Cubs Minor League Wrap: April 17

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs derailed the New Orleans Zephyrs (Marlins), 5-4. Iowa won despite committing six errors in the game.

Starter Eric Jokisch pitched the first 5.2 innings and allowed three runs on three hits. All three runs were unearned, of course, although both times it was his own error that led to the unearned runs. Jokisch walked two and struck out five.

Alberto Cabrera relieved Jokisch and got the win when Iowa scored twice in the bottom of the seventh. Cabrera pitched 1.1 innings and allowed no runs on one hit. He walked one and struck out two.

Neil Ramirez faced four batters and walked one of them and struck out the other three.

Brian Schlitter allowed a run in the ninth, but was still able to get the save, his second of the season. Schlitter allowed one hit and one walk. He did not strike anyone out.

Shortstop Logan Watkins extended his hit streak to five games by going 2 for 2 with a walk. He scored one run and had one RBI.

First baseman Chris Valaika went 2 for 3 with a double and a walk. He scored one run and had one batted in.

Catcher Eli Whiteside was 2 for 3 with a walk. He had one run batted in.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies split a doubleheader with the Jackson Generals (Mariners), losing the first game 4-0 and taking the second one 3-2.

In the first game. starter Corey Black had some control issues. He pitched four innings and allowed three runs on two hits and five walks. He also hit two batters. Black threw 83 pitches, only 36 of which were strikes. Black did strike out three.

Dustin Geiger had a single in the second inning. That was Tennessee's only hit of game one.

Game two went much better. Starter Dae-Eun Rhee allowed two runs on six hits over four innings. Rhee struck out four and walked one.

Hunter Cervenka took the win with two scoreless innings of relief. He allowed three hits. In fact, he allowed a single and a double to the first two batters he faced, but he pitched out of the jam with no runs scoring. Cervenka struck out three and walked no one.

Armando Rivero pitched the seventh inning and got his third save. Rivero struck out the first two batters he saw, then he gave up a hit, a wild pitch and a walk with two outs. But then got his third strikeout to end the game.

The Smokies took the lead for good in the fourth inning when first baseman Charles Cutler and shortstop Jeudy Valdez hit back-to-back doubles and catcher Taylor Davis singled Valdez home. Cutler was 1 for 2 with a sac bunt. Valdez and Davis were both 1 for 3.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs at least took the game to extra innings, but they dropped their fifth straight game, 6-5 in ten innings to the Tampa Yankees.

Starter Rob Zastryzny went four innings and allowed four runs on nine hits over four innings. He fanned one and did not walk anyone (or things would have been a lot worse).

Arodys Vizcaino pitched the ninth inning. He allowed a one-out double, who went to third on a wild pitch with two outs and a two-out walk. He struck out the other three batters he faced. Sean Kernan of the Daytona Beach News-Journal said he had great velocity throughout and topped out at 98 mph.

Andrew McKirahan took the loss after allowing a run in the tenth on three hits. He struck out one and did not walk a batter.

Daytona had fallen behind 5-1 in the sixth inning, but rallied to tie the score in the eighth. Leading the Daytona charge were second baseman Tim Saunders and DH Rock Shoulders. Saunders was 2 for 4 with a walk and a solo home run in the third inning, his first of the season. He had two total RBI.

Shoulders was 3 for 4 with a walk and one run batted in.

Kane County Cougars

The Kane County Cougars slew the Dayton Dragons (Reds), 13-1. The win was Kane County's eighth straight.

Starting pitcher Daury Torrez retired the first 16 batters he faced before allowing a one-out walk in the sixth inning. He allowed his first hit two batters later. Torrez's final line was one run on two hits over eight innings. He walked one and struck out four.

Coming into today's game, catcher Will Remillard had two hits all season. Tonight he went 4 for 5 with two doubles and 5 RBI. He scored two runs.

First baseman Jacob Rogers went 3 for 6 with two doubles. He scored two runs.

Second baseman Danny Lockhart was 2 for 3 with two walks. He scored four runs.

DH Ben Carhart also had two doubles in a 2 for 6 game. He scored one run and had two RBI. Center fielder Jacob Hannemann went 2 for 6 with a stolen base. He scored one run and batted one run in. Shortstop Carlos Penalver was 2 for 5 and was hit by a pitch. He scored once and had one RBI.

Right fielder Yasiel Balaguert was 2 for 5 with a walk. He scored once.

The win improves Kane County's Midwest League best record to 11-3. Even after the loss, Dayton has the second-best record in the league at 9-4.