Minor League Wrap--August 28

Iowa Cubs

Iowa rode a couple of big home runs to a 8-3 victory over the Memphis Redbirds in a still-meaningless game.

Randy Wells had another good start and improved his record to 10-4.  Wells allowed two runs on three hits over six innings.  He didn't walk a Redbird and he struck out five.

Kevin Hart threw a perfect ninth inning.

Has someone around here written a folk song about Micah Hoffpauir yet?  Hoffpauir hit his 25th home run of the season tonight and it was a grand slam in the second inning.  Hoffpauir went 2 for 5 total and his four tonight now gives him 99 RBI.

The other big home run belonged to Felix Pie.  Pie hit a two-run home run in the third inning.  It was Pie's tenth of the year.  Pie was 2 for 5 and scored twice.

Second baseman Nate Spears got promoted to Iowa to fill-in for the injured Bobby Scales, I would assume.  He made his AAA debut count by going 2 for 4 and scoring twice. 

Spears also today was voted "Best Hustler" in the Southern League's post-season awards.  No, I did not make that up.  The press release calls it an "esteemed" award.  Honestly, I thought you got arrested in Eastern Tennessee for being the best hustler.  Hey! Maybe that's why he got promoted to Iowa.

Tennessee Smokies

A late comeback fell short and the Smokies fell to the Carolina Mudcats, 5-4.

Marco Carillo had some troubles tonight as he got hit for five runs in four innings. Carillo allowed six hits and walked four.  He also struck out four.

Matt Avery had three shutout innings of relief.  Rocky Roquet had one perfect inning, striking out two.

Shortstop Matt Camp seems to have discovered his power stroke in the closing days of the minor league season.  Camp hit his second home run in four games, which was also his second home run of the whole season. Camp had a 2 for 4 night.

Center fielder Sam Fuld was 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored.  Third baseman Kyle Reynolds and second baseman Matt Matulia were both 2 for 4.  Matulia had an RBI.

Right fielder Doug Deeds hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning, his twelfth of the season.  That was Deeds' only hit of the night in four at-bats.  Both Deeds and Jake Fox were named to the Southern League's end of the year All-Star Team.  Neither one was cited for hustling, though.

Daytona Cubs

Daytona doubled up on the Vero Beach Devil Rays, 6-3. This was their last game ever against Vero Beach, who were officially sold yesterday to a group headed by Cal Ripken Baseball and the Tampa Bay Rays.  The team will relocate to Port Charlotte next season.

Casey Coleman was promoted to Daytona and got his first win in his first start.  Coleman allowed one unearned run over five innings.  He gave up four hits, walked two and struck out two.

Incidentally, I've remarked before that Casey Coleman's page on milb.com mistakenly has a picture of sixty-year old former Cub (although most of his career was with the Tigers and Senators) pitcher Joe Coleman.  It turns out that Casey is actually Joe's son.

Brian Schlitter struck out two in a perfect ninth for his ninth save, third for Daytona.

Catcher Steve Clevenger was 2 for 3 with a two-run home run.  Third baseman Jonathan Mota was 2 for 3 with a double and a solo shot.  Mota had two RBI.  The home runs were Clevenger's second and Mota's fourth.

Jupiter won, so Daytona maintained a half game lead over the Hammerheads for the second-half division title.   The two teams start a four-game series at Jupiter tomorrow to end the season and decide who gets the final playoff spot.

Peoria Chiefs

Peoria got sawed in two by the Clinton Lumber Kings, 5-4.

Starter Jose Piña got knocked around for three runs on five hits over four innings.  Piña didn't walk a batter and struck out three.

Jon Lieber  made a rehab appearance out of the bullpen and allowed only one hit over two innings of work.  He neither struck out nor walked anyone.

Zach Ashwood took the loss.  He allowed two run over three innings of relief.

DH Dylan Johnston hit his 13th home run in a 1 for 2 night.  Johnson had two RBI.  Second baseman Josh Harrison hit his first home run for Peoria, a solo blast, in a 1 for 4 night.

Boise Hawks

Boise crushed the Yakima Bears, 9-4.

Eighth-round pick James Leverton started and allowed one run on two hits over four innings.  Leverton struck out two and walked three.

The win went to 37th round pick Erik Hamren.  He allowed one run on three hits in two innings of relief.  Hamren struck out one and walked one.

First-round pick shortstop Ryan Flaherty went 3 for 4 with a double and his eighth home run.  Flaherty scored twice and knocked three home. 

Michael Brenly was also 3 for 4.  Brenly scored twice and had two RBI, in case you read this summary before watching tomorrow afternoon's Cub telecast.

AZL Cubs

Lost a rain-shortened, 7-inning game to the AZL Padres, 2-1.