Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 3

Congratulations to Kris Bryant and Chris Rusin, who were your choices for the BCB Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Month of May!. The vote for Pitcher of the Month was quite close, as Rusin just edged out Paul Blackburn, with Starling Peralta not that much behind.

The vote for Player of the Month was not as close.

Also, late news tonight. C.J. Edwards says his latest MRI was clean and he's going to start throwing again on Thursday.

The Florida State League announced their all-star teams today and Bijan Rademacher, Gioskar Amaya, Felix Pena and Andrew McKirahan were all selected. The Southern League also named their all-star teams and six Smokies made the team: Kris Bryant, Stephen Bruno, John Andreoli, Corey Black, Rafael Lopez and Armando Rivero were all named to the team. Lopez was promoted to Iowa today so he'll miss the game unless he gets demoted back to Tennessee before the game. (entirely possible)

So congratulations to them.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs quieted the Nashville Sounds (Brewers), 4-2.

Tsuyoshi Wada turned in another good start as he allowed only one run on seven hits over six innings. Wada struck out five and walked only one as he improved his record to 5-3.

Blake Parker gave up a solo home run in the ninth inning, but he still locked down his 11th save anyway. He gave up two, two-out singles, but struck out the potential winning run to end the game. Parker pitched 1.1 innings and allowed one run on three hits. He had the one strikeout.

Left fielder Matt Szczur was 2 for 4 with a stolen base and a run scored.

Iowa has an off-day tomorrow as they head home to Des Moines. Manny Ramirez is expected to be there waiting for them.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies shut out the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 3-0, ending their eight-game losing streak.

Matt Loosen threw the first six innings and he allowed four hits, all singles. Those were Birmingham's only four hits tonight. Loosen struck out seven and walked only one.

Hunter Cervenka pitched the next two innings. He struck out five and walked one.

Armando Rivero pitched the ninth for his ninth save. One baserunner reached on an error, but that was it. He struck out two.

The Smokies took the lead in the bottom of the fourth when third baseman Kris Bryant hit an opposite field bomb with a man on for his 19th home run of the season. Bryant was 1 for 2 with two walks.

Right fielder Rubi Silva was 2 for 4 and scored on Bryant's home run. DH Anthony Giansanti was 2 for 4 and scored Tennessee's final run later in the fourth inning.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs met the St. Lucie Mets and beat them, 6-5.

Starter Austin Kirk only lasted 3.1 innings and he gave up three runs on seven hits. Kirk struck out one and walked one.

Starling Peralta got the win in relief. Peralta pitched four innings and allowed two runs on three hits, including a solo home run to Eudy Pina in the sixth inning. When Peralta faced Pina again in the eighth, he hit him in the back and was promptly ejected. Peralta walked two and struck out one.

Stephen Perakslis went the final 1.2 innings for his first save of the season. He allowed a hit and a walk but no runs. Perakslis struck out one batter.

First baseman Daniel Vogelbach was 2 for 3 with a double and two walks, one intentional. He scored two runs and had one RBI.

Daytona had six hits tonight. They won because they walked ten times.

Kane County Cougars

Off day. I know at least Shawon Dunston Jr. spent the evening at Wrigley.