Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: July 4

Congratulations to Ian Happ and Preston Morrison, who were named the Cubs Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Month for June.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs dried out the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 4-3.

Aaron Brooks started this game and pitched 3.1 innings. Brooks surrendered three runs on six hits, including two solo home runs. Brooks struck out five and walked no one.

Starling Peralta took home the win with 3.2 innings of scoreless relief. Peralta allowed three hits, but he didn't walk anyone and he struck out two.

Corey Black pitched the ninth and got his 11th save (and third for Iowa) the hard way. After easily retiring the first two batters on ground outs, he loaded the bases on a single and two walks. But he ended the game on a foul out that he caught himself.

Right fielder Mark Zagunis connected for his third Iowa home run and seventh overall with a man on in the bottom of the first inning. Zagunis went 2 for 4.

Rehabbing Tommy La Stella played the whole game at third base today and was 2 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored. He seems ready to me.

First baseman Dan Vogelbach was 1 for 2 with a double that scored La Stella in the fifth inning. Vogelbach walked twice and scored later in the fifth on a Matt Murton single that gave Iowa a 4-3 lead. Murton went 2 for 4.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies gained the high ground on the Jackson Generals (Mariners), 4-3.

Jen-Ho Tseng continued his string of strong performances since coming off the disabled list at the beginning of June. Tonight he got his fifth-straight win by allowing three runs on seven hits over seven innings. Two of the runs came on a two-run home run in the seventh. Tseng walked one and struck out three.

Jose Rosario pitched the ninth and struck out all three of the batters he faced for his fourth save.

All of the Smokies runs came on home runs in the first and second innings. The Smokies took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a home run by second baseman Chesny Young, his third of the season. Young was 1 for 3 with a walk.

In the second inning, catcher Ben Carhart hit his first home run of the season with two men on to make it 4-1. Carhart was 1 for 4.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans got blasted by the Winston-Salem Dash (White Sox), 8-0.

Zach Hedges took the loss, giving up a season-high seven runs on nine hits over 5.1 innings. Two of the runs were unearned. Hedges struck out four, but did not walk anyone.

Center fielder Rashad Crawford was 2 for 3 with a double and a walk. He also stole a base.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs lost to the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 6-3.

Starter Carson Sands didn't make it out of the third inning today, allowing four runs on eight hits in just 2.2 innings. Sands struck out one and walked one.

Third baseman Jesse Hodges tied up the score at 2-2 temporarily in the top of the second with a two-run double. He then gave South Bend a short-lived lead when he scored on an error. Hodges went 1 for 4.

Eugene Emeralds

The Eugene Emeralds ran the Everett AquaSox (Mariners) through the dryer, 7-5.

Pedro Silverio started tonight and lasted four innings. Silverio gave up three runs on four hits, including solo home runs in the first and second innings. Silverio walked four and stuck out five

Silverio was relieved by Enrique De Los Rio, who gave up the third AquaSox home run with the bases-empty in the fifth. He allowed two runs on three hits over 1.2 innings. De Los Rio walked one and struck out one.

Tommy Nance got the win in relief. He pitched 1.2 innings without allowing a hit or a run, although he did walk two. All five batters Nance retired went down on strikes.

Jared Cheek was perfect for the final 1.2 innings for his third save. He struck out two.

Trailing 4-1 in the top of the sixth, catcher Marcus Mastrobuoni came to the plate with the bases loaded and connected for his first professional home run ever, and it was a grand slam. But once was not enough for Mastrobuoni, who hit his second career home run in the eighth inning with the bases empty. Mastrobuoni was 2 for 5 with the five RBI.

Shortstop Andruw Monasterio went 3 for 4 with a run scored.

AZL Cubs

Lost to the Indians, 14-2.