Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs climbed to the summit of the Tacoma Rainiers, 8-3.
Starter Jeff Samardzija got the win by pitching six innings and allowing only one run on three hits. Samardzija walked three and struck out three. Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus tweeted tonight that Samardzija was effectively throwing an 87-90 mph cutter tonight. That's a good thing.
The I-Cubs hit three home runs tonight. The first was by third baseman Marquez Smith, whose second inning homer with a man on was his fifth of the season. Smith was 2 for 4.
The second homer was a three-run blast by first baseman Micah Hoffpauir in the seventh inning. Hoffpauir went 2 for 5 with four RBI total. Hoffpauir also hit a double. Two batters later, DH Bryan LaHair hit a two-run home run. LaHair was 1 for 4. Both Hoffpauir and LaHair now have 18 home runs this season.
Shortstop Darwin Barney was 2 for 5 with a run scored. Second baseman Bobby Scales was 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored.
The I-Cubs 64-48 record is the best in the Pacific Coast League.
Tennessee Smokies
The Smokies burnt the Montgomery Biscuits, 11-3.
Chris Archer got his sixth win in seven AA starts. He pitched six innings and allowed two runs on five hits, although one of the two runs was unearned. Archer struck out five. The bad news is that he also walked five.
First baseman Matt Spencer demolished the Biscuits tonight with two home runs and seven RBI. The first homer was a grand slam in the seventh inning and the second home run was a three-run shot in the ninth. Spencer was 3 for 5.
Center fielder Tony Campana went 4 for 5 with two doubles and a triple. He scored twice and had one RBI. Campana also stole his 37th base of the year.
Third baseman Russ Canzler went 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored. Catcher Robinson Chirinos was 2 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored. Right fielder Brandon Guyer was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
The Smokies overall record is 65-43, which is the best record in the Southern League. They won the first half and have a one game lead in their division in the second half.
Daytona Cubs
Daytona got hammered by the Jupiter Hammerheads, 7-2. The D-Cubs have now fallen out of first place.
Alberto Cabrera went six innings tonight and allowed four runs on ten hits. Cabrera walked one and fanned three.
Third baseman Ryan Flaherty hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to account for all of Daytona's scoring. Flaherty was 1 for 4. He now has eight home runs for the D-Cubs and nine overall.
Peoria Chiefs
The Peoria Chiefs left the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers for road kill, 13-1.
Starter Su-Ming Jung was dominating tonight. Jung pitched five shutout innings and struck out eight. He gave up two hits and he walked two as he improved his record to 7-3.
First baseman Justin Bour hit a grand slam in the eighth inning, his 11th homer of the year. Bour was 2 for 6 with six RBI.
Shortstop Hak-Ju Lee went 2 for 5 with a double and a walk. Lee scored three times and stole his 29th base of the year.
Second baseman Logan Watkins and third baseman Matt Cerda were both 2 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. They also both scored twice and batted two in.
DH DJ Fitzgerald went 2 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored. Catcher Luis Flores hit two doubles in a 2 for 5 game. He scored twice.
Center fielder Anthony Giansanti was 2 for 4 with a double and a walk in his second game with Peoria. He scored twice and had one RBI.
Boise Hawks
The Boise Hawks lost to the Everett Aqua Sox, 6-2.
Juan Yasser Serrano started and went four innings. He allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits. Serrano walked two and struck out three.
Center fielder Alvaro Ramirez went 2 for 5 with a run scored. He had two of Boise's five hits.
AZL Cubs
It was 108 degrees out there man. Mad dogs and Englishmen play baseball in that weather.
Actually, it's always like that in the Arizona Summer League. They just had a scheduled off-day.