Cubs Minor League Wrap: May 17

Happy Syttende Mai to everyone. Go stomp on a Swede's foot for me.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs stole the honey from the Salt Lake Bees (Angels), 7-5.

Starting pitcher Travis Wood evened his record to 3-3 with seven strong innings. Wood allowed two runs on five hits. He walked one and struck out three.

Manuel Corpas had a rough ninth inning, allowing three runs on two hits, including a two-run home run, to make the final score close, but he eventually finished out the game. No save, of course.

The I-Cubs got long balls from the three top prospects tonight. The first home run was, naturally enough, but first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who hit his league-leading 14th home run on a line-drive to right field in the third inning with a man on. Rizzo was 1 for 3 with a walk. He scored twice.

Third baseman Josh Vitters hit his fourth home run with the bases empty in the fourth inning. All four home runs have come in May, with three in the past nine games. Vitters was also 1 for 3 with a walk.

Finally, center fielder Brett Jackson came a double shy of the cycle in a 3 for 4 effort. He hit the home run with the bases empty in the sixth inning. It was also his fourth this season. Jackson scored twice.

Center fielder Dave Sappelt went 2 for 4 with a double and a stolen base. Sappelt scored two runs.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies made cowards out of the Mississippi Braves, 3-2.

Brooks Raley started and got the win. Raley allowed two runs on six hits over five innings. He walked one and struck out three.

The Smokies bullpen was excellent tonight as they retired the final eleven Braves batters of the game. Frank Batista pitched the sixth inning and gave up a single and a walk to put two on with one out, but Bautista stranded them. Those were the final Braves baserunners as Casey Harman threw a perfect inning and Kevin Rhoderick threw two perfect innings for his fifth save of the year. Rhoderick fanned one.

Left fielder James Adduci was 2 for 4 and scored twice. Second baseman Logan Watkins was 1 for 4 with both of Tennessee's RBIs.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs were excommunicated by the Palm Beach Cardinals, 8-2.

Zach Cates lost his sixth game of the year as he pitched the first 2.2 innings before a rain delay. Cates was charged with four runs, three of which were earned, on three hits and two walks. However he was unable to grip the ball in the downpour before the rain delay and a walk and a wild pitch were almost certainly due to that. Cates struck out one.

DH Nelson Perez hit a solo home run in the second inning, his sixth of the year. Perez was 1 for 4.

First baseman Greg Rohan was 2 for 4 with a triple and a run batted in.

Peoria Chiefs

The Peoria Chiefs usurped the Clinton LumberKings (Mariners), 4-3.

PJ Francescon got his third straight win and fifth of the season. He gave up only one unearned over six innings. He gave up only two hits. Francescon walked two and struck out three.

Jeffrey Lorick entered the game in the ninth inning and got his sixth save, but it wasn't easy. An error and a single put runners on first and third with one out and, after a strikeout, a walk loaded the bases with two outs. But then Lorick got a fly out to end the game. He struck out two.

Center fielder Pin-Chieh Chen was 2 for 5 with a stolen base. He scored once and had one RBI.

Shortstop Marco Hernandez went 2 for 3 with a triple and a walk. He scored twice. After a horrible April where Hernandez hit .105, he's been on a tear in May, hitting .353 for the month.