Chicago Cubs Minor League Playoff Wrap: September 5

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were crowned by the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 3-1 to fall behind 1-0 in the best-of-five series.

Starter Nick Struck allowed a solo home run to Trayce Thompson in the fourth inning and an RBI single to Thompson in the fifth (and another RBI single to the next hitter Dan Black) to take the loss. Struck allowed three runs on six hits over five innings. He struck out three and walked three.

Yeiper Castillo, A.J. Morris and Tony Zych each threw a scoreless inning.

After Thompson homered to lead off the fourth, Smokies right fielder Rubi Silva hit a home run to tie up the score to lead off the top of the fifth. Silva was 1 for 3.

Left fielder John Andreoli was 2 for 3. Third baseman Christian Villanueva was 1 for 3 with a double. Now you know all of Tennessee's baserunners. The Smokies struck out 12 times and did not walk once.

They'll play game two in Birmingham tomorrow at 7:05 central. Dae-Eun Rhee will start for Tennessee and Chris Beck will go for Birmingham.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs shut out the Charlotte Stone Crabs (Rays), 5-0 to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five Florida State League Championship Series.

Pierce Johnson made his last start of the season and got the win with five scoreless innings. He allowed five hits but didn't walk anyone. Johnson struck out six.

Jeffrey Lorick pitched the next three innings, giving up just four hits. He struck out one and didn't walk anyone.

After getting the first two outs in the ninth, Zach Cates walked the bases loaded. But he struck out Kes Carter to end the game. It was Cates' second strikeout of the inning.

Over the first three games of the playoffs, the Daytona pitching staff has yet to allow an earned run.

Daytona took an early 1-0 lead when Pin-Chieh Chen led off the bottom of the first with a single and Zeke DeVoss doubled to put runners on second and third and then Chen scored on a Dustin Geiger ground out. They extended their lead to 4-0 in the second when Chen came to bat with the bases-loaded and doubled all three runners home.

Daytona's other run came in the fourth when DeVoss walked and Geiger doubled him home.

Chen was 2 for 5 with a double, the three RBI and the one run scored. DeVoss was a perfect 2 for 2 with two doubles and two walks. He also stole a base and scored that one run. Geiger was 2 for 4 with a double and the two RBI.

Left fielder Anthony Giansanti was 2 for 4 with a double. He scored on that Chen double and stopped Charlotte's best scoring chance when he gunned down a runner trying to scored from second on a two-out single to left.

The two teams will play game two tomorrow night in Daytona, weather permitting. (It looks pretty iffy right now) Ivan Pinyero will start for Daytona and Grayson Garvin will go for Charlotte.

Boise Hawks

They start the Northwest League Championship Series at home against Vancouver tomorrow.