What you've all been waiting for: Ian Happ was promoted to Double-A Tennessee. Starling Peralta was also promoted from Tennessee to Iowa.
Also, the Cubs and the South Bend Cubs announced and extension of their Player Development Contract through the 2020 season. Combined with the recent extension with Eugene, the Cubs now have four of their five affiliates locked up through at least the 2018 season. Myrtle Beach is the only one not locked up beyond this season, but I wouldn't be surprised if we hear of an extension with the Pelicans in the weeks to come.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs split a doubleheader with the Nashville Sounds (Athletics), winning game one 3-0 and dropping the second one 7-4.
Aaron Brooks started game one, throwing three innings and giving up just two hits. He struck out one and walked no one.
Dallas Beeler got the win, although it was because the Cubs scored their first run in the bottom of the fourth and not because Brooks didn't go five. Beeler pitched one innings, gave up a one-out single and struck out two.
Corey Black pitched the ninth inning and got his first Iowa save and his ninth save of the season overall. Black allowed a one-out double, but nothing else and the runner never got past second. Black struck out one.
Juan Perez doubled in a run and later scored a run in the sixth inning. He was 1 for 3.
Munenori Kawasaki was 2 for 3 in game one.
In game two, Starling Peralta made his Triple-A debut and it could have gone better. Peralta allowed five runs on six hits in just 2.2 innings. Peralta struck out two and walked one.
Left fielder Matt Murton was 2 for 3 and scored twice in game two. First baseman Jeimer Candelario was 2 for 3.
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies got speared by the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Reds), 6-4.
Tyler Skulina started this game but didn't get out of the third inning. Skulina allowed two-run home runs in both the first and second innings. The final line on Skulina was 2.1 innings, allowing four runs on three hits and two walks. He did not strike anyone out.
Center fielder Jacob Hannemann hit two home runs tonight, both solo shots. The first one led off the bottom of the first inning and the second one came in the seventh. Hannemann now has ten home runs on the year. He went 2 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base, his 24th on the year.
Third baseman Chesny Young was 2 for 4 and scored once.
Happ had a pinch-hit walk in his Double-A debut.
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans got stuck in the mud against the Carolina Mudcats (Braves), 2-1.
Hard-luck loss for starter Jonathan Martinez. Martinez allowed just two runs on only two hits over 7.1 innings. The two hits were a solo home run and an RBI double. Martinez walked three and struck out eight.
DH Daniel Spingola scored the only Pelicans run. He doubled in the fourth inning, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a ground out. Spingola was 1 for 3.
Shortstop Gleyber Torres was 2 for 4. Left fielder Charcer Burks was 2 for 3 with a double.
Highlights:
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs scored ten times in the eighth inning as they put down the Dayton Dragons (Reds), 11-1.
Starter Ryan Kellogg pitched well, allowing just one unearned run over six innings. Kellogg gave up three hits and walked one while striking out seven.
Greyfer Eregua got the win in relief. Eregua pitched two scoreless innings while giving up three hits. He walked one and struck out two.
The Cubs sent 14 batters to the plate in the eighth inning and Eloy Jimenez hit a three-run home run his second time up in the eighth. It was Jimenez's ninth home run this year. Jimenez was 2 for 5 with a double. He scored twice.
Second baseman Carlos Sepulveda was 2 for 5 with a two-run triple in the eighth. He scored once.
Catcher P.J. Higgins was 2 for 5 with a double and two runs scored. Shortstop Bryant Flete went 2 for 4. He doubled in a run and later scored in the eighth.
First baseman Josh Silver was a perfect 2 for 2 with a double and three walks. He scored one run and drove one in.
Eugene Emeralds
The Eugene Emeralds were tripped up by the Spokane Indians (Rangers), 11-9.
It wasn't starter Dylan Cease's fault that the Ems gave up so many runs. He allowed just one run on three hits over four innings. Cease struck out seven and walked no one.
Enrique De La Rosa came out to pitch the fifth inning and between him and Mark Malave, the Indians plated eight runs in the fifth. De La Rosa took the loss after allowing four runs on just one hit over two-thirds of an inning. It might have had something to do with the four walks he issued, while striking out none.
Shortstop Andruw Monasterio was 3 for 5. He scored twice and had two RBI. DH Wladimir Galindo was 2 for 5.
Right fielder Robert Garcia was 2 for 5 with a triple. Garcia had two RBI and one run scored. Second baseman Yeiler Peguero went 3 for 4 with a walk and three runs scored.
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