Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were nuked by the Albuquerque Isotopes, 8-4.

J.R. Mathes started and went five innings, giving up six runs on nine hits.  Three of the nine hits were home runs in the thin New Mexico air. Mathes waked one and struck out two.

First baseman Micah Hoffpauir was the only I-Cub to go deep, hitting a solo shot in the fourth inning. Hoffpauir was 1 for 5. He now has 17 homers on the year.

Marquez Smith was a perfect 3 for 3 with a walk and a double. Smith scored once.

Center fielder Sam Fuld was 2 for 5 with an RBI. Shortstop Darwin Barney and left fielder Jason Dubois were both 2 for 5 with a double.

Tennessee Smokies

The Smokies were buried by the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx, 8-5.

Starting pitcher Chris Carpenter took the loss. He pitched six innings and gave up six runs on nine hits. One of the six runs was unearned.  Carpenter walked one batter and struck out five.

First baseman Blake Lalli had two doubles in a 2 for 4 game. Lalli scored once. Right fielder Matt Spencer was 2 for 4 with a double. Spencer scored twice.

Right fielder Brandon Guyer went 2 for 3 with a double and a triple. Guyer scored twice and batted two in. He was also hit by a pitch.

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More photos » Ross D. Franklin - AP

Jay Jackson got the win tonight despite allowing seven runs in five innings. Only in Albuquerque.

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Really short night tonight.  But everyone who played, won. Tennessee, Peoria and Boise had the night off.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs atomized the Albuquerque Isotopes, 14-12.

Starter Jay Jackson picked up the win tonight. That was the good news. The bad news was that he gave up seven runs on eight hits, including two home runs, over five innings. Jackson walked three and struck out one.

The good news for Jackson was that he was 2 for 3 with a double and two runs scored at the plate. The other good new is that it's Albuquerque, or "Coors Field on Steroids" as I like to call it.

Carlos Zambrano also had troubles in New Mexico tonight. The Big Z pitched one inning and gave up three runs on three hits and a walk. Zambrano had one strike out.

Jeff Stevens got his first save of the season by pitching the ninth inning and only allowing one run on two hits. That's good tonight.

Catcher Welington Castillo hit a grand slam tonight as part of a six-run fifth inning. It was Castillo's 11th home run this season.  Castillo was 1 for 4.

First baseman Micah Hoffpauir hit a solo home run in the eighth inning. Hoffpauir was 2 for 4 with a double and three RBI. He now has 16 homers this year.

Shortstop Darwin Barney went 2 for 4 with a triple and a walk. Barney had one RBI and scored three times. Right fielder Brad Snyder had two doubles in a 2 for 4 game. Snyder had four RBI and scored once.

Someone will kill me if I don't mention that center fielder Sam Fuld was 2 for 3 with two walks and two stolen bases. Fuld scored four times.  He now has 13 steals this year.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs beat the Palm Beach Cardinals, 7-5.

Brooks Raley evened his record at 6-6 by tossing 6.2 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits. Raley walked one and struck out two.

Mike Perconte got his sixth save, although he did give up two runs on three hits over 2.1 innings.  Perconte didn't walk anyone and he struck out three.

Third baseman Junior Lake stayed hot, going 2 for 3 with a double.  He also walked once. Lake had one RBI and scored once.

Shortstop DJ LeMahieu went 2 for 5 with a stolen base. He scored once and knocked one in. Second baseman Ryan Flaherty was 2 for 4 with a walk. He also scored once.

First baseman Rebel Ridling rounds out the infield's big night by going 2 for 5 with a run scored and an RBI.

AZL Cubs

Beat the Padres, 3-0.

More photos » Ross D. Franklin - AP

Jeff Samardzija had a miserable first inning for Iowa tonight, but was pretty darn good after that. The Cubs bullpen cost him the win.

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If you haven't noticed the fanshot, Josh Vitters is likely out for the season with a broken finger.  If you want some good Smokies news, Chris Archer was named Southern League Pitcher of the Week.

Wow. If I change the Autotag feature from MLB to NCAA Football, it picks up on Matt Szczur.  Of course, it also gets some false positives too. I'll do it just for tonight, but they're going to have to make that change next season.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs blew a ninth inning lead and were left behind by the Round Rock Express, 6-5.

Jeff Samardzija got into trouble in the first inning when he walked four batters and allowed two runs, despite not allowing a hit. After that, he settled down and pitched really well. The Shark went six innings and allowed three runs on two hits, but only one of the three runs was earned. (There was an error in-between all those walks in the first inning.) He walked five, which means only one after the first inning, and struck out seven.

At the plate, Samardzija was 2 for 3 with a two-run home run.

David Cales blew the save in the ninth inning, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk. He only retired one batter.

Left fielder Bryan LaHair hit a three-run shot in the sixth inning. LaHair was 1 for 4. It was his 14th homer of the season.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies finished off the Mississippi Braves, 10-5.

Starter Rafael Dolis only went three innings and allowed only one run on two hits. Dolis walked three and struck out two.

Oswaldo Martinez entered the game with the score 7-1 collected the win since Dolis didn't go five.  Martinez allowed two unearned runs on four hits. He didn't walk anyone and struck out two.

Second baseman Tony Thomas hit his eighth home run of the season and his second in two games tonight. It was a three-run homer in the third inning. Thomas was 1 for 5 with four RBI.

Left fielder Brandon Guyer was 3 for 5 with a double and a stolen base. Guyer scored once and batted one in. Shortstop Marwin Gonzalez went 2 for 5 with a double. He also scored once and had one RBI.

Center fielder Brett Jackson had two steals in a 1 for 4 game. Jackson scored twice and walked once.

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I'm fighting a bit of a stomach bug tonight, so I'm going to keep this just a little shorter than usual.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs destroyed the Oklahoma City RedHawks, 14-2.

Casey Coleman started and picked up his tenth win of the season, going five innings and giving up only one run. He allowed four hits and walked two. He did not have a strikeout. At the plate, Coleman was 2 for 4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.

Every I-Cub hitter had two hits tonight except for Darwin Barney, who was held hitless. First baseman Micah Hoffpauir hit his 15th home run.  Hoffpauir was 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He scored three times and knocked two in.

Catcher Welington Castillo was 3 for 5 with two doubles and four RBI. Left fielder Ty Wright and right fielder Brad Snyder both went 3 for 5 with an RBI. Wright scored three times.

Tennessee Smokies

The Smokies split a double-header with the Mississippi Braves, losing the first game 7-6 and coming back to take the nightcap, 4-0.

In the first game, spot starter Jeremy Papelbon gave up four runs on nine hits over four innings. Papelbon did not walk a batter and struck out two.

Aaron Shafer got the loss after he entered the game in the top of the seventh. He allowed a run on two hits and a walk. He only got one out.

Catcher Robinson Chirinos tied the game up in the top of the seventh with a grand slam. It was Chirinos's 14th homer of the year. Chirinos was 1 for 3 with a walk.

Tony Campana went 3 for 4 with a stolen base. He scored twice.

The second game was all about Chris Archer, who has yet to allow an earned run in five AA starts. Tonight he allowed only one hit over six innings. He did walk four, however, and struck out five.

Matt Spencer was 2 for 3 with a double and two runs scored. Catcher Steve Clevenger was 2 for 3 with an RBI.

Second baseman Tony Thomas hit a solo home run, his seventh of the season.

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More photos » Charlie Neibergall - AP

Carlos Zambrano pitched well again today. The top three teams in the Cubs farm system are all in first place.

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I should have mentioned last night that J.R. Mathes' win yesterday was his 39th as an I-Cub, which is a franchise record. Congratulations to Mathes.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs inched past the Round Rock Express, 4-2 in 13 innings.

Starter Thomas Diamond bounced back from his last start and threw six shutout innings tonight. He gave up only three hits. Diamond walked three and struck out six.

Carlos Zambrano relieved Diamond and also pitched well: two scoreless innings and only one hit, and that was a soft liner.  He didn't walk anyone and struck out three.

The Cubs had a chance to end the game in both the ninth and the tenth, but they twice allowed an unearned run with two outs.  David Cales allowed his first run of AAA in blowing the save in the ninth. Jeff Stevens gave up a run in the tenth after the Cubs had scored in the top of the inning. Both times the culprit was shortstop Darwin Barney.  Barney made an error with one out in the ninth and with two out in the tenth.  Barney's only made 13 errors now over almost 100 games, so he was just having a bad night.

Austin Bibens-Dirkx didn't allow a hit over the final three innings of the game to get the win. Bibens-Dirkx walked one and struck out two.

But all's well that ends well, and Brad Snyder hit a two-run homer in the top of the 13th that would turn out to be the game-winner. It was Snyder's 15th home run this year. Snyder entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the 11th inning and went 1 for 2.

Micah Hoffpauir also homered, his 14th of the season. Hoffpauir was 1 for 5 with a walk before Snyder's home run. He scored the two times.

Center fielder Sam Fuld was 2 for 6 with an RBI. Catcher Chris Robinson was 2 for 5. Second baseman Bobby Scales was 2 for 5 with a double and a run scored.

Tennessee Smokies

Rained out in Mississippi. Double-header tomorrow.

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Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs delayed the Round Rock Express, 10-2.

J.R. Mathes started and got the win. Mathes gave up two runs on five hits over 6.2 innings. Mathes walked one and struck out four.

Third baseman Marquez Smith was 3 for 5 with a solo home run. It was his fourth of the season. Smith also scored twice.

First baseman Micah Hoffpauir was 3 for 5 with a double and a walk. Hoffpauir had one RBI.  Center fielder Sam Fuld was 3 for 4 with a triple two walks. Fuld crossed home four times tonight.  He also stole a base.

Right fielder Brad Snyder was 2 for 4 with two walks. Snyder drove in three runs and scored once himself. He also stole a base.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies tomahawked the Mississippi Braves, 12-5.

Starter Craig Muschko went six innings and got the win. He allowed three runs on four hits. Muschko walked one and struck out six.

Right fielder Russ Canzler hit home run number twelve tonight. It was a solo home run in the sixth inning. Canzler went 3 for 5 and came a double short of the cycle. Canzler scored twice and had four RBI.

Catcher Steve Clevenger hit his first homer of the season. It was a two-run home run in the fourth. Clevenger was also 3 for 5 with two runs scored and four RBI.

Shortstop Marwin Gonzalez was 3 for 4 with a triple. Gonzalez scored twice and knocked two in. Left fielder Brandon Guyer went 2 for 5 with a double. Second baseman Tony Thomas was 2 for 4 with an RBI.

Third baseman Josh Vitters was 2 for 5 with a double. Vitters scored twice and batted one in.

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More photos » Charlie Neibergall - AP

7 days ago: Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano throws during a scheduled rehab appearance in the Iowa Cubs' minor league baseball game against the Oklahoma City Redhawks, Thursday, July 22, 2010, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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The winning streak ended today. That's OK, I don't think I've ever had two days in a row when at least four teams played and nobody lost before yesterday.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs fell to the Oklahoma City RedHawks, 8-4.  Probably because Ryne Sandberg was off in Cooperstown for the Hall of Fame ceremonies.  (That's a joke, folks, although he is in Cooperstown.)

Jay Jackson started tonight and pitched well until his control abandoned him in the sixth inning. Jackson ended up pitching 5.2 innings and allowing four runs, three of them in the sixth inning. He allowed only three hits, but he walked six and hit a batter. He also had a wild pitch in the sixth inning. Jackson struck out three.

Carlos Zambrano had his relief appearance tonight. He pitched one inning and allowed no runs, thanks to a great catch by Sam Fuld. He allowed two hits.

Blake Parker took the loss. Parker allowed four runs on six hits over the two innings he pitched. Parker walked one and fanned one.

Third baseman Marquez Smith was 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored

Tennessee Smokies

The Smokies kept on rolling by shutting down the Mississippi Braves, 5-3.

Starting pitcher Chris Carpenter went five innings and allowed three runs on seven hits. One of the three runs was unearned. Carpenter walked four and struck out two.

Marco Carrillo threw one perfect inning of relief and was rewarded with his fourth win. He struck out one.

Luke Sommer pitched the ninth recorded his sixth save. He loaded the bases with one out on two singles and a walk, but got the 1-2-3 double play to end the game.

Third baseman Russell Canzler was 2 for 3 with two doubles and two walks. He scored once and stole a base.

First baseman Blake Lalli went 2 for 5 with three RBI. Second baseman Tony Thomas had a double and scored a run in a 2 for 4 night.

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More photos » Charlie Neibergall - AP

Ryne Sandberg is tanned, rested and ready to take the helm of the Chicago Cubs. Well, maybe not the "rested" part. He works hard.

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I've been following Ryne Sandberg in the minors for four seasons now. I'm not going to pretend to be an insider with any special knowledge of what is going on in the mind of Ryne Sandberg. I've never actually ever seen him manage a game in person, although I hope to soon. I have simply followed his career on-line and through the radio broadcasts. I can't tell you whether he's going to be a great manager or not. I don't think anyone can tell that. But I hope I can give some insight in to what kind of a manager he is likely to be.

I want to dispel the idea that Sandberg does not have enough experience to be a manager yet. In fact, Sandberg has more experience than most former major league players who get their first managerial position. He's now spent four years coaching, which is more time than Mike Scioscia, Ozzie Guillen and Joe Girardi had before getting their first managerial job. It's the same amount of time that Bob Brenly put in before he was hired by the Diamondbacks, although Brenly worked as a broadcaster between his time as a Giants coach and the Diamondbacks manager. If you want to go back farther, it's more experience than Lou Piniella, Tony LaRussa or Joe Torre had. (Torre actually started as a player/manager.) Sure, a guy who never played in the majors like Joe Maddon had to spend over two decades coaching before he got his first job as a manager, but few guys who had long major league careers have paid their dues in the minors like Sandberg has. Certainly no one whose plaque is in Cooperstown has ever done anything like what Sandberg did.

You can make the case that those managers had experience coaching in the majors, which Sandberg doesn't have. I really don't think that's a big deal for Sandberg. For one, he's someone who is quite familiar with the workings of a major league clubhouse. He can hire an experienced bench coach to help him or just keep on Alan Trammell. And since "Pitching-coach-for-life" Larry Rothschild will probably be back, he has him to lean on for advice, and I do believe that Sandberg will be a manager who will listen to his coaches. But I don't think he'll need to a lot. He's seen how plenty of managers manage over his playing career, and he's likely to get a "September call-up" to travel with the team when the Iowa Cubs' season ends, if he really needs to see Sweet Lou manage in person.

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