Congratulations to Jorge Soler, your choice for the BCB Cubs Minor League Player of the Month!
I'll leave the voting for the Pitcher of the Month open until the Minor League Wrap tomorrow. So be sure to vote.
Iowa Cubs
Despite a pair of Javier Baez home runs, the Iowa Cubs were beaten by the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 7-5.
Dae-Eun Rhee had his worst start since being promoted to Iowa a month ago. He was touched for seven runs on ten hits over five innings. Three of those ten hits were solo home runs. Rhee struck out four and walked one.
Armando Rivero threw two innings of scoreless relief without allowing a hit. He walked one and struck out three.
Baez hit solo home runs in the top of the first and sixth innings. He now has 23 home runs this season. Baez went 2 for 3 with two walks. He scored three times. Baez did make an error, but he was playing shortstop this evening.
DH Josh Vitters went 3 for 4 with a double. Center fielder Matt Szczur was 2 for 5.
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies speared the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Reds), 4-1.
Pierce Johnson dominated the Blue Wahoos for 6+ innings. Johnson had a no-hitter going until two outs in the sixth when he gave up a hit to the opposing pitcher Robert Stephenson. He had also faced the minimum up to that point, as the one batter he walked he picked off first base. He exited after giving up a second single to start the seventh inning. Johnson struck out six.
Shortstop Addison Russell gave Johnson all the runs he would need with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. It was Russell's ninth home run and eighth with the Smokies. He was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Left fielder Lars Anderson was 1 for 3 with a two-run double in the sixth inning.
Daytona Cubs
They got four batters in before the rains came. Daytona and Charlotte are scoreless in Port Charlotte, bottom of the first.
Kane County Cougars
The Kane County Cougars indicted the Quad Cities River Bandits (Astros), 9-5.
Daury Torrrez won his tenth game, which ties him for the league lead. Torrez allowed three runs on five hits over six innings. The three runs scored on a two-run home run in the fourth inning and a solo shot in the sixth. He struck out six and walked one.
Catcher Cael Brockmeyer hit his fifth home run of the season in the sixth inning with the bases empty. Brockmeyer was 3 for 5 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Shortstop Danny Lockhart was 3 for 4 with a double and a walk. He stole a base and scored twice.
Victor Caratini was the DH today and was 2 for 5 with one RBI.
Second baseman Chesny Young went 3 for 4 with a double and two runs scored. Right fielder Jeffrey Baez had a double and a triple in a 2 for 3 afternoon. He also walked once. Baez scored two runs and had two RBI.
Boise Hawks
The Boise Hawks canned the Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays), 3-2.
Starter Trevor Clifton allowed only one hit and two walks through five scoreless innings. Clifton struck out six and picked up his third win of the season.
Brad Markey pitched the final two innings and got his second save. He gave up three hits but no runs. Markey struck out four and didn't walk anyone
Second baseman David Bote hit a solo home run in the third inning, which was his second of the season. He also opened up the scoring with an RBI single int he bottom of the first inning. Bote was 2 for 4.
Center fielder Rashad Crawford was 2 for 4 and scored twice. He also stole his 12th base of the season.
AZL Cubs
Also rained out.