Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: May 24

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs shut out the Reno Aces (Diamondbacks), 5-0. It was Iowa’s first shutout win since Opening Day.

Five Iowa pitchers combined on this shutout. Juan Paniagua pitched the first three innings and gave up just one hit. He walked two and struck out five.

Miguel Mejia pitched the next two innings and got the win because Paniagua didn’t go five innings. Mejia also allowed just one hit. He walked one and struck out one.

Conor Mullee, in his Cubs system debut, allowed two hits over the next 1.2 innings, striking out one. Dylan Florio had 1.1 innings without allowing a hit, but he did walk one. Finally, Justin Grimm pitched the ninth inning in a non-save situation. Grimm allowed a one-out single, but nothing else.

Catcher Ali Solis connected for his first home run of the year in the sixth inning off of former Cubs farmhand Eric Jokisch, who took the loss for the Aces today. Solis was 2 for 4.

Center fielder John Andreoli was 2 for 4 with a walk and a double to lead off the bottom of the first. He scored twice.

Right fielder Stephen Bruno was 3 for 4 with an RBI. Shortstop Elliot Soto was 2 for 4 with a double and one run scored.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies sliced open the Biloxi Shuckers (Brewers), 5-4 in ten innings.

Zach Hedges pitched the first five innings and allowed two runs on six hits, including a solo home run in the fourth inning. Hedges walked three and struck out five.

Andury Acevedo pitched the ninth and tenth innings without allowing a run for his first win of the year. Acevedo allowed a hit and a walk while striking out two.

Former Smokie Tayler Scott walked third baseman Jason Vosler with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the tenth to force in the winning run. Vosler was 1 for 3 with two walks.

Ian Rice hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning to give the Smokies a 4-2 lead. It was Rice’s sixth home run this season. Rice was 1 for 4.

Second baseman David Bote was 2 for 4 with a walk. Left fielder Carlos Penalver was 2 for 4 and scored once.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans swept a doubleheader from the Winston-Salem Dash (White Sox), 4-3 in eight innings and 3-2.

Justin Steele pitched all seven regularly-scheduled innings and allowed three runs on eight hits. Steele struck out five and walked no one.

Pedro Araujo got the win by walking a tightrope in the top of the eight. A walk, a stolen base, a single and another stolen base put runners on second and third with no outs. Then Araujo struck out the next batter, followed by an intentional walk to load the bases with one out. A strikeout and a grounder to third ended the threat with no runs scoring.

Second baseman Andrew Monasterio drove home Eddy Martinez from second base with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth. Monasterio was 2 for 3 with a walk and Martinez was 1 for 3 with a double and a walk. Martinez scored twice.

In game two, starter Kyle Miller pitched four innings and allowed two runs on four hits. One of the two runs was unearned. Miller walked two and struck out two.

Casey Bloomquist got the win because Miller didn’t go five innings. Bloomquist tossed two innings without allowing a run or a hit. He did walk one and struck out two.

Dillon Maples pitched the top of the seventh inning for his first save of the season. Maples walked one and struck out one.

Martinez was 1 for 2 with a walk and a stolen base in game two. He scored one run in the second inning and drove home another in the third.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were massacred by the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Rays), 13-3.

Tyson Miller started and took the loss. Miller lasted just 3.1 innings and allowed five runs on eight hits. He walked three and struck out one.

All three South Bend runs came on home runs. Third baseman Wladimir Galindo hit his third home run of the season in the fourth inning with a man on. It was Galindo’s third home run this year. He was 2 for 3 with a walk.

Left fielder Luis Ayala hit his first home run of the year in the seventh inning with the bases empty. Ayala was 1 for 3.