Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 11

So did anything happen today?

As some of you know, I'm a Los Angeles Kings fan. It's a long story as to how that came about, but it mostly has to do with that slimeball Norm Green who moved the North Stars to Dallas. But I bring this up here 1) to demonstrate that I'm not a team jinx and 2) to say that if the Los Angeles Kings can win the Stanley Cup, then the Chicago Cubs can win a World Series. I truly believe that. It will come one day, and it will be sooner rather than later.

Not this year though.

The first 21 players on the Boise Hawks were announced tonight (pdf). I assume a few more players will be added soon. At first glance, they look like they have a chance to be very, very good. But we won't know until they hit the field.

Cubs first round supplemental pick Pierce Johnson announced on Twitter than he has signed with the Cubs.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were all wet against the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 9-7.

Jay Jackson had a rough start, giving up seven runs over only 3.2 innings. Jackson was battered with eleven hits. He walked three and struck out five.

The I-Cubs would come back and tie the game in the seventh inning, thanks in part to 3.1 innings of no-hit relief by Ty'Relle Harris. Harris walked one and struck out one.

Jeff Beliveau relieved Harris and took the loss when he gave up a two-run home run in the eighth inning to top Royals prospect Wil Myers. Beliveau allowed two runs on four hits over an inning. He did not walk anyone and struck out one.

Anthony Rizzo struck twice again tonight, hitting his 21st and 22nd home runs of the season. Rizzo's first home run was in the second inning with the bases empty and his second one was with two on in the fifth inning. Rizzo also doubled to go with the two home runs in a 3 for 4 game. Rizzo hit two home runs last night as well, in case you've forgotten.

Third baseman Josh Vitters was 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He scored once and had one RBI. Center fielder Dave Sappelt went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He scored once.

DH Blake Lalli was 2 for 4 with an RBI.

Catcher Geovany Soto started his rehab assignment with Iowa tonight. He caught five innings and was 0 for 2 with a hit-by-pitch. He scored on Rizzo's second home run.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies lost to the Mississippi Braves, 14-7, ending their six-game win streak.

Rough start tonight for Trey McNutt, who got shelled for nine runs on nine hits over 3.1 innings of work. He didn't walk anyone and struck out two. One of the nine runs was unearned.

Catcher Welington Castillo is still on his rehab assignment, and tonight he caught six innings, going 1 for 2 with a two-run home run in the first inning. He also walked once.

Shortstop Junior Lake was 1 for 5 with a solo home run in the fourth inning. It was his fourth of the season. He walked once.

Center fielder James Adduci was 3 for 6. He scored once and knocked two in. First baseman Justin Bour was 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He had one RBI.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs wiped up the floor with Tampa Yankees, 5-0.

Matt Loosen dominated the Yankees tonight, giving up but two hits and three walks over five innings. Loosen struck out seven as he improved to 5-1.

As good as Loosen was, the D-Cubs bullpen was even better as Hayden Simpson, A.J. Morris and Tony Zych each threw a perfect inning. Simpson and Morris both fanned two and Zych struck out the side. The Yankees got one ball out of the infield on the bullpen.

Second baseman Ronald Torreyes went 2 for 5 with a stolen base. He scored once and had one RBI. Third baseman Greg Rohan was 2 for 4 with a double and two runs batted in.

Peoria Chiefs

The Chiefs won their seventh straight game, caging the Kane County Cougars (Royals), 10-9.

It was not a good start tonight for Gerardo Concepcion. Concepcion put the Chiefs down 6-0 early and left after four innings with the Chiefs trailing 9-7. He allowed the nine runs on eleven hits and three walks. Concepcion had one lone strikeout.

But the bullpen was solid again tonight. Sheldon McDonald relieved Concepcion and kept the Cougars off the board for three innings. He gave up two hits but didn't walk anyone. He struck out two.

Hunter Cervenka pitched a perfect top of the ninth and got his first win in the Cubs organization. He struck out one.

Third baseman Dustin Geiger exploded in his fourth game of the season, getting 4 hits in 5 at bats, including the game-ending RBI single in the ninth. Earlier, in the third inning, Geiger hit his first home run of the year with a man on in the fourth inning. He scored three times and had three runs batted in.

First baseman Paul Hoilman also hit his second home run in as many nights, a solo second inning shot. Hoilman went 3 for 4 and was hit by a pitch. He scored three times. Hoilman now has five home runs this year.

Catcher Sergio Burruel was 3 for 4 with two doubles and three runs batted in. He scored once.

Center fielder Pin-Chieh Chen was 2 for 4 with a triple. Chen had two RBI and scored once.

With Peoria's seven-game win streak, the Chiefs record has improved to 32-32, and Peoria became the only team in the Cubs' system not to have a losing record. I know wins and losses aren't really important in the minors, but I can tell you that the players care. They want to win.

The Chiefs even have an outside chance of a playoff berth, down four games with six to play in the first half. But the good news is that they play the next three games in Beloit, the team they're trying to catch.