Cubs Minor League Wrap: July 5

First, I'd like to thank Tim for pinch hitting for me. He did a great job. I'm kind of glad Boise lost, because if the system went undefeated yesterday I think you'd all be clamoring for my dismissal in favor of someone with a higher TWTW statistics.

Note to Tim--your memory is not failing you. The I-Cubs win in Albuquerque last night snapped a 13 game losing streak at Isotopes Park.

I arrived in Boise this evening. I'm going to be heading out to see the Hawks tomorrow night. If you're in Boise and at the game, be sure to stop by and say "hi."

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were leading Albuquerque 1-0 after an inning and a half. They will finish the full nine inning game tomorrow and then play a seven-inning game afterwards.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies eclipsed the Huntsville Stars (Brewers), 3-1.

Another great start for Alberto Cabrera improved his record to 8-3 on the year. He only made one mistake, a solo home run in the third inning. Cabrera allowed only one run on four hits over 7.2 innings. Cabrera struck out seven and walked two.

Frank Batista gave up two, two out singles in the bottom of the ninth to make it interesting, but he then retired the final batter on a fly out to record his 11th save. Batista pitched one scoreless inning. He did not walk anyone and struck out two.

Second baseman Arismendy Alcantara gave the Smokies a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI double. Two innings later, he hit a solo home run, his 12th of the year. Alcantara was 2 for 4 and scored twice. He also stole his 21st base of the season.

Right fielder John Andreoli was 2 for 3 with a sacrifice fly in the first inning, scoring Alcantara. He also stole his 25th base of the season and second for the Smokies

Third baseman Christian Villanueva was 2 for 3.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs harpooned the Brevard County Manatees (Brewers), 5-2.

Zach Cates started and collected his eighth win. Cates pitched six innings and allowed two runs on six hits. He struck out four and didn't walk anyone.

Frank Del Valle pitched two innings without allowing a run for his fifth save. He gave up one hit but didn't walk anyone and struck out three.

Second baseman Wes Darvill gave Daytona an early 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the top of the first inning, his second of the season. Darvill was 1 for 5.

First baseman Dustin Geiger was 2 for 4 and scored a run.

Shortstop Javier Baez was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored, extending his walk streak to three games. After the single in the third inning, he stole second base and then third base, scoring on an error on the steal of third base.

Kane County Cougars

The Kane County Cougars scored five times in the bottom of the eighth inning to arrest the Quad City River Bandits (Astros), 8-7.

Starter Brian Smith pitched the first five innings and the first two batters of the sixth and allowed three runs on three hits. He walked three and struck out one.

Lendy Castillo was the beneficiary of this offensive explosion and got his second win of the year. This is despite allowing three runs, plus allowing two inherited runners to score, over three innings. Castillo surrendered five hits. He walked three, had a wild pitch and struck out no one.

Justin Amlung pitched the ninth inning for his first career save. He did allow a run after a hit batter, defensive indifference, and a single. Amlung didn't walk anyone and had one strikeout.

First baseman Dan Vogelbach gave Kane County a 2-1 lead with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. It was Vogelbach's 13th home run. He was 2 for 4 and scored twice.

Center fielder Albert Almora hit a solo home run in the sixth inning, his third this season. Almora also tripled and scored on the Vogelbach home run in a 2 for 4 game.

Second baseman Gioskar Amaya hit a two-run double in that eighth inning. He was 2 for 4. Third baseman Giuseppe Papaccio went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI single in the eighth inning in his first game with the Cougars.

Boise Hawks

The Boise Hawks got blown away by the Tri-City Dust Devils (Rockies), 9-3.

Trey Lang is struggling this season. Tonight he exited the game after he allowed the first six runners of the third inning to reach base. One of those runners reached on an error making that run unearned, but it was Lang's own error, so I don't think that mitigates things any. Lang pitched 2+ innings and allowed eight runs, seven earned, on five hits. He walked three, struck out three and gave up a three-run home run in the third inning. So I'm guessing that three isn't a magic number for Lang.

Ethan Elias pitched three scoreless innings of relief, giving up just one hit.

Shortstop Carlos Penalver was 1 for 3 with a two-run double in the third inning. He also walked once.

Left fielder Shawon Dunston was 0 for 2 with two walks. I think there are entire seasons that his dad didn't draw two walks. Well, just 1993 when an injury limited him to just seven games. But Dunston now has nine walks in 19 games in Boise this year, which is one more walk than his dad had in 1997. his entire final season in Chicago.

AZL Cubs

Lost to the Rangers, 3-1.

Marcos Mateo pitched two innings in a rehab assignment in this game, which kind of shocked me as I didn't realize Mateo was still in the Cubs system. Making me look even worse, it was his third rehab appearance in Arizoan.