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Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs were run over by the Round Rock Express (Rangers), 10-6.
Williams Perez is not off to a good start to the season. Tonight he took the loss after allowing seven runs, six earned, on ten hits over five innings. Perez walked two and struck out four. After three starts for Iowa, Perez is 0-3 with a 10.93 ERA. Yep, tonight’s outing actually slightly lowered his season ERA.
Left fielder Mark Zagunis continued his surge as he hit his third home run in the past four games with a man on in the sixth inning. Zagunis now has four home runs this season. Zagunis went 1 for 3 with a walk.
DH Tommy La Stella was 2 for 5 and scored once. Third baseman Jeimer Candelario went 2 for 4 and scored once. First baseman Taylor Davis went 2 for 4.
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies swept a doubleheader from the Chattanooga Lookouts (Twins), 2-0 and 1-0.
Zach Hedges had a complete-game, one-hit, seven-inning shutout in game one. He walked two and struck out three.
DH Andrew Ely had a two-run single in the top of the seventh. Ely was 1 for 2 with a walk.
Catcher Ian Rice went 2 for 3 and scored on the Ely single.
In game two, starter James Pugliese pitched three innings. He only allowed one hit, but he did walk three batters. Pugliese struck out one.
David Berg got the win because Pugliese didn’t go five innings. Berg allowed two hits over two innings. He struck out two and walked no one.
Daury Torrez got a two-inning save, but not without some drama. He loaded the bases in the sixth inning before getting a strikeout to end the threat. Torrez gave up just one hit, but he walked three and he struck out three.
Charcer Burks walked to lead off the game. He stole second, went to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a David Bote ground out. That was the only run of game two.
The Smokies won game two despite getting just two singles.
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans beat the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Royals), 7-6.
Starter Oscar de la Cruz pitched five innings and allowed two runs on eight hits. He struck out six and walked two.
Scott Effross had a bad night, but he got the win anyway. Effross pitched one inning, the top of the eighth, and he gave up three runs on four hits and one hit batsman. Effross did strike out one and walked no one.
Pedro Araujo took the save, but not without difficulty. He gave up one run on two hits in his one inning. Araujo had no strikeouts or walks.
Pinch-hitter Robert Garcia gave the Pelicans the lead for good when he hit a two-run triple in the bottom of the eighth.
DH Tyler Alamo hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, his second of the season. Alamo was 2 for 3 with two RBI and two runs scored. He was also hit by a pitch.
Shortstop Trent Giambrone was 2 for 5 with an RBI double in the fifth inning. Second baseman Bryant Flete went 2 for 5 and had one RBI.
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs stripped the Lansing Lugnuts (Blue Jays), 11-6.
Starter Manuel Rondon had some control issues as he walked five and struck out just one in four innings. But he only allowed four hits and two runs.
Dakota Mekkes got the win because Rondon didn’t last five innings. Mekkes gave up a run on one hit and two walks over 1.1 innings. Mekkes struck out one.
Second baseman Zack Short hit a three-run home run in the second inning and then hit another three-run home run in the fifth inning. Short now has four home runs already this year after hitting just one all of last year. Short also doubled off the wall in the ninth. His final line on the night was 3 for 5 with a walk and six RBI.
Catcher Jhonny Pereda went 4 for 5 with a double and one run batted in. He also scored twice.
First baseman Vimael Machin was 3 for 5 with a walk and two runs scored. DH Yeiler Peguero went 2 for 6 with an RBI triple in the fourth inning. He later scored that inning as well.