Cubs Minor League Wrap: May 15

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs derailed the Round Rock Express (Rangers), 2-0.

This game was all about Kyle Hendricks, who dominated the Express for eight innings. Hendricks gave up only three hits, all singles. He walked no one and struck out 11 batters, which tied a career-high for him, set with Texas in High-A ball in 2011. Hendricks tossed 100 pitches, 71 for strikes.

Blake Parker pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save. He had one strikeout.

Second baseman Arismendy Alcantara was 2 for 3 with a double and a triple. He also walked once. Alcantara scored once.

Center fielder Matt Szczur went 2 for 4 with a double.

Javier Baez's struggles continue. He was 0 for 4 and struck out twice against Joe Saunders.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies lost to the Mississippi Braves, 6-5 in 11 innings.

There was some question about who started this game for the Smokies, but in the end, we know it was Joel Pineiro making his Cubs debut. (Both Gameday and the Mississippi announcers called him Corey Black for the first two innings.) Pineiro pitched five innings and allowed three runs, two earned, on eight hits. Pineiro walked one and struck out three.

Armando Rivero pitched the ninth and tenth innings and retired all six batters he faced, five by strikeout.

Austin Kirk started the eleventh inning and took the loss. He allowed a run on two hits and a walk over a third of an inning.

Jorge Soler exited this game after he apparently injured his leg making a running catch. He was down quite a while and it certainly looked like his hamstring again. The only hopeful sign is that Soler eventually walked off the field under his own power, albeit with a limp.

Catcher Rafael Lopez hit a two-run home run in the first inning, his fourth of the season. Lopez was 2 for 5 with a walk. He also stole a base.

Third baseman Kris Bryant was 2 for 6 with a double. He scored one run and had one RBI.

John Andreoli was 2 for 4 and was hit by a pitch. He scored one run.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs were rained out. The game will not be made up

Kane County Cougars

The Kane County Cougars got mugged by the Quad City River Bandits (Astros), 7-0.

Starter Duane Underwood took the loss after he got rocked for six runs on six hits over only three innings. However, because of an error by third baseman Ben Carhart, all five runs Underwood allowed in the third inning were unearned. Underwood walked two and struck out one.

The Cougars had five hits, all singles. First baseman Jacob Rogers was 2 for 4.