Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: August 28

Congratulations to to catcher Victor Caratini and reliever Matt Carasiti were named to the 2017 All-PCL Team. Reliever Wyatt Short was named to the All-Midwest League Team.

I put this in a fanshot, but since no one around here reads the fanshots, I’ll put this video tribute to Iowa Cubs fan favorite Taylor Davis here.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs lost to the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals), 4-3.

Jen-Ho Tseng continued his strong run of pitching after allowing just one run on five hits over five innings. Tseng struck out two and did not walk anyone.

Justin Grimm pitched the sixth inning in a rehab appearance. He gave up one run on one hit, a solo home run by Tyler O’Neill. Grimm struck out two and did not walk anyone.

Matt Carasiti entered the game in the bottom of the ninth with the game tied 3-3 and took the loss after allowing a run on three straight one-out hits. Carasiti did not have a strikeout.

Center fielder Jacob Hannemann hit his fifth home run of the season, a solo home run in the second inning. Hannemann was 1 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base.

Taylor Davis tied the game in the top of the ninth with an RBI double. Davis went 3 for 4 with a walk.

John Andreoli was 2 for 5. Chris Dominguez was 2 for 4 with a double.

Rehabbing Addison Russell played five innings and shortstop and went 1 for 3 with a double.

Here’s Russell’s double.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were vassalized by the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 4-3 in 11 innings.

Starter Chris Nunn allowed three runs on four hits over 5.1 innings. However, all three runs scored after reliever James Pugliese entered the game with one out and the bases-loaded in the sixth. Nunn walked three and struck out five.

The winning run in this game scored on an obstruction call on Smokies catcher Ian Rice. I was following South Bend and Iowa so I’m not sure of the details on this one—I’ll try to update if I get the details later.

EDIT: Here’s the final play of the game. Looking at that, I’m biased but I’d say Barons’ Mason Robbins has a career in soccer with that kind of a dive. It looked to me like Rice left the base path and Robbins reached out and grabbed Rice and then fell to the ground. Maybe someone else sees it differently. Smokies manager Mark Johnson definitely saw it the way I saw it.

Daury Torrez took the loss after allowing the one unearned run on three hits over 2.2 innings. He walked three and struck out two.

Center fielder Trey Martin was 3 for 5 with two doubles and two RBI. Catcher Ian Rice went 2 for 3 with two walks and one RBI.

First baseman Yasiel Balaguert was 2 for 5 and scored once.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Off day

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs demoted the Lake County Captains (Indians), 6-3.

Manuel Rondon improved his record to 14-6 after allowing three runs on six hits over 5+ innings. He did not allow any runs over his first five innings, but he got into trouble to start the fifth inning. Rondon walked two and struck out three.

Wyatt Short pitched the ninth innings without allowing a run to get the save. Short walked one batter, but didn’t give up any hits. He struck out two.

Shortstop Andruw Monasterio led off the bottom of the first inning with his first home run of the season. He also hit a two-run triple in the fifth inning. Monasterio went 2 for 4 and scored twice. He got the hard half of a cycle.

Center fielder D.J. Wilson hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, his ninth of the year. Wilson also doubled in a 2 for 4 game. He had two RBI.

First baseman Austin Upshaw was 2 for 3 with two doubles and walk. Second baseman Yeiler Peguero was 2 for 3 and scored one run.

Two weeks ago, South Bend’s playoff hopes were deader than a doornail. However, they’ve won ten of their last eleven games and Bowling Green has lost nine in a row. They now trail the Hot Rods by one game for the final playoff spot with six games to play. The Cubs finish their season with a three game series at Bowling Green.

Highlights:

Eugene Emeralds

The Eugene Emeralds were left under the bed by the Everett AquaSox (Mariners), 5-4.

Starter Jose Albertos pitched four innings and gave up three runs, two earned, on two hits. Albertos walked two and struck out seven.

Luis Aquino gave up a run in the eighth inning and another in the ninth and took the loss. Aquino allowed two runs on a hit and two walks over 1.1 innings. Also three wild pitches that led to the run in the eighth inning. Aquino struck out two.

First baseman Gustavo Polanco hit a solo home run in the sixth inning, his second of the season. Polanco went 2 for 4.

Left fielder Zach Davis went 3 for 5 with a double and a stolen base. He scored once.

AZL Cubs

Beat the Padres 2, 9-4.