Cubs Minor League Wrap: May 5

Happy Victory In A Minor Battle Over The French Day.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs split a double-header with the Oklahoma City RedHawks (Astros), winning game one 5-2 and dropping the second one 4-3 in ten innings.

In the first game, starter Guillermo Moscoso allowed two runs on four hits, including a solo home run, over four innings. He walked three and struck out three.

Esmailin Caridad got the win because Moscoso did not go five innings. He had one scoreless inning, giving up one hit. Caridad did not walk a batter and struck out one.

Kyuji Fujikawa pitched the sixth inning in a rehab assignment. He had a few control problems, throwing only 11 strikes over 21 pitches, but he seemed to be healthy as he struck out two and walked one in his scoreless inning.

Blake Parker got his third save, although it wasn't that easy. He allowed a lead-off single and a two-out walk to bring the go-ahead run to the plate, but he struck out Brett Wallace to end the game. Parker had two total strikeouts.

DH Josh Vitters put the Cubs ahead to stay with a two-run home run in the fourth inning, which was not only his first home run of the year, it was his first hit of the year. He got another one later to go 2 for 4 with two runs scored.

Center fielder Brian Bogusevic had two doubles in a 2 for 2 games with one walk. He scored two runs.

Game 2 starter Brooks Raley allowed two runs on six hits over five innings. Raley didn't walk anyone and struck out four.

Cory Wade pitched the top of the tenth and got the loss. After the Iowa Cubs had come back in the bottom of the ninth to tie the score at 3-3, Wade gave up a lead-off single and a two-out RBI single to put the RedHawks back up for good. Wade walked one and struck out two.

Josh Vitters played third base for the first time this season in game two and was 3 for 5. Center fielder Brian Bogusevic went 2 for 4 with a walk. He had one run batted in.

Left fielder Brent Lillibridge was 2 for 5.

Tennessee Smokies

The Smokies were shut out for the second straight day, 6-0 by the Mississippi Braves.

Kyle Hendricks allowed three unearned runs in the fourth inning after an error by third baseman Christian Villanueva to start the inning on the way to his second loss. Hendricks pitched five innings and allowed five runs, two earned, on nine hits. He struck out five and did not walk a batter.

The only time the Smokies got a runner to second base was in the sixth inning when left fielder Matt Szczur walked and stole second. Szczur was 1 for 3.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs were also shut out by the St. Lucie Mets, 1-0, snapping their six game win streak.

Starting pitcher Yeiper Castillo was strong for six scoreless innings. He allowed two hits, both doubles to Travis Taijeron, and he walked one and hit one batter. Castillo struck out seven.

Hunter Cervenka pitched the next two innings and hit two batters, which were the only two base runners he allowed. He did not have a strikeout.

The winning run scored on an infield single with the bases loaded and two outs off of losing pitcher Luis Liria. Liria had issued three straight walks after one was out. He also did not strike out a batter.

Daytona managed three singles today.

Kane County Cougars

The Kane County Cougars won their sixth in a row, grounding the Dayton Dragons (Reds), 2-0. The win puts Kane County over .500 for the first time this year at 14-13.

This game was all about Michael Heesch, who dominated Dayton for 7.1 innings. Heesch allowed a lead-off infield single to start the game and then retired the next 20 batters in a row before allowing a two-out double in the seventh inning. He exited after allowing consecutive singles with one out in the eighth. Heesch's final line was no runs on four hits over 7.1 innings. He didn't walk anyone and struck out five.

(And yes, Dayton is a terrible offensive team, hitting .218 as a team so far this year. What Heesch did was still impressive.)

Nathan Dorris relieved Heesch and got a double-play to end the threat in the eighth inning. He allowed a lead-off single to start the ninth, but got another double-play and then a ground out to end the game. It was Dorris's second save.

The Cougars took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when center fielder Oliver Zapata singled home Rock Shoudlers. Zapata was 2 for 3.

Second baseman Gioskar Amaya and DH Dan Vogelbach hit back-to-back doubles in the fifth to account for the other run. Amaya was 2 for 4. Vogelbach went 1 for 2 with two walks.