Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: April 25

Iowa Cubs

Matt Clark hit a walkoff home run off of I-Cubs reliever Joe Ortiz and the Iowa Cubs fell to the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Brewers), 9-8.

Dallas Beeler started this game in a rehab assignment and struggled, allowing seven runs on five hits over four innings.  One of those runs was unearned. He walked three, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch, so his control is obviously not there yet. Beeler struck out two.

Ortiz took the loss, obviously, after allowing two runs on two hits over two-thirds of an inning. He did not strike anyone out.

Third baseman Christian Villanueva gave the I-Cubs an early lead with a grand slam in the top of the first inning. It was Villanueva's third home run this year but first for Iowa. Villanueva was 2 for 4 with five total RBI.

Center fielder Matt Szczur went 3 for 4 with a stolen base and a sacrifice fly. He scored twice.

Catcher Taylor Teagarden was 3 for 5 with a triple and two runs scored. Left fielder Junior Lake was 2 for 4 with an RBI and one run scored.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies outslugged the Chattanooga Lookouts (Twins), 16-10.

Rob Zastryzny pitched the first three innings and allowed one run on a solo home run in the third inning and three hits total. Zastryzny struck out two and didn't walk anyone.

The Smokies fell behind when Stephen Perakslis allowed five runs in the fourth inning. Perakslis was relieved by Fernando Cruz, who didn't pitch well but got the win because the Smokies scored six runs in the fifth inning and three more in the sixth. Cruz pitched two innings and allowed four runs on three hits, including a two-run home run. Cruz struck out three and walked one.

C.J. Edwards threw two scoreless innings without allowing a hit. He did walk two and struck out three.

Dan Vogelbach hit a solo home run in the top of the first inning, his third of the season. Vogelbach was 3 for 3 with two walks and is now batting .460 on the season. His OBP is .571.

Second baseman Stephen Bruno gave the Smokies the lead when he hit a grand slam in the fifth inning, his first home run this season. Bruno was 1 for 5 on the evening.

Center fielder Pin-Chieh Chen led off the bottom of the first with a double. He was 3 for 5 and scored three runs.

Right fielder Albert Almora was 2 for 3 with a stolen base, a sac bunt and a sac fly. He scored twice.

All nine Smokies had at least one hit tonight.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans had their hopes dashed by the Winston-Salem Dash (White Sox), 4-2.

Paul Blackburn allowed four runs in the top of the first inning, including a three-run home run. He settled down after that, but he put the Pelicans in a hole they never got out of. Blackburn's final line on the night was five innings pitched while giving up four runs on six hits. He struck out three and did not walk anyone.

Ben Wells made his 2015 debut and was fantastic, retiring all nine batters he faced. He struck out one. He didn't walk anyone.

Center fielder Jacob Hannemann was 3 for 4 with a double, a walk and a stolen base. Third baseman Jeimer Candelario was 3 for 4 with a double.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs stomped on the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 9-2.

Trevor Clifton was very good tonight. He pitched five and only gave up one run on three hits. He struck out seven and didn't walk anyone and he collected his first win of the season.

South Bend scored their nine runs on only three hits, which I'm sure isn't a record but is pretty amazing anyway. They managed to score nine runs because they walked nine times, were hit by a pitch once and the TinCaps committed four errors. South Bend also managed to clump those baserunners, as South Bend were retired in order in the fifth through eighth innings.