Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: August 27

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs dammed the Sacramento River Cats (Giants), 3-1.

Starter Tsuyoshi Wada kept the River Cats in check for 6.2 innings, allowing just one run on six hits. Wada struck out three and walked one as he picked up his fourth win.

Blake Cooper faced and retired the final two batters of the game for his fifth save. He did not have a strikeout.

First baseman Christian Villanueva hit a two-run single in the bottom of the first inning and Iowa never trailed after that. Villanueva was 2 for 4.

Shortstop Chris Valaika provided the other Iowa run with his sixth home run of the season in the fourth inning. Valaika was 2 for 3.

Third baseman Mike Olt was 2 for 2 with a walk.

With the win, Iowa has cut Oklahoma City's lead in the division to 5.5 games with 12 to play. Fortunately, five of those 12 remaining games are against Oklahoma City.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies beat the Chattanooga Lookouts (Twins), 7-1.

Jeffrey Antigua pitched the first six innings without allowing a run for his fifth win of the year. Antigua gave up four hits and walked three while striking out two.

Catcher Willson Contreras was 2 for 4 with a two-run double in the fifth inning. Contreras scored twice.

DH Taylor Davis went 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI single in the ninth.  He also walked once.

Third baseman Jeimer Candelario was 2 for 4 with a walk. He scored once and had one RBI.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were blue after losing to the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Royals), 3-2. It was "Animal House" night.

Starter Daury Torrez allowed two runs on seven hits over seven innings. He struck out five and walked no one.

James Farris pitched the eighth inning and got the loss after striking out a batter with two outs and a man on second with a wild pitch. The runner scored all the way from second when catcher Victor Caratini made a wild throw to first.

The final line on Farris was one inning pitched, allowing one unearned run on one hit. He walked no one and struck out two.

Caratini was better at the plate, going 2 for 4 with a double. Second baseman Chesny Young was 2 for 4.

We have highlights. Be sure to check out the "College" jerseys.

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South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs sank against the Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers), 4-3.

James Norwood started and took the loss. Norwood pitched three innings and allowed three runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out four.

First baseman David Bote was 2 for 4 with an RBI single in the third inning. Second baseman Vimael Machin was 1 for 3 with an RBI single and a sacrifice fly to account for the other two South Bend runs.

Eugene Emeralds

The Eugene Emeralds beat the Spokane Indians (Rangers), 2-1 in "Portlandia" night. SB Nation doesn't approve, apparently.

Ryan Kellogg kept Spokane off the board for the first three innings. He allowed two hits and walked one while striking out two.

Kellogg was relieved by Adbert Alzolay, who was terrific pitching the final six innings for his fifth win of the year. The only run he allowed came on a 7th inning home run to Dylan Moore. Alzolay gave up only two hits over those six innings and he didn't walk anyone while striking out nine.

The first run of the game came on a solo home run by third baseman Adonis Paula, his second home run of the year. He was 1 for 3.

The winning run came in the bottom of the eighth when Andrew Ely led off the inning with a walk and scored from second on a two-out Tyler Alamo single. Ely was 1 for 3 with a double and a walk and Alamo was 1 for 3 with a walk.

AZL Cubs

Rained out.