Cubs Minor League Wrap: May 25

Happy birthday to me.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs blasted the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Rockies), 7-3.

Starter Kyle Hendricks got the win with the definition of a quality start: three runs over six innings. Hendricks allowed seven hits and he walked three while striking out two.

With the I-Cubs trailing 3-1 in the fifth inning, shortstop Javier Baez gave Iowa an instant lead with a grand slam home run, his seventh home run this season. Baez was 2 for 4.

Second baseman Arismendy Alcantara also hit a solo home run in the seventh inning, which was his fifth of the year. Alcantara was 1 for 4.

The sixth, seventh and eighth hitters in the Cubs lineup were all 2 for 4 with a double: center fielder Matt Szczur, left fielder Casper Wells and catcher Eli Whiteside. Szczur had an RBI. Wells scored two runs and Whiteside had a run scored and an RBI.

Manny Ramirez hasn't joined the team yet. I guess that's just Manny being Manny.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies mauled the Mobile BayBears (Diamondbacks), 7-2.

Julio Rodriguez made his Cubs debut and it was a successful one as he collected the win. He pitched 5.1 innings and allowed one run on three hits. He struck out six and walked only one.

First baseman Dustin Geiger hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, his sixth of the season. Geiger was 2 for 4 and also doubled. He scored twice.

Catcher Rafael Lopez went 2 for 3 with a double and a walk. He scored once.

Shortstop Jeudy Valdez was 2 for 4 with one RBI and one run scored.

Kris Bryant was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. Send him down to Daytona.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs split a doubleheader with the Clearwater Threshers (Phillies), winning game one 4-1 and losing the second one 5-2.

Rob Zastryzny pitched the first three innings of game one and he kept the Threshers scoreless with only two hits. Zastryzny struck out four and walked only one.

Trevor Graham pitched the next three innings and got the win because Zastryzny didn't go five innings. Graham also did not allow a run and he surrendered three hits. He struck out one and didn't walk anyone.

Right fielder Pin-Chieh Chen went 2 for 3 with a walk. Chen led off the bottom of the first inning with a triple and then scored on a single by Bijan Rademacher. Rademacher went 1 for 3 with a walk.

In the second game, Felix Pena extended his streak of starts with one or fewer earned runs to eight. Unfortunately, while he only gave up one earned run over three innings, he gave up two unearned runs and took the loss. Pena surrendered three hits and three walks while striking out two.

In game two, the Cubs were held in check by pitcher-turned-outfielder-turned-pitcher-again Adam Loewen, who as far as I can tell pitched his first game on any level since 2008 tonight.

Both Daytona runs scored in the fifth inning when Jeimer Candelario double and Rademacher tripled back-to-back. Both were 1 for 3.

Albert Almora was 2 for 3.

Kane County Cougars

The Kane County Cougars pounced on the Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals), 7-3.

Starter Juan Paniagua kept the Chiefs in check by allowing only one run on three hits over 6.1 innings. Paniagua struck out four and walked no one.

DH Cael Brockmeyer opened up the scoring with a two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning. It was Brockmeyer's first home run of the season. He was 2 for 4.

Third baseman Jordan Hankins had an RBI double in the fourth inning and a two-run double in the eighth. He was 2 for 4.

First baseman and former Chief Jacob Rogers also had two doubles in a 2 for 4 game. Rogers scored twice and had one RBI.

With the win, the Cougars improved their record to 33-17 with a 5.5 game lead over second-place Peoria.