Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: August 24

Congratulations to Pelicans manager Buddy Bailey.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs made the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) blue, 5-3.

Rob Zastryzny started and got the win. Zastryzny allowed just one run on three hits over five innings. He walked one and struck out four.

Matt Carasiti pitched a perfect ninth inning, striking out the side on 12 pitches. It was his league-leading 20th save and seventh with the Cubs.

Shortstop Elliot Soto was 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored. Second baseman Jemile Weeks went 1 for 3 with an RBI triple in a four-run fifth inning. Weeks later scored that inning. He also walked once.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies went stale against the Montgomery Biscuits (Rays), 4-3 in 11 innings.

Zach Hedges started and allowed two runs on three hits over 5.1 innings. Hedges had some control issues as he walked four and struck out justone.

Ryan McNeil pitched the bottom of the 11th and gave up a two-out walkoff single. The final line on McNeil was one run on one hit and one walk. The winning run reached base on a dropped third strike to start the inning. That was McNeil’s one strikeout.

The Smokies scored all three runs in the sixth inning. Third baseman Jason Vosler tied the game 2-2 with a two-run home run. It was Vosler’s 21st home run and third in the past two games. Vosler was 2 for 5 with a walk.

First baseman Yasiel Balaguert hit his 15th home run back-to-back with Vosler. Balaguert had a big night, going 4 for 5.

Shortstop Carlos Penalver was 2 for 5.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans beat the Down East Wood Ducks (Rangers) 5-4. The win was the 2000th in manager Buddy Bailey’s 29-year career of managing in the minors.

Oscar De La Cruz returned to the Pelicans for the first time since going on the disabled list on June 1. De La Cruz allowed two runs on three hits over three innings. He walked one and struck out one.

Ryan Kellogg pitched the next four innings and got the win. Kellogg surrendered two runs on three hits. He walked one and struck out one.

Scott Effross pitched the eighth and ninth inning without allowing a run for the save. He gave up one hit and struck out one. He did not walk anyone.

Third baseman Jesse Hodges tied the game with a two-run double in the seventh inning. The next batter, Tyler Alamo, doubled him home to give the Pelicans the lead. Hodges went 1 for 4 and Alamo was 1 for 3 and was hit by a pitch.

Left fielder Eddy Martinez was 2 for 4 with two doubles and one run scored.

Bailey started his managerial career in 1983 when Braves manager Joe Torre told him that the Braves wanted the the 25-year-old minor league catcher to manage the Braves rookie league team. He managed in the Braves minor league system until joining the Red Sox in 1991. He managed nine years managing in the Red Sox system as well serving as Boston’s major league bench coach in 2000. He also spent a few seasons doing other jobs for the Boston front office. He joined the Cubs organization in 2006 and won league titles with Daytona in 2011 and the Pelicans last season. He is the 11th manager to win 2000 games in minor league history.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs swept away the West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers), 5-2. It was South Bend’s 7th straight win.

Jose Paulino pitched the first six innings and got the win. Paulino allowed just one run on six hits. He struck out four and didn’t walk anyone.

Wyatt Short pitched the ninth in a non-save situation and almost blew it. He gave up one run and then loaded the bases with two outs, bringing the winning run to the plate. But Short then got a fly ball to left to end the game.

DH Joe Martarano was 3 for 4. He had one run scored and one driven in.

Shortstop Andruw Monasterio was 1 for 4 with a walk and two steals. He also scored one run and had one RBI.

Eugene Emeralds

The Eugene Emeralds beat the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (Giants), 4-3.

Starter Jesus Camargo allowed one run in the first inning and one in his sixth and final inning. Those were the only two runs he allowed on four hits. Camargo walked two, hit one batter and struck out nine.

Ricky Tyler Thomas pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Camargo. Thomas allowed one hit. He didn’t walk anyone and he struck out two.

Luis Aquino pitched the ninth inning and blew a save, but got the win when the Ems struck for a run in the bottom of the inning. Aquino allowed one run on three hits. He struck out one and walked no one.

Right fielder Jose Gonzalez hit a one-out triple in the bottom of the ninth and scored on a Chris Singleton sacrifice fly. Gonzalez was 1 for 4 and Singleton was 0 for 3.

DH Michael Cruz was 1 for 3 with an RBI double in the fourth inning. He was plated that inning by an RBI double for catcher Miguel Amaya, who was 1 for 4. Cruz was also intentionally walked once.

AZL Cubs

Beat the Brewers, 9-1.

Alec Mills tossed three scoreless innings in a rehab assignment.