Cubs Minor League Wrap: July 21

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were blown away by the New Orleans Zephyrs (Marlins), 5-4.

Dan Straily's problems with the long ball continued tonight. Straily allowed a home run to Jake Marisnick, the first batter of the game. He gave up another two-run home run in the second inning to Zack Cox. Straily's final line was four runs on seven hits over six innings. He struck out seven and walked only two. So yeah, good game except for the home runs. Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln . . .

Kyuji Fujikawa pitched the seventh inning and allowed a run on two hits in his Iowa debut.  He did not walk or strike anyone out.

First baseman Lars Anderson hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning, his third of the year. Anderson was 1 for 4 and scored twice.

Center fielder Matt Szczur was 2 for 4 and stole a base. He scored one run.

Second baseman Javier Baez got a gift single in the sixth inning when he hit a towering infield pop up that the catcher, third baseman and shortstop all watched drop between them. But that extended his hitting streak to 15 games. He was 1 for 4.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were extinguished by the Mississippi Braves, 4-3.

Starter Matt Loosen took the loss after he allowed two runs on five hits over five innings. Loosen walked one and struck out two.

However, the two runs that Jeff Lorick allowed in the top of the ninth proved crucial, and one of them came on a steal of home. Lorick pitched two innings and gave up two runs on two hits and a walk. He struck out one.

The two runs the Braves scored in the top of the ninth proved crucial because the Smokies scored all three of their runs on a home run by Jae-Hoon Ha with two outs in the ninth. Ha was 1 for 5.

Jonathan Mota was 3 for 4 and scored once.

Jorge Soler was 2 for 3. He exited the game after the sixth inning as part of a sick experiment to see Twitter explode as part of a routine limiting of his innings coming off an injury.

However, Soler exiting the game pushed me over 1600 Twitter followers tonight. So I thank Smokies manager Buddy Bailey for this little joke.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs excommunicated the Palm Beach Cardinals, 9-6.

Starter Jose Rosario allowed six runs on ten hits over only 4.1 innings. Rosario struck out four and walked one.

Michael Jensen replaced Rosario in the fifth inning immediately after Rosario allowed a three-run home run. Jensen pitched 2.2 scoreless innings and gave up only one hit. He struck out five and didn't walk anyone. Jensen got the win because Rosario didn't pitch a full five innings, but I don't think anyone would seriously argue that Jensen didn't deserve the win more than Rosario.

Starling Peralta pitched the final two innings and got his first save. Peralta also allowed one hit but no runs. He struck out three and didn't walk anyone.

Third baseman Jordan Hankins hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning to extend Daytona's lead to 6-2. It was Hankins' fifth home run this season and second for Daytona. Hankins was 1 for 3 with a walk.

One inning later, left fielder Rock Shoulders hit a two-run home run, his ninth of the season and his third in his last eight games. Shoulders was 2 for 2 with two walks. He scored two runs.

First baseman Dan Vogelbach was 2 for 5. He scored two runs and had two RBI.

Second baseman Wes Darvill was 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Kane County Cougars

The Kane County Cougars were laughed at by the Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers), 3-1.

Daury Torrez pitched the first five innings and allowed three runs on six hits. He struck out four and walked one.

Zak Hermans pitched two perfect innings of relief, striking out three.

All of the Cougars runs came on a solo home run by third baseman Jeimer Candelario in the fifth inning. Candelario was 1 for 4. He now has ten home runs this season, five for Kane County.

Right fielder Kevin Brown was 3 for 4 with a double.

Boise Hawks

The Boise Hawks capped the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (Giants), 7-6.

Erik Leal didn't make it out of the first inning. He allowed a home run to the first hitter of the game and things didn't get much better after that. Leal allowed four runs on three hits and three walks over two-thirds of an inning. He struck out one.

Trey Lang took over for Leal and tossed four scoreless innings to keep Boise in the game. Lang surrendered four hits. He struck out one and didn't walk anyone.

Sam Wilson gave up the tying run in the top of the seventh, but pitched a scoreless eighth inning and got the win. Wilson was touched for four hits. He neither walked nor struck anyone out.

David Garner pitched the ninth and got his second save. One batter reached on an error, but that was the only blemish on the inning. He struck out one.

DH Justin Marra gave Boise the lead in the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run, his fifth of the season. He was 1 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored.

Boise scored seven runs on only four hits. They were lucky that two of them, along with three of their six walks and a hit by pitch, came as part of a five-run sixth inning.  Danny Canela hit a three-run double in that sixth inning. He was 1 for 3.

Boise finished the first half with a 22-16 record. Depending on what Hillsboro does later tonight (and they're losing at the moment I write this), they will be either tied for first place or a game back. However, Hillsboro owns the tiebreak on Boise, so Hillsboro will get the first-half playoff berth no matter what happens.

AZL Cubs

Off day