun Herrera has allowed already this season.

The Royals had their chance in the 9th inning against A’s reliever Ryan Cook. With two outs and runners at second and third base, Mike Moustakas worked a long at-bat (seven pitches), but grounded out to end the game.

The Royals continue their West Coast road trip, as they make their first trip to Houston (with them being in the American League). Jeremy Guthrie looks to rebound from his first loss in 18 starts against Dallas Keuchel on Monday night (it will be just his third start of the season).

Billy Butler drove in their lone run with an RBI single with two outs (after Alex Gordon doubled). That’s two of their five hits coming in the first inning.

Ervin Santana

They had the bases loaded in the second with nobody out, but A’s starter Tommy Milone wriggled out of the jam by getting a foul pop up and two strikeouts.

Ervin Santana was cruising along until the 6th inning when the A’s got to him for their two runs. One scored on a sac fly, the other on a Brandon Moss two out triple. Santana allowed four hits and three walks over seven innings. He struck out five.

Tim Collins pitched a scoreless 8th inning, but he needed 21 pitches to do it.

Salvador Perez and Butler picked up two of the five hits in the loss.

The two teams finish the series on Sunday afternoon with Luis Mendoza matching up against AJ Griffin.

The Royals led 1-0 until the A’s scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Josh Donaldson hit a solo homerun to lead off the seventh to tie the game and Adam Rosales hit a go ahead solo homerun to lead off the bottom of the 8th inning off Shields. That homerun by Donaldson must have made Shields mad because he struck out the side on 13 pitches.

He threw 122 pitches, 76 for strikes. Remember when fans were mad that Ned Yost didn’t leave him in that 1-0 game that the bullpen lost when he was at 102 pitches? Now they’re begging for Yost to pull him before he allows late runs.

But you cannot fault Shields. He was great tonight.

David Lough

He allowed two runs on six hits and one walk over eight innings (a complete game). He struck out nine. The A’s only had multiple base runners in the 2nd inning.

Outfielder David Lough made an impact in his first game of the 2013 season. He batted leadoff in the ever-changing Royals lineup. In the 3rd inning, he gave the Royals a 1-0 lead with a two out RBI double. In the bottom of the fourth, he threw Brandon Moss out at second base when he tried to stretch a single into a double. In the 7th inning, he singled with one out after a seven pitch at-bat. Unfortunately, Alcides Escobar grounded into an inning ending double play one pitch later.

The rest of the Royals lineup only collected three hits.

The two teams continue their series tomorrow, as Ervin Santana gets the start against lefty Tommy Milone for the A’s.

After outfielder KC Royals Jarrod Dyson injured his ankle trying to catch Mike Trout’s home run ball on Wednesday night in LA, he was placed on the DL this afternoon. Lough was held out of Omaha’s game on Wednesday, which led people to believe he would be recalled.

Which he was. It is the first official roster move by the Royals this season (besides Will Smith being recalled twice as the 26th player for doubleheaders).

Lough has been the Omaha Storm Chasers best hitter so far this season in Triple-A. He was hitting .340 in 36 games with six doubles, three triples, and three home runs. Mainly batting from the leadoff spot, he drove in 17 runs and stole five bases. I was impressed with his play this spring and was disappointed to see him not on the Opening Day roster.

Dyson had been playing of late because 1. he was hitting and 2. Jeff Francoeur was struggling. Does this mean that Lough will slide right into the Royals starting lineup? Or will Frenchy keep playing?

I’d like to see Lough get a chance to play. He’s always hit in the minors and the only way to see if he can hit in the big leagues is to play him (and more than once a week). Maybe he will be the sparkplug the offense needs.

Here’s his chance and I hope he does well, so well that when Dyson is ready to come off the DL, he makes the Royals have to make a tough decision.

I thought maybe the Royals would try out glasses or the goggles that have become so popular of late first before trying surgery.

So are his early season struggles due to his eyes?

I had a chance to see Starling play in Lakewood at the beginning of May, but it was a day game. He went 1-for-3 in that game and did not strike out. He did take a lot of good pitches. Personally, I have no way to judge.

Take a look at his splits:

Bubba Starling’s day-night splits via milb.com

I think the eye problem may have more to do with his fielding in the outfield. He already has two errors this season (he had just four last year). Maybe he’s not getting good jumps and not getting to balls because he cannot see them.

I’m not really sure you can entirely blame the eyesight on his strikeout struggles though. He struck out 70 times in 200 at-bats last season, his first season of professional baseball. So we knew that unless he made some adjustments, he would strikeout more at a higher level. This season, he already has struck out 41 times in 127 at-bats.

Only time will tell…

The Lasik surgery is not an easy fix, as he is young and his eyesight will continue to fluctuate over the years. He may even have to have another surgery down the line. Didn’t Atlanta’s Brian McCann have the surgery and it didn’t work?

Eric Hosmer had the surgery when he was in Wilmington in 2009 (after only hitting .206) and after he “left” his glasses at a hotel on the road. Instead of getting him new glasses, he sat out a few weeks and then had the surgery, thus missing about the final month of the season. He did hit the next season (and struck out more), but it also may have had to do with making the right adjustments and not trying to hit the ball out of a pitcher’s ballpark.

And we all know Hosmer hasn’t hit over the last two seasons. Maybe he needs surgery again?

*With Starling out and fellow outfielder Brett Eibner still on the DL, I haven’t been able to gripe as much about all the strikeouts. Eibner hurt his shoulder and was placed on the DL back on April 28th for precautionary reasons. He is still out. I’m sure by the time the Royals have another day off, I’ll find someone else who is racking up the K’s.

Both teams’ pitching left something to be desired.

The Royals scored seven runs in the top of the 3rd inning. That’s right SEVEN. They sent 11 men to the plate. Jarrod Dyson walked to leadoff the inning and scored on a Billy Butler two-run single. Dyson would later triple in a run later in the inning.

In that inning, the Royals collected five hits and worked three walks. The Angels starter, Barry Enright, lasted three batters into the third. His replacement, Mark Lowe, allowed all three inherited runners to score in the 3rd inning, along with four of his own. He needed 36 pitches to get through the inning.

Royals starter Wade Davis definitely wasn’t on. He needed 103 pitches to get just one out in the 6th inning. He allowed four runs on nine hits and three walks. He struck out two.

Kelvin Herrera once again struggled and for some reason, manager Ned Yost let him pitch two innings. Well, Herrera probably won’t be pitching on Friday, as he threw 44 pitches (just 23 for strikes). He allowed yet another homerun, a solo shot by Mike Trout.

On the positive side, the Royals pitchers got into trouble and for the most part, worked out of it. The Angels collected 12 hits, but only went 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position. They left ten men on base.

Back to the offense.

The Royals collected 13 hits, five for extra bases. Every starter except Eric Hosmer had at least one hit and every one scored a run except Salvador Perez. Lorenzo Cain, Perez, and Elliot Johnson each had two hits. Cain hit two doubles and drove in three runs. Perez had two RBIs. Alex Gordon went 3-for-4.

The Royals now head to Oakland (with a day off on Thursday) for three games. James Shields gets the Friday night start versus the A’s Jarrod Parker.

*On the negative side, Dyson left the game late with a sprained ankle.

**The Royals TV broadcast honored the passing of Fred White earlier in the day with a half-inning of silence.