Cubs Minor League Wrap: April 20

Minor transaction in Kane County today as Jose Arias went on the DL and was replaced with Matt Ianazzo, who had been in extended spring training.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were blue against the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals), 8-5.

Starter Chris Rusin got rocked for seven runs on eight hits over 4.1 innings. He walked two and struck out three.

Left fielder Ty Wright threatened to make a game of it when he hit a two-run double in the eighth inning to make the score 8-4. A single by the next batter Brian Bogusevic put runners on the corners and no one out, but Brett Lillibridge hit into a double play to score Wright but pretty much end the threat.

Wright was 1 for 4 and scored once. Bogusevic also scored one run in a 2 for 4 night.

Catcher Luis Flores was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Shortstop Donnie Murphy entered the game on a double-switch in the fifth. He was 2 for 2.

Brett Jackson pinch-hit in the eighth inning and singled and scored. It was his first game since Monday.

Third baseman Ian Stewart played the whole game at third and was 1 for 4 and scored a run.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies served up the Montgomery Biscuits (Rays) with butter and jam, 11-4.

Starter Dallas Beeler cruised to his first win of the season. He went a season-high seven innings and gave up four runs, two earned, on four hits. He walked one and struck out three.

After the first two batters in the bottom of the first reached base, shortstop Arismendy Alcantara emptied the bases with his third home run of the season. Alcantara was 1 for 4 with a walk. It pains me to mention this, but he also made his eighth error in sixteen games.

Center fielder Matt Szczur cracked his second home run of the year with the bases empty in the fourth. Szczur also had an RBI double in the seventh inning in a 2 for 4 evening. He also had a sacrifice fly for three RBI. He scored twice.

Third baseman Christian Villanueva was 2 for 5 with a double and a run scored. Left fielder Rubi Silva went 2 for 4 and scored a run. DH Johermyn Chavez was 2 for 5 with a double and three runs batted in. Chavez scored once.

Finally, catcher Rafael Lopez was 2 for 3 with a walk and he scored once.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs were topped by the Tampa Yankees, 6-4.

Ben Wells allowed four runs on seven hits over the first six innings to take the loss. He did strike out six and he walked only one.

Daytona took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when left fielder John Andreoli singled home center fielder Tim Saunders, who had singled and stole second to lead off the inning. Andreoli was a perfect 4 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. He scored twice and had the one RBI. Saunders was 2 for 4 with two runs scored.

The previously red-hot Stephen Bruno crashed to earth today: 0 for 4 with four strikeouts.

Kane County Cougars

The Kane County Cougars finally broke through against the Quad City River Bandits (Astros), sweeping a double-header 7-3 and 4-3. Kane County had lost their first five games against the River Bandits this season.

In the first game, starter Pierce Johnson got his first professional win. He allowed only one unearned run on three hits over five innings. He struck out six and walked only one.

Left fielder Rock Shoulders hit a solo home run in the sixth inning, his third home run on the year. Shoulders was 2 for 3 with a walk and he scored twice.

Third baseman Jeimer Canderlario was 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI. He scored once. First baseman Dan Vogelbach went 2 for 4 and scored twice.

Shortstop Marco Hernandez was 2 for 4 with two runs scored and a run batted in during game one. Shortstop Wes Darvill was 2 for 2 with a walk and a run batted in.

In the second game, Tayler Scott got his first win of the year. He went six innings and allowed three runs on five hits. He walked one and struck out four.

Jeffry Antigua threw a scoreless seventh inning for his first save of the year. He gave up a leadoff single, but retired the next three batters to end the game. He did not have a strikeout.

Rock Shoulders was even better in game two than he was in game one. Shoulders was 3 for 3 with a solo home run in the fourth inning, giving him four on the year. He drove in three of Kane County's four runs.

On the day, Shoulders was 5 for 6 with two home runs, five RBI and a walk.

DH Dan Vogelbach was 2 for 3 with a walk in game two. He scored one run.