Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: April 20

The Smokies Dan Vogelbach was named the Southern League Player of the Week and South Bend's Cael Brockmeyer won the same award for the Midwest League.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs split a doubleheader with the Oklahoma City Dodgers, losing game one 8-0 and winning the second game 4-3 in nine innings.

Carlos Pimentel started game one for the Cubs and allowed all eight runs over the four innings he pitched. He surrendered only four hits, but two of them were home runs in a five-run first inning. Pimentel walked five and struck out three. One of the eight runs was unearned.

Former Cub Scott Baker started for Oklahoma City and was one strike away from a seven-inning perfect game before Addison Russell hit a 0-2 pitch up the middle for a single. The next batter up, Mike Baxter, doubled before Chris Valaika grounded out to end the game.

In game two, Yoanner Negrin pitched the first five innings and surrendered two runs on two hits, both solo home runs. Negrin struck out four and walked one.

Joe Ortiz was one strike away from recording a save in the top of the seventh when he gave up a game-tying home run to Scott Schebler. Ortiz pitched two innings and allowed the one run on two hits. He neither walked nor struck anyone out.

James Russell entered the game in the eighth and pitched two perfect innings and got the win. He struck out three.

Iowa won the game in the bottom of the ninth when a Junior Lake sacrifice fly scored Mike Baxter with the winning run. Lake was 1 for 2 with two walks and two runs scored. Baxter was 0 for 1 with a walk and a stolen base.

Second baseman Addison Russell was 2 for 4 with two doubles and two RBI.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies surrendered to the Jackson Generals (Mariners), 7-1.

Frank Batista kept the Generals off the board for 4.2 innings, allowing just two hits. He struck out five and walked two.

C.J. Edwards is having a rough start to the season and he took the loss after he allowed four runs in his second inning of relief. Edwards pitched 1.2 innings and allowed four runs, two earned, on one hit and two walks. Edwards struck out three.

The Smokies pitchers were not helped out by a defense that committed four errors tonight.

Tennessee's only run came on a second-inning home run by Dan Vogelbach. It was his first of the season. Vogelbach was 1 for 4.

Albert Almora Jr. was 0 for 3, but he walked for the fourth time in ten games. Last season in Tennessee, Almora walked twice in 36 games.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans sewed up the Salem Red Sox, 7-4 in 11 innings.

This game started late because of rain, but starter Tyler Skulina probably wishes it kept raining. Skulina pitched five innings and allowed four runs on six hits, including a two-run home run in the third. He struck out four and did not walk anyone as he got his first loss on the year. He did hit one batter.

Gerardo Concepcion relieved Skulina and didn't allow a run over two innings. He surrendered just one hit. Concepcion struck out one and walked nobody.

Tayler Scott got the win with three scoreless innings of relief. Scott allowed just one infield single. He walked one, hit one batter and struck out two.

The Pelicans trailed 4-3 with no one on and two out in the top of the ninth when center fielder Jacob Hannemann singled, stole second and scored a single by right fielder Mark Zagunis to send the game into extra innings. The Pelicans would then plate three runs in the top of the 11th to win the game.

Hannemann was 2 for 4 with two walks and three stolen bases. He scored two runs and had one RBI, a single in the 11th that gave the Pelicans the lead. Zagunis was 1 for 4 with a walk and two RBI, including a sacrifice in the 11th. He scored twice.

DH Billy McKinney hit his first home run of the season, a solo home run in the sixth inning. McKinney was 2 for 5 with a walk. He had two total RBI.

First baseman Jacob Rogers also hit a solo home run in the eighth inning, his second on the season. Rogers was 1 for 2 with three walks.

Catcher Victor Caratini was 2 for 5 with an RBI.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs discovered that it's much easier to win when you don't allow four runs in the ninth inning, beating the Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers), 3-0.

Ryan Williams made his second straight strong start tonight, picking up his first win. Williams scattered seven hits over 6.2 innings. He struck out three and walked two.

James Norwood was perfect over the final two innings for South Bend's first save of the season. He struck out three.

Third baseman Jesse Hodges drove in all three South Bend runs on a two-run single in the first and a single in the fifth. He was 2 for 4.

Second baseman Chesny Young was 2 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored. He also stole two bases.