Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: July 17

Nearly a perfect game in Tennessee tonight.

Dillon Maples was promoted to Triple-A Iowa today and there has been much talk about him getting a September call-up or even before that if there is a need in the bullpen. If that happens, it will be one of the greatest turnarounds I’ve ever seen in the Cubs system. If he makes the bullpen, I ask that in the game threads he be given the nickname “zombie” because his status as a prospect was dead and buried before this season.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs silenced the Nashville Sounds (Athletics), 1-0.

Jen-Ho Tseng was dominating tonight as he got his second Triple-A win. He went seven innings and allowed just three hits. He struck out eight and walked one.

Felix Pena pitched the ninth inning and got the save. Pena allowed a leadoff triple, which put the tying run on third with no outs. But he recorded a grounder to first base a strikeout and a terrific play at shortstop by Elliot Soto on a ground ball to end the game with an Iowa victory.

Soto also hit a home run in the seventh inning off of former Cubs pitcher Felix Doubront. It was his first home run of the season. Soto was 2 for 3.

Jacob Hannemann left this game after getting hit in the mouth or the jaw with a pitch in the seventh inning. He walked off under his own power, but he did appear to be spitting blood as he left. He’l probably going to need to see a dentist as well.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies beat the Mobile BayBears (Angels), 3-2.

The Smokies pitchers had a perfect game going until one out in the ninth inning. Kyle Hendricks started this game on a rehab assignment, went five innings and retired all 15 batters he faced. Hendricks struck out three.

Duane Underwood Jr. took over in the sixth inning and retired the first ten batters he faced. With one out in the ninth, he gave up a hard-hit single to center field. After striking out the next batter, Underwood gave up a two-run home run to Michael Hermosillo that tied the game. Then he gave up two more singles, but got a strikeout to end the inning with the game still tied.

The final line on Underwood was four innings, allowing two runs on four hits. He struck out five and walked no one.

In the bottom of the inning, BayBears pitcher Michael Dimock retired the first two batters, but then hit both Daniel Spingola and Carlos Penalver to put two on with two outs. Cael Brockmeyer hit a walkoff single to end the game. Brockmeyer was 2 for 4.

Center fielder Trey Martin was 2 for 4 and scored one run.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans split a doubleheader with the Buies Creek Astros, losing the continuation of yesterday’s game 5-4 and winning game two 2-0 in 11 innings.

Justin Steele pitched four innings before the rains came yesterday. Steele allowed one run on three hits over four innings. Steele walked two and struck out two.

Jordan Minch got the loss. He entered a tie game and faced three batters. He struck out the first one, but then walked the next two before giving way to Pedro Araujo. Araujo then walked the bases loaded and gave up a sacrifice fly that turned out to be the winning run.

Third baseman Jesse Hodges went 2 for 4 with an RBI double in the third inning. He also scored a run in the top of the eighth.

Shortstop Zach Short was 3 for 5 with two runs scored in the first game. Second baseman Trent Giambrone went 2 for 5.

In game two, starter Michael Rucker was magnificent for eight scoreless innings. He gave up just two hits and didn’t walk anyone. Rucker struck out ten.

James Norwood got the win after pitching the next two innings without allowing a hit. He struck out four and walked just one.

Dakota Mekkes got the save after striking out the side in the bottom of the eleventh. Mekkes has now gone 17.2 innings in Myrtle Beach without allowing a run.

Hodges singled home Short in the top of the 11th to score the first run of the game in game two. Then Tyler Alamo singled home Eddy Martinez for an insurance run.

Alamo was 2 for 4 with a walk. Vimael Machin was 2 for 5.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs detasseled the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins), 2-1.

Manuel Rondon got his tenth win of the season after he allowed just one run on four hits over 6.2 innings. Rondon walked three and struck out three.

Wyatt Short got the four-out save. Short allowed two hits and pitched out of a second-and-third, one-out jam in the ninth. He walked one and struck out two.

Catcher Alberto Mineo had a two-run single in the third inning that was the difference in this game. Mineo was 1 for 4.

Left fielder Kevonte Mitchell was 2 for 3 with a double and a walk.

Highlights:

Eugene Emeralds

The Eugene Emeralds ran the Everett AquaSox (Mariners) through the wringer, 5-4.

Starting pitcher Javier Assad went five innings gave up four runs on eight hits, including two solo home runs. Assad struck out five and walked one.

The Ems bullpen did not allow a baserunner over four innings. Jhon Romero pitched three innings, striking out one. The win went to Luis Aquino, who threw a perfect top of the ninth, striking out one.

Third baseman Rafael Narea provided a walkoff RBI single with two out in the ninth. Narea went 2 for 4 with a double and scored once.

Shortstop Aramis Ademan hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, his third of the season. Ademan was 2 for 4.

Center fielder Zach Davis went 3 for 4 with a double. He scored on Ademan’s home run and had one RBI.

AZL Cubs

Lost to the Giants, 12-7.