Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 22

In case you didn't hear, the Cubs traded Hisanori Takahashi to the Rockies for a player to be named later or cash.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs fell back under .500 with a 6-2 loss at the hands of the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals). The loss cuts Iowa's lead over Memphis to one game.

Chris Rusin followed up his brilliant last start with a pretty poor one. Rusin allowed six runs on seven hits over six innings. Rusin was victimized by the long ball, as five of the six runs scored on a pair of home runs, one in the fourth inning and the other in the fifth. Rusin walked three and struck out two.

Right fielder Brian Bogusevic scored both Iowa runs. He was 2 for 3 with a triple in the sixth inning. He also walked and scored in the first inning.

First baseman Brad Nelson went 2 for 4 and he doubled home Bogusevic in the first inning.

Brett Jackson went on the disabled list again today and his spot on the roster was taken by Jae-Hoon Ha, who went 1 for 3 in his Triple-A debut.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies blew a 7-1 lead in the sixth inning and were ambushed by the Chattanooga Lookouts (Dodgers), 11-8.

Starter A.J. Morris pitched five innings and faced the first three batters of the bottom of the sixth, where the trouble started. His final line was three runs on three hits. He had only allowed one hit before starting the fateful sixth inning. Morris walked four and struck out four.

Chattanooga took the lead with a five-run seventh inning. Tony Zych ended up with the loss, after Hunter Cervenka allowed two baserunners to start the inning. Zych finished with a line of three runs (plus two inherited runners) on three hits over two-thirds of an inning. He walked one and struck out one.

The loss ruined a big day for center fielder Matt Szczur, who was 4 for 5 with a double and a stolen base. Szczur scored once and had three runs batted in.

Left fielder Ty Wright was 2 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base. He scored twice and had one RBI. Third baseman Jonathan Mota went 2 for 5 and scored once.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs grounded the Dunedin Blue Jays, 2-1.

Starter Zach Cates allowed a run in the top of the first inning and Dunedin never scored again. Cates improved his record to 7-6 after allowing one run on five hits over 6.2 innings. Cates walked two and struck out four.

Yao-Lin Wang pitched the final 2.1 innings for his third save. Wang surrendered two hits and issued two walks. He struck out three.

Both runs were driven in by, who else, shortstop Javier Baez, who hit a solo home run in the first inning and an RBI single in the third. The home run was his 16th which ties him for the Florida State League lead, although both of the players he's tied with, the Twins Miguel Sano and the Phillies Miakel Franco, have already been promoted to Double-A. Baez was 2 for 4.

First baseman Dustin Geiger was also 2 for 4.

Kane County Cougars

The Kane County Cougars blew a 5-0 lead in the seventh inning and lost to the Quad City River Bandits (Astros), 6-5 in eleven innings.

The loss spoiled a great start from Michael Heesch, who pitched six scoreless innings. He allowed six hits, but he didn't walk anyone and Heesch fanned six.

It was a pretty bad Cubs and organized ball debut for Cuban pitcher Armando Rivero. Rivero started the seventh inning and left after allowing four runs on five hits, including a home run, and retired only two batters. Rivero walked one and struck out one.

The winning run scored in the bottom of the eleventh when Stephen Perakslis allowed a one-out triple and an RBI single to end the game. McDonald allowed the one run on three hits over 1.1 innings. He walked one and did not strike anyone out.

First baseman Rock Shoulders had a big night, going 2 for 4 with a double and his 14th home run of the season. It was a solo home run in the seventh inning. Shoulders also walked once.

One day after getting yanked for not running out a pop fly, center fielder Albert Almora connected for his second home run of the season. The home run came with a man on in the sixth inning. Almora was 1 for 5.

The Cougars only had four hits. They scored five runs because they walked six times and hit two home runs.

Boise Hawks

The Boise Hawks dropped a doubleheader to the Spokane Indians (Rangers), 3-2 and 4-3.

In game one, starter Loiger Padron took the loss after he gave up three runs on five hits over four innings. Padron walked two and struck out three.

Ethan Elias tossed two innings of scoreless relief. He allowed one hit. Elias walked two and struck out two.

In the first game, catcher Justin Marra hit his first professional home run with the bases empty in the fifth inning. Marra was 2 for 3.

Shortstop David Bote went 2 for 4 with a double. Second baseman Danny Lockhart was 2 for 3.

Orbandy Rodriguez started game two and took the loss. Rodriguez pitched three innings and allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits. He walked one and struck out four.

Jasvir Rakkar pitched three perfect innings of relief: nine up, nine down. Rakkar struck out one.

All three runs in game two came on home runs. The first was off the bat of left fielder Shawon Dunston Jr. with a man on in the third inning. It was his first of the season. Dunston went 1 for 2 with a walk.

Center fielder Kevin Encarnacion hit his second home run this year in the sixth inning. Encarnacion went 1 for 2 with a walk.

First baseman Jacob Rogers was 2 for 3.

AZL Cubs

Lost to the Diamondbacks, 7-5 in ten innings.