It was a good day in the minors at least as every team won. The farm system is off to a 12-4 start. There was a bit of bad news out of Tennessee, though.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs stopped the Round Rock Express, 8-6.
J.R. Mathes started and lasted four innings. He allowed two runs on seven hits. Mathes walked one and struck out four.
Justin Berg didn't pitch real well in relief of Mathes, but he got the win anyway after the I-Cubs put up four runs in the sixth inning. Berg pitched two innings and gave up two runs on five hits. He walked no one and struck out one.
John Gaub was the most effective pitcher of the afternoon. He pitched the final 1.2 innings without being charged with a run, although he did allow an inherited runner to score. He gave up one hit and one run. He also struck out two as he collected his first save of the season.
Right fielder Tony Campana ran wild today, going 4 for 5 with a double and a stolen base. He scored twice and had one RBI.
Outfielder Lou Montanez went 3 for 5 with four RBI. First baseman Scott Moore was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored. Left fielder Ty Wright was 2 for 4.
Catcher Max Ramirez hit a two-run homer in that four-run sixth inning. It was his first home run of the season. Ramirez was 1 for 5.
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies poked the Chattanooga Lookouts in the eye, 8-5.
The bad news here was starter Trey McNutt, who left the game in the third inning with what has been reported to be a blister. That's not good, but if that's all it was, we can all exhale.
But while he was out there, McNutt threw 2.2 innings of hitless baseball. He walked two and struck out two.
Ryan Buchter didn't pitch well, but he got the win in relief anyway. Buchter pitched one inning and allowed three runs on three hits and two walks. One of the runs was unearned. He did not strike anyone out.
David Cales got his second save with a perfect ninth. He did not record a strikeout.
The decisive blow was a seventh inning grand slam by center fielder Brett Jackson. Jackson was 2 for 4 with a walk overall. He also scored twice and stole a base.
D.J. LeMahieu went 3 for 5 with a double and a run scored. LeMahieu also stole a base. Catcher Steve Clevenger was 2 for 3 with a walk. He scored once and knocked one in.
Daytona Cubs
The Cubs completed their sweep of the Brevard County Manatees, 11-7.
Starter Brett Wallach put the D-Cubs in a hole early on, allowing five runs in the first innings. The D-Cubs also committed two errors in that inning, although one of the errors was Wallach's. After that he settled down and pitched 4.1 innings. Overall he allowed six runs (three earned) on nine hits and a walk. Wallach struck out four.
Jordan Latham relieved Wallach in the fifth with runners on first and third and one out and got an inning-ending double play when center fielder Jae-Hoon Ha gunned down a runner at the plate trying to score on a fly ball. He then pitched 1.2 perfect innings. He did not have a strikeout.
The aforementioned Ha was 2 for 5 with a double and an RBI. Left fielder Evan Crawford was 2 for 4 with a triple and a walk. He scored once and had two RBI.
Third baseman Matt Cerda banged out two more doubles in a 3 for 5 effort. Cerda scored once and had one RBI. Right fielder Nelson Perez was 3 for 5 and scored twice. Second baseman David Macias went 2 for 3 with a double and a stolen base. Macias scored three times and knocked one in.
Catcher Michael Brenly had a double and scored twice in a 2 for 4 game. Shortstop Junior Lake was 2 for 4 with two RBI and one run scored.
DH Welington Castillo hit his first homer of the year. It was a solo home run in the fourth inning. Castillo was 1 for 4.
The D-Cubs take on Clearwater tomorrow after sweeping Brevard County. I guess we'll find out if they really have this powerful an offense or whether the Brewers farm system is as bad as advertised.
Peoria Chiefs
The Peoria Chiefs detasselled the Cedar Rapids Kernels, 9-6.
Cameron Greathouse got the start and he went 4.1 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits, including one home run. Greathouse only walked one, but he also hit two batters. He struck out four.
Jeffry Antigua got the win in relief of Greathouse. He went 2.2 innings and allowed two runs, both scoring on a two-run home run. Antigua allowed three hits. He walked two and struck out two.
Eduardo Figueroa got his first save of the season. He pitched the final two innings and allowed only one single. He didn't walk anyone and struck out four.
The Chiefs clobbered three home runs today. The first one was a three-run solo blast by third baseman Greg Rohan. Rohan was 2 for 4 and also hit a double. He scored twice.
First baseman Richard Jones then went back-to-back with Rohan with his second home run of the season. Jones was 2 for 3 today and scored twice.
Finally, Rubi Silva hit a solo home run in the fifth inning for his first home run. Silva went 3 for 4 with a double and two runs scored.