Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: August 20

Less than two weeks to go in the minor league season.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs shut out the New Orleans Zephyrs (Marlins), 3-0.

Brooks Raley came up big for the I-Cubs tonight as he threw eight scoreless innings for his eighth win of the season. Raley allowed only three singles, the only three baserunners he allowed in the game. Raley struck out six.

Brian Schlitter pitched the ninth inning. He allowed a leadoff single, but retired the next three batters for his 18th save. Schlitter struck out two.

This game was still scoreless in the top of the ninth inning when right fielder Julio Borbon walked and then scored when a sacrifice bunt by Edwin Maysonet was thrown away for a two-base error. Two batters later, first baseman Brad Nelson hit his 19th home run of the year, scoring Maysonet.

Borbon was 1 for 3 with a walk. Maysonet was 1 for 3 with a double. Nelson was 1 for 4.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were vassalized by the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 2-1.

Nick Struck started and allowed only one unearned run over 5.2 innings. Struck allowed four hits. He walked two and struck out three.

Armando Rivero threw a perfect eighth inning, but then took the loss when he allowed a run in the ninth on two singles. Rivero's final line was one run on two hits over 1.1 innings. He struck out two and walked one batter intentionally.

Tennessee's only run came in the sixth inning when Matt Szczur and Arismendy Alcantara hit back-to-back doubles. Both players were 1 for 4.

The good news for the Smokies was that Jackson dropped a doubleheader, so their magic number drops to 7 with 12 games to play.

Daytona Cubs

You knew it was too good to last. Rained out. Double-header tomorrow.

Second-place Lakeland split a doubleheader, so Daytona neither gained nor lost ground. However, they did lower their magic number to 10 over both Lakeland and Clearwater, who won today.

Kane County Cougars

The Kane County Cougars were chopped down by the Clinton LumberKings (Mariners), 7-4.

Starter Tyler Skulina didn't make it out of the third inning. He allowed five runs on five hits over 2.1 innings. Skulina walked three and struck out only one.

Third baseman Giuseppe Pappacio went 2 for 3 with a walk. He scored two runs.

Both second baseman Gioskar Amaya and first baseman Rock Shoulders were 2 for 4 with a double. Amaya scored one run.

Boise Hawks

The Boise Hawks lost their fourth straight, 5-4 to the Tri-City Dust Devils (Rockies).

Rough start for Dillon Maples, who pitched four innings and allowed five runs on six hits. Maples walked four and struck out three.

Center fielder Kevin Encarnacion led off the game with his fifth home run of the season and fourth for Boise. Encarnacion was 1 for 4 with a walk.

Boise got two more runs in the fifth inning on a double by right fielder Yasiel Balaguert. Balaguert was 2 for 4.

Left fielder Shawon Dunston was 2 for 5. He struck out to end the game with the tying run on second base.

AZL Cubs

Lost to the Giants, 6-4.