Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: May 2

There's still time to vote in the Bleed Cubbie Blue Cubs Minor League Player of the Month poll.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were silenced by the Nashville Sounds (Athletics), 5-1.

Pierce Johnson started and took the loss after he allowed four runs on four hits in three innings. Johnson struck out three and walked no one.

Catcher Willson Contreras provided the only I-Cubs run with a home run in the eighth inning, his first of the season. Contreras was 1 for 4.

Second baseman Arismendy Alcantara was 2 for 3 with a walk.

Matt Murton was announced as starting this game, but he was replaced by Taylor Davis in the top of the first before he got a chance to bat. Initial reports from Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register is that he was injured. There was some speculation he had been promoted, but that sounds unfounded at this time.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies split a doubleheader with the Biloxi Shuckers (Brewers), losing the first game 3-2 and taking the second 4-1 in eight innings.

Tyler Skulina started and took the hard-luck loss. Skulina did allowed three runs in five innings of work, but all three runs were unearned because of an error in the second inning by third baseman Jeimer Candelario. Skulina gave up five hits, he walked three and hit one batter. Skulina struck out two.

Shortstop Carlos Penalver had an RBI triple in the second inning. He was 1 for 2 with a walk.

Jen-Ho Tseng started game two but had to exit in the third inning. It does appear that he was injured, but I don't have confirmation of that yet. Tseng pitched 2.1 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit. He struck out one and walked no one.

David Garner had two scoreless innings of relief to get the win. Garner allowed two hits and walked two while striking out three.

The save went to Corey Black, his second of the season. Black walked a runner with one out, but then got a great defensive play by Penalver to turn a 6-4-3 double play and end the game. Black did not strike anyone out.

The game went to extra innings after being tied 1-1 after seven, but left fielder Mark Zagunis let off the top of the eighth with a solo home run to dead center field. Zagunis was 1 for 2 with a walk.

Later in the eighth inning, Kelly Dugan got his first hit in the Cubs organization when he connected for a pinch-hit 2-run home run.

Catcher Victor Caratini was 2 for 3.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans went over .500 with a 3-2 win in 11 innings over the Winston-Salem Dash (White Sox).

Jake Stinnett pitched the first five innings and allowed just one unearned run on two hits. Stinnett struck out three and walked one.

David Berg got the win after not allowing a run over 2.1 innings of relief. Berg gave up three hits and didn't walk anyone. He struck out two.

James Farris pitched the bottom of the 11th and  got his fourth save. Farris allowed a two-out single, but nothing else. Farris struck out three and walked no one.

Third baseman Jason Vosler led off the top of the 11th and would later come around the score the winning run on a Daniel Lockhart fielder's choice. Vosler was 2 for 4.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs defanged the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers), 3-0.

Carson Sands pitched the first six innings for his second win. He allowed three hits and he walked three. Sands struck out four.

Preston Morrison piggybacked on Sands' start and threw the final three innings for his first save. Morrison allowed just one baserunner, a one-out double in the ninth. Morrison struck out five in an impressive short outing.

Left fielder Eloy Jimenez was 2 for 4 with a double. He scored the first run of the game in the fifth inning on a wild pitch.

Third baseman Matt Rose went 2 for 3 with an RBI.