Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: April 11

The Cubs system stays at .500 with two wins and two losses.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs won their first game of the season by roasting the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals), 13-0.

Starter Eric Jokisch kept the Redbirds off the board through 4.2 innings, giving up just three hits. He did have some uncharacteristic control issues, allowing three walks and striking out no one. This led to him being pulled one out short of the five to qualify for the win as he hit 85 pitches.

Blake Cooper was impressive in his I-Cubs debut, facing seven batters and retiring all of them. Cooper fanned four.

Third baseman Kris Bryant hit his first home run of the season in in the ninth inning with Adron Chambers on third to make it 13-0. Bryant had a big night, going 3 for 4 with a walk and a double and the home run. He scored three times and had three runs batted in.

It was not the first home run of the season for Iowa, however. That came in the sixth inning when second baseman Chris Valaika hit a two-run home run. Valaika was 3 for 5 with a walk.

Center fielder Chambers was 2 for 5 with two doubles and a walk. He scored three times and had two runs batted in.

First baseman Mike Baxter was 2 for 5 with a run scored.

Here's a defensive highlight by shortstop Addison Russell.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies committed four errors as part of a six-run seventh inning and lost to the Mississippi Braves, 6-4.

Starter Felix Peña did his job as he went six innings without allowing a run. Peña gave up three hits and a walk while striking out two.

Zach Cates relieved Peña to start the bottom of the seventh inning and made the first error of the inning when he missed a catch while covering first base. Cates then walked the next three batters to allow one run and a two-run single before leaving the game for P.J. Francescon. Cates was eventually charged with five runs, three earned, on three walks and a hit in 0.0 innings.

After Francescon got the first batter he faced to pop out, the Braves would take a 6-4 lead on errors on consecutive plays by catcher Kyle Schwarber, second baseman Stephen Bruno and left fielder Pin-Chieh Chen.

The news at the plate was a lot better for Schwarber, as he hit his first home run of the season with the bases empty in the fourth inning. He was 2 for 4.

And we have video of Schwarber's home run.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Pelicans played their first extra-inning game of the season and allowed two runs in the top of the tenth. But then they roared back with three runs in the bottom of the inning to polish off the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Royals), 4-3 in ten innings.

Paul Blackburn turned in five strong innings to start the game, allowing just one run on four hits. He struck out six and didn't walk anyone.

Even more impressive, Juan Paniagua relieved Blackburn and threw three perfect innings. He struck out six of the nine batters he faced and only one batter got a ball out of the infield.

Starling Peralta relieved Paniagua and wasn't nearly as impressive. He pitched out of a bases-loaded, one out jam in the ninth and then gave up two runs in the tenth to put the Pelicans down 3-1. He got the win when they came back and scored three times in the bottom of the inning. Peralta's final line was two innings pitched, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk. He did strike out five of the six batters he retired.

The first three batters of the tenth inning for Myrtle Beach, Jacob Hannemann, Mark Zagunis and Billy McKinney all walked. After Jacob Rogers struck out, Jeimer Candelario's single tied the game at 3-3. The Pelicans won the game in the next at-bat when McKinney beat the throw home on a Victor Caratini ground ball to second base.

Candelario was the big hero of the night, going 3 for 5. He doubled and scored on a Caratini single in the fifth inning.

Shawon Dunston Jr. was 2 for 4.

And here are the highlights.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs lost their first game of the year, 7-5 in 12 innings to the Bowling Green Hot Rods. (Rays)

Starter Erik Leal allowed four runs, two earned, on eight hits over five innings. He struck out three and walked two.

Ryan McNeal was impressive in three innings of relief. He allowed only one unearned run on one hit over three innings. He struck out five and didn't walk anyone.

Francisco Carrillo took the loss when he allowed two runs in his third inning of relief. In the top of the 12th, he hit the leadoff batter and then gave up a one-out triple. A sac fly gave the Hot Rods an insurance run. Carrillo allowed two runs on one hit over three innings. He struck out one and didn't walk anyone, although he did have that critical hit batsman.

Shortstop Gleyber Torres got his first, second and third hits of the season as he went 3 for 4 with a double and a walk. Torres, the youngest player in the Midwest League, scored twice.

Left fielder Charcer Burks was 2 for 6 with a double and a triple. He scored twice.

Right fielder Jeffrey Baez was 2 for 4 with a double and a walk.