Cubs Minor League Wrap: May 6

by Josh Timmers on May 6, 2011 10:40 PM CDT in Minor Leagues

Tonight I was watching the Brewers take on the Cardinals and as Yuniesky Betancourt came to the plate, I said to my wife "If Yuniesky Betancourt breaks up the no-hitter, it . . ." and that's all I got out before he slapped one through the left side of the infield. I was going to say he'd be the worst hitter ever to break up a no-hitter, but I have no idea if that's true or not. Anyone else know? Of course I mean in the late innings. I don't mean some game that Neifi Perez got to lead off the game and somehow beat out a slow dribbler.

In case you missed it, the Cubs released catcher Max Ramirez to activate shortstop Jonathan Mota off the disabled list.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs got blown away by the New Orleans Zephyrs (Marlins), 11-5.

Starting pitcher Jay Jackson got knocked around for five runs on eight hits over 4.1 innings. Jackson walked three and struck out two.

Left fielder Lou Montanez went 2 for 4 with a double and his fourth home run this season. The home run was a solo shot in the seventh inning. Montanez also walked one and scored three times.

Center fielder Tony Campana went 2 for 5 with a stolen base and a run scored. Right fielder Brad Snyder scored once and walked once in a 2 for 4 evening.

First baseman Bryan LaHair was 2 for 5. Shorstop Jonathan Mota went 2 for 4 in his first game back.

Tennessee Smokies

The Smokies had their picnic baskets stolen by the Mobile BayBears (Diamondbacks), 5-4.

Hung-Wen Chen made the start tonight in place of Trey McNutt, who once again is battling a blister. Chen tossed three innings allowed four runs on seven hits, including a pair of home runs that scored all four runs. He walked once and struck out two. One of the four runs he allowed was unearned, but it was his error. Somehow I think that shouldn't count.

Center fielder Brett Jackson hit a solo home run in the sixth inning. It was his fourth homer this year. Jackson was 1 for 3 with a walk.

Third baseman Josh Vitters was 2 for 4 and scored once.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs gave up four runs in the ninth, but hung on to win 5-4 over Brevard County Manatees (Brewers) when right fielder Nelson Perez threw out the potential tying run at the plate.

Starter Nick Struck improved his record to 4-1 with six strong shutout innings. He allowed only three hits and three walks while striking out seven.

Frank Batista entered the game with two out in the ninth and runners on first and third. He gave up a single to right but the runner on first tried to score on the play and was thrown out. It was ugly, but it was Batista's eighth save.

Shortstop Junior Lake went 2 for 4 with a stolen base and a run scored. In addition to the gave-saving assist, Nelson Perez was 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI. He also scored once.

Center fielder Jae-Hoon Ha was 1 for 3 with a double and a walk. He also scored once. After not having walked in his first 16 games, Ha now has five walks in his last ten games.

Peoria Chiefs

The Chiefs were just out-lasted by the Clinton LumberKings (Mariners), 5-4 in 14 innings.

This was a game that started out low scoring, saw a lot of runs scored in the seventh through ninth innings and then nothing until Clinton pushed a run across in the 14th.

Peoria's first starter was Austin Kirk, and he went 5.1 innings and allowed only one hit on six hits. He walked one and struck out six. Kirk is quietly putting together a great start to the season. His ERA sits at 2.17 after six starts and has struck out more than a batter an inning.

Then the game got interesting as the Chiefs took a 3-1 lead in the seventh inning, only to see Clinton tie it in the top of the eighth. The Chiefs got the lead again in the bottom of the eighth, only to see Marcus Hatley allow an unearned run in the ninth to tie it. Hatley pitched two innings and only had one hit. He didn't walk anyone and struck out one.

Bryce Shafer relieved Hatley and took the loss when he gave up a run in the 14th. He pitched 3.2 innings and gave up the run on four hits and three walks. Shafer struck out two.

Shafer was relieved with two out in the 14th by third baseman Anthony Giansanti. He struck out the only batter he faced.

Right fielder Matt Szczur was 2 for 5 with a walk and two RBI. He also stole two bases, giving him six in the past four games. Szczur has now stolen eight bases and hasn't been caught yet.

First baseman Richard Jones went 2 for 5 with a double and a walk. He scored once. Arismendy Alcantara was 2 for 5 and scored twice. Eliot Soto was 2 for 6. Catcher Sergio Burruel was 2 for 6 with a run scored.

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Ricky Gutierez

Broke up Kerry’s no-no with an error by Kevin Orie, if it was scored right. But Kerry struck out 20 guys anyway.

Hack Wilson IX

by KO Stradivarius on May 7, 2011 12:14 AM CDT via mobile reply actions

That was the third inning

Doesn’t count.

by Josh Timmers on May 7, 2011 12:41 AM CDT up reply actions

Some of you may know this

But the word “mota” is border Mexican slang for “marijuana”.

So we cut a catcher for Mota, eh? Is that a new policy?

"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root

by Clutch16 on May 7, 2011 12:26 AM CDT reply actions

Szczur and Jackson...

by the end of the year could be one of the best OF prospect duos in baseball. I was optimistic about both of them and they’re still doing better than I expected.

The farm system really seems to be off to a good start, and there’s still a draft to get to. Well on the way to a top tier system…or a really good one at least.

by SenorGato on May 7, 2011 1:24 AM CDT reply actions

I was expecting this out of Jackson

but to be honest, I expected Szczur to struggle just a bit as he adjusted to playing baseball every day. It’s not that I wasn’t high on him, but just that he hadn’t played a lot of baseball before and the Midwest League is a tough place to hit, especially in April.

The critics who said he’d have no power have been right so far, but even those critics would say it’s too early to judge something like that yet.

by Josh Timmers on May 7, 2011 2:33 AM CDT up reply actions

Agreed.

Szczur is just wow right now. Everytime I see he’s in the lineup, I scroll down to stolen bases, and it seems like he has at least one everytime, at least lately. He’s stealing at will. It’s amazing. Hopefully he gets the call to Daytona soon after May.
It seems like Ha got the memo that he needs to walk more and he’s doing it. Good game for Jackson and Vitters, hopefully he goes on a tear and gets his average back up to .270ish by the end of May. Also good start from Kirk again. Hopefully McNutt will get fully healthy even if he has to sit out a couple weeks. I’m excited for Reed and Wells to start up in Boise. And Josh, why did they move Dolis to the pen? He’s struggled since being moved and was surprisingly good in the rotation..

by Ryno G on May 7, 2011 10:18 AM CDT up reply actions

Because Dolis is a pen arm

He just didn’t have a third pitch worth throwing. Heck, I’m not sure his slider is all that worth throwing. But in the pen, he can get that fastball up to 97-98 mph. He could contribute in the majors this year out of the pen.

by Josh Timmers on May 7, 2011 12:12 PM CDT up reply actions

Check out Randy Johnson...

and some of the guys who broke up his no-hitters. He came really close quite a few times after his first one in 90, and it was almost never the best guy in the lineup. Don’t take my word as gospel on this, but I’m pretty sure Lance Blankenship and Mike Gallego are on that list. I think Randy Velarde as well.

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Just North of Wrigley Field

by jameslcrockett on May 7, 2011 3:16 AM CDT reply actions

Link...

http://milkeespress.com/lostninth.html

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Just North of Wrigley Field

by jameslcrockett on May 7, 2011 3:25 AM CDT up reply actions

Nice Link

First off, who knew Ramon Ortiz took a no-no into the ninth? Second, Aaron Miles broke it up.

by Josh Timmers on May 7, 2011 12:07 PM CDT up reply actions

On September 24, 1975, Tom Seaver had a perfect game at Wrigley Field with two out in the bottom of the ninth.

It was broken up by Joe Wallis, who Cubs fans had nicknamed “Tarzan Joe” for some diving catches he had made.

The game was a scoreless tie at the time; the Cubs won in 11 innings.

No Met has ever thrown a no-hitter.

Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago

by Al Yellon on May 7, 2011 6:33 AM CDT reply actions

Also..

…. Eddie Milner of the Reds wasn’t a very good hitter, but he broke up Chuck Rainey’s no-hitter on August 24, 1983 with two out in the ninth.

Milner made a habit of this. He got the only hit in a game five times, which is a MLB record (shared by Cesar Tovar).

Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago

by Al Yellon on May 7, 2011 8:14 AM CDT reply actions

I was at that game...

it was my 1st brush at a near no hitter. Here is a picture of Rainey from that day

See the Cubs 2011 schedule at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/sched2011.html
Also see what old Cubs Scorecards looked like at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/scorecards.html

by kaseyi on May 7, 2011 8:33 AM CDT up reply actions

I love this stuff.

On April 6, 1993, the very first game Jose Guzman pitched for the Cubs, he took a perfect game into the 8th inning. He walked Terry Pendleton to lose the perfecto, then Otis Nixon — a good base stealer, but not a great hitter — broke up the no-no with two out in the top of the 9th. The Cubs won 1-0.

I think you’ll find that a lot of late-inning no-hitters were broken up by not-great hitters. In 1988, Dave Stieb had consecutive starts where he took a no-hitter till two out in the 9th. The first one, on September 24, 1988, was broken up by Julio Franco, a good hitter. But the second one, on September 30, 1988, was broken up by Jim Traber. (Yeah. Who?)

Stieb eventually did throw a no-hitter on September 2, 1990. It is still the only no-hitter in Blue Jays history.

Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago

by Al Yellon on May 7, 2011 8:21 AM CDT reply actions

Wow!

Has that happened before or since, where a pitcher took a no-no to the last out in consecutive starts? Also, who was that reds pitcher who threw a no-no in consecutive starts? Like DiMaggio’s and ripken’s that’s a record unlikely to ever get broken.

by mr_einstein on May 8, 2011 7:51 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Stieb is the only pitcher to have done that...

… apart from Johnny Vander Meer, who is the Reds pitcher who threw one in consecutive starts in 1938. The second of them, incidentally, was the first night game ever played at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.

Vander Meer eventually got to the Cubs, of course long after he was any good, in 1950.

Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago

by Al Yellon on May 8, 2011 8:50 AM CDT up reply actions

Jimmy Qualls

On July 9th, 1969…Tom Seaver was pitching a perfecto and Qualls comes up in the 9th inning with 1 out and hits a single to break up the perfect game. I remember watching this game on TV and Jimmy Qualls became my hero for a while.

See the Cubs 2011 schedule at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/sched2011.html
Also see what old Cubs Scorecards looked like at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/scorecards.html

by kaseyi on May 7, 2011 8:30 AM CDT reply actions

Closest I ever game to seeing a no hitter in person

was July 2004 in Philadelphia when Eric Milton no hit the Cubs for 8 innings. Michaal Barrett
lead off the 9th with a ’double" misplayed by Eric Glanville and in typical Cub fashion they went on to tie the game in the top of the 9th and lose it in the bottom.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either

by Doggie Stalker on May 7, 2011 8:58 AM CDT reply actions

I actually witnessed Pappas' No-Hitter and 'almost perfect' no...no on 09/02/72

I still have my scorecard and at the age of 15 and my last year of competitive baseball knew exactly what was going on as of course my father, but my brother 3 years to my junior did not know know what was happening where upon the 7th inning he looks up at the scoreboard and exclaims, “hey the Cubs pitcher has a no-hitter!” The immediate reaction from everyone around our seats was “shut the kid up!”.

As was the custom back then after the 7th inning or so people could come down from the “old grandstand” seats (under the upper deck) and take up empty box seats, so we got within 10 rows of the plate.

The final batter was full of tension and anticipation, a potential perfect game! When Froemming called Ball FOUR on a borderline third strike my father, a respected lawyer was almost asked to leave the game by the Andy Frain for giving the ump about a minute of profane thoughts…..it said that on tape Froemming was smirking upon calling two strikes balls to ruin history…

Since then whenever we were at a game and Froemming was the ump my father would make certain Froemming would know before, during or after the game. He usually would say something like hey there is the A$$#@!E from Milwaukee who masquerades as an umpire.

Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."

by Ivy Walls on May 7, 2011 10:30 AM CDT reply actions