Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 30

First, more nicknames for Matt Spencer from Andy Chesney: The Foothills Befuddler; The Smoky Mountain Slinger; Hamblen County Heat; Lefty of the Lakeway; Tennessee Torrent.

Of those, I like the Smoky Mountain Slinger.

Secondly, Matt Safford, the play-by-play man for the Boise Hawks, says Jeimer Candelario officially pronounces his name JAY-MER. So that ends that, at least until he gets the majors and Jon Miller insists on pronouncing it his own way. There's no way he's saying JAY-MER.

Greg Rohan has apparently been promoted to Double-A.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were quieted by the Nashville Sounds (Brewers), 4-3.

Starter Brooks Raley pitched the first five innings and allowed a run on four hits. He walked four and struck out two. Raley's record fell to 4-3.

The Iowa Cubs trailed 4-0 going into the bottom of the ninth, but first baseman Blake Lalli and center fielder Brett Jackson both homered to cut the Nashville lead down to 4-3. Lalli's was the two-run homer and Jackson's was a solo shot.

Lalli was 1 for 4. It was his sixth home run of the season. Jackson was 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He also stole a base. Jackson has twelve home runs this year.

Right fielder Dave Sappelt was 2 for 4 and was on base when Lalli homered. Third baseman Josh Vitters was 1 for 2 with two walks.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies stripped the Birmingham Barons (White Sox) of their nobility, 3-2.

Starter Eric Jokisch really only made one mistake: a two-run home run in the sixth inning. Otherwise, Jokisch pitched seven innings and scattered seven hits. He only walked one, who was naturally on base for the home run. Jokisch struck out five.

Kevin Rhoderick threw two perfect innings of relief for his second win of the year. He struck out one.

Rhoderick got the win because second baseman Logan Watkins hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Smokies the lead. It was Watkins' fourth home run of the season. He was 1 for 4.

Right fielder Michael Burgess hit a solo home run for Tennessee earlier in the third inning. It was his ninth this season. Burgess was 1 for 3.

Center fielder Jae-Hoon Ha was 2 for 4 with a double

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs were downed by the Dunedin Blue Jays, 5-2.

Kyler Burke pitched the first four innings and allowed two runs on three hits. One run was unearned. Burke walked four and struck out six. It was his first loss for Daytona.

Matt Spencer made his Daytona debut as a pitcher and it didn't go well. He allowed two runs on three hits over two innings of relief. He walked three and struck out one.

Left fielder John Andreoli was 2 for 4 with a double.

Peoria Chiefs

The Peoria Chiefs were swept by the Wisconsin Timber Rattles (Brewers), 9-5.

Zach Cates started and took the loss with a five-run second inning that started with a bad beaning. Cates went four innings and allowed all five runs in the second on six hits. He walked one and struck out five. He appeared to be a little shaken after beaning Wisconsin second baseman Gregory Hopkins, although Hopkins was able to get to his feet and walk off the field.

Right fielder Oliver Zapata was 3 for 4 with an RBI. Left fielder Anthony Giansanti was 0 for 1 and walked three times. He scored two runs.

Boise Hawks

The Boise Hawks spiked the Spokane Indians (Rangers), 12-6.

Jose Arias pitched the first five innings and got his first win in the United States. He allowed five runs on nine hits. Arias fanned four and didn't walk anyone.

Pete Levitt got his first save of the year. Levitt allowed a run on a hit and two walks over two innings. He struck out one.

Third baseman Jeimer Candelario went 3 for 5 with a double. He scored once and had two runs batted in.

Shortstop Stephen Bruno doubled and tripled in a 2 for 4 game. He was also hit by a pitch. Bruno scored twice and batted one in. Catcher Chadd Krist was 2 for 5 and scored twice.

Right fielder Bijan Rademacher was 3 for 4 and scored twice.

AZL Cubs

Beat the Royals, 12-8.

Justin Berg pitched his first two innings of the season. Dan Vogelbach and Carlos Penalver each had three hits, including a double.