Remember how yesterday everyone lost but no one cared because the Cubs won? Since the Cubs didn't play today, to put everyone in a good mood, the entire minor league system managed to win tonight.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs zapped the New Orleans Zephyrs, 3-2 and snapped their four game losing streak.
Casey Coleman was effective again tonight, pitching seven innings and allowing only one run on four hits. The only hit that really mattered was a fifth inning solo home run. He didn't walk anyone and struck out three. He was also 2 for 2 with an RBI at the plate. Coleman improved his record to 2-2 and has now thrown four quality starts in five games.
Esmailin Caridad made a rehab appearance and tossed a scoreless inning, although he did allow a hit and a walk. He also struck out one. Jeff Samardzija entered the game in the ninth to get the save with the score 3-1, but got into trouble after retiring the first batters. He then gave up two singles, a walk and a hit by pitch to cut the I-Cub lead in half. Then manager Ryne Sandberg pulled Samardzija for Brian Schlitter, who got a ground out for his first save of the season.
Shortstop Darwin Barney went 2 for 3 with a walk and an RBI.
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies outlasted the Chattanooga Lookouts, 2-1 in 13 innings.
Austin Bibens-Dirkx pitched the first half of the game, going seven innings and allowing only one unearned run on three hits. Bibens-Dirkx walked one and struck out five.
After allowing an unearned run in the first inning, the Smokies bullpen shut down the Lookouts for the next twelve innings. Dustin Sasser and Alex Maestri threw two hitless innings apiece, and then Scott Maine got the win by pitching the final two innings. Maine allowed one hit, no walks and struck out three.
Shortstop Starlin Castro went 2 for 5 with a walk. He also scored the eventual winning run in the 13th inning. On the bad side, he did make two errors.
Center fielder Tony Campana was 2 for 6 with an RBI.
Daytona CubsThe Daytona Cubs scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning to tame the Lakeland Flying Tigers, 6-3.
Starting pitcher Chris Archer allowed two unearned runs over 4.2 innings. As I often mention in situations like this one though, the unearned runs were the result of Archer's own error. He allowed two hits and two walks while striking out five.
David Patton picked up the win. He allowed one hit and walked two over 1.2 scoreless innings. Patton struck out two. Luke Sommer pitched the ninth for the save. He gave up an infield hit, but was otherwise clean. He struck out one.
First baseman Rebel Ridling hit his fourth home run tonight in only his seventh game of the season. Ridling was 1 for 5 with two RBI. Center fielder Brett Jackson was 2 for 5 with a run scored and an RBI. Shortstop Junior Lake went 2 for 4 with an RBI.
Peoria Chiefs
Matt Cerda hit a pinch-hit, walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth as the Chiefs turned the Clinton LumberKings into sawdust, 4-1.
Starting pitcher Jonathan Nagel threw the first three innings and allowed no runs and only one hit. Nagel walked nobody and struck out four.
James Leverton picked up the win with two scoreless innings. He didn't give up a hit and walked only one. Leverton struck out two. Leverton has pitched in six games so far this year and his record is a perfect 4-0 with two saves.
Shortstop Hak-Ju Lee was 2 for 4 with a run scored.