Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 17

The Eugene Emeralds begin their season tomorrow night in Everett. This means that most nights, the wraps likely won't be posted until after midnight Central time. But it also means we get more baseball.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were soaked by the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 7-4.

I-Cubs starter Felipe Paulino kept the Storm Chasers off the board for five innings. Unfortunately, he gave up a three-run home run in the sixth. The final line on Paulino was 5.2 innings pitched, allowing three runs on seven hits. He walked three and struck out five.

Gonzalez Germen relieved Paulino and gave up three runs of his own in the seventh inning for his first loss of the season. Two of those runs came on another home run. German gave up three runs on four hits over 1.1 innings. He had neither a strikeout nor a walk.

DH Junior Lake hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, his first Iowa home run this season. Lake was 1 for 4 and struck out the other three times he came to the plate.

Catcher Taylor Teagarden was 2 for 4.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies shut out the Mississippi Braves, 8-0. The win kept the Smokies slim first-half title hopes alive.

Pierce Johnson was everything you could have asked of him in only his second start of the season. Johnson went five scoreless innings, giving up just three hits, all singles. Johnson struck out four and walked one.

Neil Ramirez threw a perfect inning of relief in a rehab appearance. Ramirez threw 12 pitches, 7 for strikes. he did not have a strikeout.

Second baseman Stephen Bruno was 2 for 3 with a sac fly in this game. Bruno scored twice.

Right fielder Bijan Rademacher was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans cut short the Winston-Salem Dash (White Sox), 5-2.

Fernando Cruz started this game and lasted 4.1 innings, giving up two runs on five hits, including a solo home run. Cruz struck out three and walked two.

The Pelicans bullpen was magnificent tonight, pitching 4.2 perfect innings. Juan Paniagua pitched 2.2 innings and got his second win. Paniagua struck out one. James Pugliese pitched the final two innings for his fifth save, also striking out one.

The Pelicans got on the board in the sixth inning with an RBI triple by right fielder Mark Zagunis. Zagunis was 3 for 4 and also walked. He later scored in the sixth to tie the game on a Chesny Young single. Young was 1 for 4.

Third baseman Jeimer Candelario went 2 for 5 with one run batted in. Jacob Rogers was 2 for 4 with an RBI.

With the win, the Pelicans magic number to clinch a first-half title went down to two. They can clinch tomorrow with a win and a loss by the Salem Red Sox.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were toppled by the Dayton Dragons (Reds), 3-1.

Trevor Clifton started and took the loss, although he didn't pitch that poorly. Clifton went 3.2 innings and gave up three runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out three.

Left fielder Rashad Crawford was 2 for 3 with a double and he scored the lone Cubs run of the game.

Eugene Emeralds

Heading to Everett for the season opener.

AZL Cubs

They start on Saturday.