Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: August 7

The Ems ruined what could have been a perfect day for the Cubs family. It was still a awfully good day.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs shut out the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 4-0.

Dallas Beeler was sharp tonight, allowing just two hits and a walk over seven innings. He struck out three as he collected his fourth win of the season.

Iowa didn't have a hit in this game until Christian Villanueva singled to lead off the fifth inning. He was erased when Mike Olt grounded into a double play, but the I-Cubs would explode for four runs on four hits in the sixth.

Villanueva had a RBI single in that sixth inning and went 2 for 3 tonight. Center fielder John Andreoli was 2 for 4. He singled home Taylor Davis in the sixth and later scored on a Javier Baez ground out.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies outflanked the Jackson Generals (Mariners), 6-5 on a walkoff RBI single by Billy McKinney.

The Smokies gave Smokies starter Andres Santiago a five-run lead after one inning, but he slowly gave all five runs back. Santiago finished the night being charged with five runs on six hits over 5.1 innings. He walked five batters, which was a big part of the problem. Santiago struck out four.

Starling Peralta pitched the top of the ninth and got the win, despite walking two more batters. He didn't give up any hits or runs though and he struck out two.

Smokies pitchers walked 11 batters tonight. They did strike out 11 as well.

After Willson Contreras doubled to lead off the bottom of the ninth, McKinney singled to center two batters later and Contreras beat the throw to the plate to score the winning run. Contreras was 3 for 5 with a double tonight, increasing his league-leading batting average to .342. He scored two runs.

Here's the winning single:

McKinney was 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He had two total RBI.

Center fielder Albert Almora was 3 for 4 with a double and a walk. Almora scored once. First baseman Wes Darvill was 2 for 3 with a walk and an RBI.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans locked up the Frederick Keys (Orioles), 8-4.

Jeremy Null started and got the win. He pitched 5.2 innings and allowed three runs, two of which were earned. Null gave up five hits but he didn't walk anyone and he struck out six.

Shortstop Carlos Penalver hit a career-high second home run with the bases empty in the fourth inning. For the night, Penalver was 2 for 4 with a walk. He scored twice and had two RBI.

Ben Carhart had been on the disabled list since June 7. Today he came off the DL, served as the DH and went 3 for 4 with a walk and a solo home run in the fifth inning. It was Carhart's third home run this year. He scored two times and drove in two total home runs.

Highlights:

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs chopped down the Clinton LumberKings (Mariners), 4-1.

Starter James Norwood got the win after throwing five scoreless innings, giving up just three hits. He struck out four and walked one.

Corbin Hoffner pulled an old-school 1970's style save, pitching the final 2.1 innings. He relieved Dillon Maples with two outs and the bases-loaded in the seventh inning and gave up an RBI single to the first batter he faced, but the inning ended when Jeffrey Baez threw out the runner trying to score from second base. Hoffner gave up two hits and didn't allow any runs of his own. He walked one and struck out one.

Center fielder Ian Happ hit his first Midwest League home run in the third inning with a man on. Happ was 1 for 4. He has five home runs counting the four he hit for the Emeralds.

Baez went 2 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored.

Eugene Emeralds

The Eugene Emeralds were sacrificed to the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (Giants), 9-2.

Starter Jose Paulino allowed only two hits through the first five innings, but he gave up a double and a home run in the sixth inning and took the loss. Paulino's final line was two runs on four hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out three.

The real damage was done in the eighth inning when the Volcanoes plated seven runs. Six of them were charged to Jared Creek, who only lasted a third of an inning.

Catcher Ian Rice was 2 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base. He scored one run.

Shortstop Andrew Ely was 2 for 4 with a walk.

AZL Cubs

Off day.