Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 25

The big news today was the Rizzo promotion, but in other news, Peoria shortstop Javier Baez exited the game with an apparent hand or finger injury after fielding a ground ball with his bare hand. The good news is that nothing is broken and he's day-to-day.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs robbed the Round Rock Express (Rangers), 2-1.

Good start today for Brooks Raley, who improved his record with Iowa to 4-2 with seven strong innings. Raley allowed one run on five hits. He walked one and struck out five.

Closer Rafael Dolis got the save with a scoreless ninth inning. He gave up a lead-off single, but promptly erased him with a double play. Dolis did not have a strikeout as he picked up his third Iowa save to go with the four he had in the majors.

Third baseman Josh Vitters was 2 for 3 with a solo home run in the third inning. It was his twelfth on the year. Vitters had two total runs batted in.

Josh Vitters is quietly putting together a pretty good season with a line currently at .291/.341/.493. He's also still only 22, three weeks younger than Anthony Rizzo. I honestly can't tell you whether this is a blip or whether Josh is finally starting to live up to his potential. Let's hope the latter.

Speaking of Rizzo, the Cubs gave him a curtain call in Des Moines tonight, letting him go 0 for 2 before pulling him for the flight to Chicago.

Tennessee Smokies

The Smokies were swept in a double-header by the Jacksonville Suns (Marlins), 11-3 and 10-3.

Trey McNutt started the first game yesterday and pitched two innings before the rains came. He allowed one run on two hits and two walks. McNutt fanned two.

Eric Jokisch had a 1.42 ERA in five starts for Tennessee this season before today, but that number skyrocketed after he surrendered ten runs in 5.2 innings today in relief of McNutt. Jokisch gave up nine hits and four walks while striking out only one. One of the ten runs was unearned.

Shortstop Junior Lake went 2 for 4 with a double and two runs batted in. Center fielder Jae-Hoon Ha was 2 for 5 with a run scored.

In the regularly scheduled game, Dallas Beeler pitched the first 3.1 innings, allowing one run on three hits. He walked one and struck out three.

Kevin Rhoderick got the loss after he had his worst outing of the season, giving up two hits, two walks and a hit batsman in two-thirds of an inning. All five of those baserunners came around to score. Rhoderick had one strikeout.

In the second game, right fielder Nelson Perez was 1 for 3 with an RBI triple in the fourth inning. He then scored on a Nate Samson single.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs gave the black cat to the St. Lucie Mets, sweeping a double-header, 7-3 and 4-3 in 12 innings.

In the first game, starter Matt Loosen allowed only two hits over six innings. However, both hits were home runs, one solo and one with a man on. Loosen walked two and struck out seven as he improved his record to 6-2. I will say that I think the BABIP of .000 that he had in today's game is probably unsustainable. Still, he's having a good year.

Shorstop Arismendy Alcantara hit his fourth home run of the year in the fourth inning with a man on. Alcantara was 2 for 4 with three total RBI.

DH Micah Gibbs went 2 for 3 with a double and a run scored. Left fielder John Andreoli 2 for 3 with a run scored.

In game two, the D-Cubs fell behind 3-0 early behind Kyler Burke's first Daytona start. Burke threw five innings and allowed the three runs on five hits and three walks. Burke struck out two.

Daytona's bullpen would not allow another hit until the 12th inning. A.J. Morris threw one inning and Tony Zych tossed two before giving way to eventual winner Scott Weismann. Weismann pitched three innings without allowing a hit. He walked one and struck out four as he got his first win of the year.

Eduardo Figueroa pitched the bottom of the twelfth and got his first save of the year. He did allow a lead-off single, but a 1-4-3 double play erased the runner. He would walk another batter before striking out the final batter of the game.

Dustin Harrington knocked in Ronald Torreyes with a double in the top of the twelfth to give Daytona the lead. Harrington was 2 for 5. He also scored once.

Catcher Chad Noble went 2 for 4 with two doubles. He scored once. DH Matt Szczur was 2 for 4 with a double and two walks. Szczur scored once and had one RBI.

Peoria Chiefs

The Peoria Chiefs deposed the Clinton LumberKings (Mariners), 2-1.

Zach Cates made his first start for Peoria and allowed only one run over 4.2 innings. He was touched for five hits. He did not walk anyone and he struck out one.

"The Traveling Lefty" Zach Rosscup got the win in relief in his first game for Peoria; the fourth team he's pitched for this season. Rosscup had 2.1 scoreless innings and allowed only one hit. He didn't walk anyone and struck out two.

Luis Liria pitched the final two innings for his third save. Liria allowed one hit. He didn't walk anyone although he did hit one batter. Liria struck out one.

Infielder Wes Darvill was 2 for 4. Left fielder Yasiel Balaguert was 2 for 3 with a walk. He also forgot to pack his uniform for the trip and had to use Ryan Cuneo's. I'm thinking a bad superstition is coming here.

Boise Hawks

The Boise Hawks fell to the Spokane Indians (Rangers), 4-1

Jose Arias pitched the first five innings and allowed one run on three hits. Arias walked one and struck out three.

Amaury Paulino took the loss after he allowed three runs in two plus innings. Paulino allowed two hits and he walked two while striking out one. He exited after facing one batter in the eighth inning with an injury.

Second baseman Gioskar Amaya was 2 for 4 with a double. He scored the lone Boise run.

AZL Cubs

Beat the Indians 6-4.

(The quote under Rizzo's picture is by Joe Hamilton and is from The Carol Burnett Show. I don't want people to start accusing me of being another George Harrison or anything.)

Good night, everybody.