Everyone won today! The Chiefs did drop the suspended game from yesterday, but so far the Cub farm system is 7-1. Yes, I know winning isn't the most important thing in the minors, but it sure beats losing.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs slowed down the Round Rock Express (Rangers), 6-4.
Starter Austin Bibens-Dirkx went six innings and gave up three runs on six hits. Five of the six hits went for extra bases, including two solo home runs. On the good side, he didn't walk anyone and he struck out six.
Chris Carpenter got the win with 1.1 innings of relief. He was charged with one run, which scored after he left the game, on one hit. Carpenter struck out one and didn't walk anyone.
Scott Maine pitched the ninth and got his second save in two days. He gave up a lead-off single, but then got the final three batters in order. He had one strikeout.
Shortstop Matt Camp had two doubles in a 2 for 4 evening. Camp scored once and had two RBI. Second baseman Bobby Scales was also 2 for 4 with two doubles. Scales scored once.
Left fielder Lou Montanez was 2 for 4 with a walk and an RBI. DH Marquez Smith was 2 for 5 and scored once.
Tennessee Smokies
The Smokies also won their second game of the year by chopping down the Chattanooga Lookouts (Dodgers) 6-3.
Rafael Dolis took the mound to start the game and was pretty strong for his four innings. He allowed one run on two hits. He walked two and struck out five.
Marco Carrillo relieved Dolis, pitched one perfect inning and got the win because Dolis didn't go five. Carrillo struck out one. David Cales pitched a perfect ninth to get his first save. He struck out one as well.
The Smokies banged out 15 hits tonight. Catcher Blake Lalli was 3 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored. James Adduci hit a solo home run in the second inning. He was 2 for 5 overall.
Josh Vitters and DJ LeMahieu were both 2 for 5 with a double. LeMahieu scored once and Vitters had two RBI.
Brett Jackson and Rebel Ridling were both 2 for 5 and scored once.
The Smokies played this game under protest as the Lookouts couldn't read their scorecard correctly and batted out of order, although there was some disagreement as to when they batted out of order. But since the Smokies won anyway, the protest will be dropped.
Daytona Cubs
The Daytona Cubs beached the Brevard County Manatees (Brewers), 7-3.
Nick Struck started the game and picked up the win, allowing two runs (one earned) over five innings. Struck allowed six hits. He didn't walk anyone and struck out five.
Kevin Rhoderick made his professional debut tonight. He pitched two innings and allowed a solo home run, but was otherwise untouched. He struck out two.
The D-Cubs exploded for five runs in the first inning on two home runs. First baseman Justin Bour got the party started with a three-run home run. Bour went 1 for 2 tonight with two walks. Two batters later, right fielder Michael Burgess hit his second home run in two days with a man on. Burgess was 1 for 4.
Center fielder Jae-Hoon Ha went 2 for 5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Ha also stole two bases. DH Welington Castillo was 2 for 3 with a double and a walk. He was on base for the Burgess homer.
Peoria Chiefs
The Peoria Chiefs lost yesterday's suspended game 7-3 with the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Angels) but won the regularly scheduled game, 8-2.
I already mentioned Simpson's start yesterday and others mentioned Eric Jokisch's relief efforts, where he allowed just one run over four innings. But Jeffry Antigua took the mound when the game re-started today and he couldn't get out of the ninth inning. He allowed five runs on four hits and a walk over two-thirds of an inning.
Third baseman Greg Rohan was 2 for 4 with two doubles. He scored once and had one RBI. Left fielder Anthony Giansanti was 2 for 4 with a double.
Smaily Borges batted for Matt Szczur when today's game resumed and hit the Chiefs first home run of the year. It was a solo shot in the bottom of the ninth.
In the regularly scheduled game, started Austin Kirk pitched four innings and didn't allow a hit. He walked two and struck out three. Kirk didn't get the win because he didn't go five (man, I hate that rule) but luckily, Juan Serrano pitched well enough to deserve the win anyway. Serrano went three innings and allowed only one run on one hit. He did have two wild pitches, which was how that run scored. Serrano walked one and struck out one.
Shortstop Eliot Soto was 3 for 4 and scored a run. Jessica's new favorite Cub farmhand, second baseman Pierre LePage was 2 for 3 with a walk and a double. LePage scored once and had one RBI.
Center fielder Rubi Silva was 1 for 5 with two stolen bases. He scored once and batted two in.