Cubs Minor League Wrap: April 12

Everybody wins!

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs got back to .500 by shutting out the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals), 5-0.

So far, so awesome for Tsuyoshi Wada. Wada completely dominated the Redbirds over 6.2 shutout innings, giving up only four hits. Wada struck out ten and walked nobody. He threw 93 pitches, 68 for strikes.

Over his first two starts, Wada has thrown 13.1 innings and allowed one run. He has walked one batter and struck out 18.

This game was pretty close until the ninth inning, when pinch-hitter Matt Szczur hit a two-run single to extend Iowa's lead to 4-0 and put the game out of reach. He later scored the fifth run in that inning.

Center fielder Brett Jackson went 1 for 3 with two walks and no strikeouts. He had an RBI single in the 7th inning.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies scored four runs in the seventh inning to blind the Chattanooga Lookouts (Dodgers), 5-1.

Starter Ivan Pineyro allowed one run on three hits over five innings. Pineyro walked three and struck out four.

Ryan Searle threw two scoreless innings in relief of Pineyro to get his first win of the season. Searle allowed one hit but no walks. He struck out three.

Third baseman Kris Bryant tied the score at 1-1 in the fourth inning with his third home run of the season. He also doubled in a 2 for 4 game.

Catcher Rafael Lopez had two doubles and a walk in a 2 for 3 night.  He led off the seventh inning with a double and would come around to score.

Left fielder Zeke DeVoss had a two-run triple in the seventh. He was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Second baseman Stephen Bruno went 2 for 4 and singled home DeVoss in the seventh.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs downed the Tampa Yankees, 7-1.

Rob Zastryzny got his first win of the year with 5.2 strong innings. Zastryzny allowed one run on seven hits. The only run came on a two-out home run in the sixth inning by Reymond Nunez, which was the last batter he faced. Zastryzny struck out five and walked only one.

Center fielder Albert Almora hit his first home run of the season in the top of the first inning with a man on. He also hit a double in a 2 for 5 evening. Almora scored two runs and had three total RBI.

Shortstop Marco Hernandez went 3 for 4. He scored one run and hand one run batted in.

Kane County Cougars

The Kane County Cougars won a wild one over the Lake County Captains (Indians), 9-8.

Juan Paniagua got the start and despite some wildness, held the Captains to one run on only two hits over four innings. His problem was control, as he walked four and had a wild pitch. Paniagua struck out six.

I've been rough on Gerardo Concepcion, but today he had two scoreless innings of relief. He gave up two hits and a walk while striking out two.

Concepcion left with a 5-1 lead, but the bullpen could not hold it. Scott Frazier was completely wild today, walking all three batters he faced and uncorking two wild pitches. All three runners would come around to score.

Josh Davis made his Kane County debut relieving Frazier, and he blew the save when he allowed both of the inherited runners to score on a two-run double and and then another one of his own.  Davis pitched two innings and allowed one run on four hits. He did not have a walk or a strikeout. Davis got his first win of the season when Kane County came back and scored four times in the bottom of the seventh.

Even that wasn't easy, as Tyler Bremer almost blew a four-run lead in the ninth when he gave up a one-out, three run home run. But Bremer struck out the next two batters to end the game. It was not a save situation.

The four runs in the bottom of the seventh scored on back-to-back home runs by first baseman Jacob Rogers and second baseman David Bote. Rogers' home run was a three-run shot and his second of the season. Bote's solo home run was his first.

Rogers went 2 for 4 with a double and the home run. He had four total RBI. Bote was also 2 for 4 and had two RBI.

Right fielder Yasiel Balaguert was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Shortstop Carlos Penalver was only 1 for 4 with a walk, but he scored three times and also stole a base.

With the win, Kane County goes into a tie for first place in the Midwest League Western Division at 6-3. Normally, I'd say "who cares" but this affiliate was so lousy in the W-L department that it's good to see some success there. Of course, most of these players were on the Boise Hawks team last year that came within one game of the Northwest League title.