Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 9

Smokies outfielder, Oklahoma State Cowboy and long-time Cubs farm hand Ty Wright is auctioning off items for relief efforts for the victims of the Oklahoma tornadoes. There's some good stuff that you can bid on here. There's a Fergie Jenkins signed ball as well as stuff from several current Cubs. And if you think Arismendy Alcantara is going to be an all-star, bid on his autographed batting gloves now while you can still afford them.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs, behind two Brad Nelson home runs, derailed the Round Rock Express (Rangers), 10-7.

Starter Brooks Raley got knocked around for seven runs on nine hits, including a pair of solo home runs, over only five innings. But he had one big TWTW as that performance was good enough for his fifth win of the season. Raley walked two and struck out three.

Michael Bowden pitched the final two innings for his first save of the season. He struck out four and the only baserunner he allowed reached on an error by third baseman Junior Lake.

Center fielder Brett Jackson and DH Nelson gave Iowa a 2-1 lead with back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the first inning. It was Jackson's fifth home run and he was 2 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. He scored three runs.

Nelson would hit a second home run in the eighth inning with a man on for his tenth home run this year. Nelson went 3 for 4 with a walk and those three runs batted in. He also scored three runs.

Lake's bat seems to be ahead of his glove, because he was 3 for 5 with a double. He scored two runs and had one batted in.

Second baseman Logan Watkins was 2 for 4 with a walk and an RBI. Catcher Steve Clevenger was 2 for 4 with one run batted in before he was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the seventh inning. (To be fair to Clevenger, Joey Butler, the Express hitter, was walking back to the dugout when the umpire called him back and told him the pitch was a ball.)

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies established dominance over the Mobile BayBears (Diamondbacks), 5-3 in 11 innings.

Yeiper Castillo threw the first four innings and allowed two runs on four hits. Castillo had some control issues as he walked five and struck out only two.

Frank Batista blew the save in the bottom of the eighth inning, but then he stayed in the game and pitched the rest of the way for his second win. Batista allowed one run and four hits over 3.2 innings. Batista walked two and fanned two.

First baseman Jonathan Mota broke the tie in the top of the eleventh with a solo home run, his fourth of the season. Mota was 1 for 5.

Left fielder Ty Wright tacked on an insurance run with an RBI double in the eleventh. Wright went 2 for 2 after entering the game in the eighth inning.

Right fielder Rubi Silva was 1 for 4 with a solo home run in the fourth inning. Silva now has nine homers this season.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs swept a double-header from the Brevard County Manatees (Brewers), 8-2 and 3-2.

In game one, starter Kyler Burke improved his record to 2-0 after he allowed two runs, one earned, over five innings. Burke surrendered four hits and he walked one while striking out five.

Yao-Lin Wang tossed two scoreless innings to finish the game.

First baseman Dustin Geiger hit his seventh home run of the year with a man on in the fifth inning. Geiger went 2 for 3 with a walk and three total RBI.

Second baseman Tim Saunders was 2 for 3 with a a double and a walk. Saunders scored three runs and batted one in. He was one of three Cubs, along with John Andreoli and Zeke DeVoss, to steal two bases in game one.

Game two starter P.J. Francescon gave up two runs on five hits over five innings. He walked two and struck out seven.

Eduardo Figueroa got the win with two scoreless innings. Figueroa allowed one hit and one walk while striking out four.

Left fielder John Andreoli was 2 for 3 with yet another stolen base, his 19th this season. Andreoli scored twice.

Shortstop Javier Baez was 0 for 1 with two walks and two stolen bases.

Kane County Cougars

The Kane County Cougars were flummoxed by the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins), 8-4.

Kane County went with a pitching staff by committee today, as four pitchers each threw two innings. That may have been because starter Dillon Maples couldn't find the strike zone as he walked seven batters in the first two innings. That led to four runs on one hit. Maples had one strikeout.

Felix Pena got the loss when he gave up four runs in fifth inning. Pena was touched for six hits and two walks while striking out one.

Neither Justin Amlung nor Nathan Dorris allowed a run in their two innings.

Shortstop Marco Hernandez hit a solo home run in the fourth, his second home run this season. Hernandez was 1 for 4.

First baseman Dan Vogelbach hit home run number 11 with a man on in the fifth. He also doubled and walked in a 2 for 3 day.

Right fielder Bijan Rademacher was 2 for 5 and scored one run. Center fielder Albert Almora was 2 for 5 with his second stolen base. He also scored a run.