The Omaha Storm Chasers had a big inning from their offense (a six run inning) and also received excellent starting pitching (and a good relief effort). The six run inning came in the top of the 5th inning, as the Storm Chasers led just 1-0. David Lough had a two-run single (he had three hits), which was followed by Clint Robinson’s RBI single (who had two hits). Mike Aviles followed with an RBI double (he had two hits too) before Kila Ka’aihue made the inning’s first out (though he drove in a run with a sac fly). The OKC RedHawks second error of the inning allowed Omaha’s sixth and final run to score.

That big inning helped make a winner of Luis Mendoza, who allowed just one hit (and one unearned run) over seven innings. He did walk four while striking out five. Jeremy Jeffress pitched two scoreless innings of relief (though he walked three). The downside in the game was the walks and the four errors committed by the Omaha defense.

The NW Arkansas Naturals took a thumping in their series finale with the San Antonio Missions. Up 2-1 and facing SD Padres top pitching prospect Casey Kelly, the Naturals did not score another run. Meanwhile, the Missions scored nine more runs en route to their 10-2 win. Kelly allowed two runs on five hits over seven innings. The blip in his radar was the two-run homerun he allowed to Jamie Romak in the top of the 3rd inning. The Missions hit three homerun in the game, two coming off Naturals starter Zach Miner (he allowed eight runs on seven hits and four walks over just 4.2 innings). The big homerun came off the bat of Jedd Gyorko, who hit a grand slam in the 3rd inning with two outs.

Holding a 6-2 lead heading into the 6th inning, the Wilmington Blue Rocks lost to the visiting Myrtle Beach Pelicans 7-6 in ten innings. The Pelicans scored two runs in the top of the 9th inning to tie the game at 6-6. In the top of the 10th inning, Vincent DiFazio hit a solo homerun off Blue Rocks reliever Ryan Dennick for the win. The Blue Rocks bullpen wasted a solid effort from Noel Arguelles, who allowed three runs over 5.2 innings, and Carlo Testa’s offense (he went 2-for-5 with a first inning two-run homer). The Blue Rocks collected just five hits, four coming from the top of the order (Yem Prades and Testa).

With the game tied at 4-4, the Kane County Cougars scored single runs in the bottom of the 6th and 7th innings to defeat the visiting Burlington Bees 6-4. In the 6th inning, Cheslor Cuthbert doubled in a run and in the 7th, a wild pitch scored a run. Brian Fletcher went 3-for-3 in the win. The Cougars bullpen combination of Allen Caldwell and Nick Rogers threw 4.2 scoreless innings of relief to earn the win and save. Caldwell struck out seven over 3.2 innings while allowing just one hit.

The Royals had two of their minor leagues teams with off-days on Thursday (both Omaha and Wilmington with both set for home openers on Friday), so there were just two games on the docket.

San Antonio Missions 7, NW Arkansas Naturals 4: In a rematch of last Friday night’s game, Casey Kelly of the Missions got the best of John Lamb and the Naturals. In the Missions home opener, Kelly (the team’s top prospect that was acquired from the Boston Red Sox for Adrian Gonzalez) allowed two runs (one earned) over six innings. Lamb however, had a hard time throwing strikes. In 3.2 innings, he walked five (73 pitches and just 35 for strikes). The Naturals held a 4-1 lead (with just four hits) heading into the bottom of the 8th inning, but the Missions scored six runs off Brandon Sisk and Patrick Keating, capped by a Cody Decker solo homerun and a James Darnell two-run homerun. The Naturals went down in order in the top of the 9th against Missions reliever Brad Bach, as he struck out two to end the game.

Kane County Cougars 1, Quad City River Bandits 0: It took until the 10th inning for there to be any scoring in this game. And it was in walk-off fashion. With two outs and a runner on second base, Yowill Espinal singled, driving in Gerard Hall as the winning run. Despite great pitching from Jordan Swaggerty, the St. Louis Cardinals second round pick in 2010 (7IP, 4H, 0R, 0BB, 9K), the River Bandits couldn’t muster any offense against the Cougars. Leondy Perez started at allowed just two hits over five innings. Nick Wooley followed with four one-hit innings of relief. Chase Boruff picked up the win for the Cougars, as he pitched a scoreless 10th inning.

All four Royals minor league teams were in action Friday night, with two coming out victorious.

*Albuquerque Isotopes 10, Omaha Storm Chasers 6: It was another tough night on the Storm Chasers starting pitching, as this time veteran Jeff Suppan (who was just signed last week) was ripped. He allowed seven runs on seven hits and three walks in just four innings of work. He also allowed two homers. The Isotopes scored four runs in the bottom of the first. The Storm Chasers collected more hits (11) than the Isotopes (7), but they committed more errors (3) and walked six batters.

Offensively, the Storm Chasers had their chances, and squandered bases-loaded opportunities. First baseman Eric Hosmer and second baseman Johnny Giavotella collected six of the team’s 11 hits. The two teams meet again on Saturday with Danny Duffy making the start for Omaha.

*NW Arkansas Naturals 5, San Antonio Missions 4: The Naturals broke a 2-2 tie in the 5th on a two-run double off the bat of shortstop Christian Colon (Colon had two hits). The Naturals would hold a 4-2 lead until the 8th when Missions first baseman Cody Decker hit a 2-run homer off Patrick Keating to tie the game and send it into extra innings. The game would stay tied until the 11th, when catcher Salvador Perez led off the inning with a walk. Anthony Seratelli would run for him and move to third on Mario Lisson’s one out single. Outfielder Nick Van Stratten would end the game with a walk-off RBI single to send the fans home happy (it was his second hit of the night). It was a big night for Van Stratten, as his possible-homer saving catch from the night before was ranked #2 on Sportcenter’s Top 10 last night.

This game was deemed as a great pitching matchup between the Naturals John Lamb and the Missions Casey Kelly. Neither figured in the decision and neither pitched that well. Lamb allowed two runs on four hits and two walks in just three innings (he struck out two). Kelly allowed three runs on five hits and one walk over 4.1 innings (he struck out one). However the relief from Mario Santiago of the Naturals saved the game. He pitched four shutout innings behind Lamb and only allowed two hits while striking out five.

*Myrtle Beach Pelicans 3, Wilmington Blue Rocks 1: It was a lackluster performance for the Blue Rocks in Myrtle Beach on Opening Night. The offense collected just five hits, while the Pelicans had 13. Tim Melville started for the Blue Rocks and allowed three runs on eight hits and three walks over four innings. The three runs the Pelicans scored all came in the first inning. The Pelicans pitching was dominant, as they struck out 16 batters, with starter Neil Ramirez striking out nine.

*Kane County Cougars 7, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 6: Despite allowing 11 hits, the Cougars picked up their first victory of the season. The bullpen of Matt Mitchell, Chase Boruff, and Chaz Byrne combined to go five innings and allow just one run on six hits, while striking out nine. Geulin Beltre and Alex Llanos each had two hits, with Llanos picking up a two-out, two-run double in the second inning.

The Naturals ring ceremony in spring training (John Owen)

Even though the Royals already held a ring ceremony during spring training for their Double-A NW Arkansas Naturals, as they were the 2010 Texas League Champions, the Naturals will hold their own ceremony to honor the returning players.

The Championship Ring (John Owen)

Tonight on Opening Night, the 17 returning Naturals will receive their championship rings and the Texas League Champions flag will be unveiled, as it will fly for every home game this season.

Tonight’s lineup for the Naturals:

Robinson (CF)

Colon (SS)

Myers (RF)

Romak (DH)

Bianchi (2B)

Perez (C)

Mertins (3B)

Seratelli (1B)

VanStratten (LF)

Dwyer (P)

*The highlight of the series between the Naturals and the visiting San Antonio Missions may be Friday night as the San Diego Padres top prospect Casey Kelly will start against John Lamb (the Royals 4th best prospect).