Minor League Wrap--May 9

Iowa Cubs

The I-Cubs shut out the Tacoma Raniers, 3-0.

J.R. Mathes pitched his best game of the season to pick up his first win.  Mathes tossed seven innings and allowed only four hits.  He struck out four and walked no one.  Mike Burns struck out four in two innings of perfect relief to record his first save of the season.

Matt Murton went 2 for 3 with an RBI.  Micah Hoffpauir had a 2 for 4 game with a double and a run scored.  DH Josh Kroeger went 2 for 3 and Sam Fuld had the other two RBI with a double in a 1 for 3 performance.

Tennessee Smokies

More good pitching as the Smokies edged the Chattanooga Lookouts, 3-2.

Mitch Atkins turned in a strong start to improve his record to 2-3.  Atkins threw 7.1 innings and allowed only one run on only two hits and two walks.  Atkins struck out eight Lookouts.  Rocky Roquet allowed a run in the ninth, but still managed to notch his first save of the season.

First baseman Steve Clevenger went 2 for 3 with two doubles, an RBI and a walk.

Daytona Cubs

Daytona pounded out sixteen hits in a 10-3 shellacking of the Sarasota Reds.

Alex Maestri won his third game of the year and saw his record improve to 3-1.  Maestri, still working on his stamina after pitching from the bullpen, pitched only five innings and allowed three runs, although only one of the runs was earned.  Maestri was tagged for five hits and two walks while striking out four.  Jeremy Papelbon tossed two innings of shutout relief and Jayson Ruhlman and Casey Lambert each tossed a scoreless frame to close out the game.

Lots of offense tonight.  Second baseman Tony Thomas banged out 3 hits in 5 AB, including his second home run of the season.  Shortstop Darwin Barney went 2 for 5  with 3 RBI and his first home run of the year.  DH Ty Wright, first baseman Russ Canzler and third baseman Josh Lansford all had two singles in five at bats.  Left fielder Jonathan Mota went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Lansford also committed his tenth error of the year already at third base.  This is a concern.

Peoria Chiefs

The pundits are wrong.  Clinton can defeat the representatives from Illinois.  The Chiefs lost to the Clinton Lumber Kings, 7-6.

Hung-Wen Chen started and allowed only one run in his four innings of work.  Chen was touched for three hits and two walks while striking out three.  But Craig Muschko got walloped for six runs on seven hits and a walk in two innings of relief, which earned him his first loss of the season.

Catcher Josh Donaldson went 2 for 4 with two doubles and an RBI.  Center fielder Cliff Andersen went 3 for 5.  Left fielder Dylan Johnston had two hits in four at bats, including a double, an RBI and two runs scored.  DH Elvis Lara went 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI.