Congratulations to Smokies outfielder Jeffrey Baez, who is your choice for the BCB Minor League Player of the Month!
You still have time to vote for the Pitcher of the Month Award. I’ll announce the winner of that vote tomorrow.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs came all the way back from a 7-0 deficit, only to lose to the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 8-7 in ten innings.
Starter Jen-Ho Tseng put the I-Cubs in that big hole with a six-run third inning where the first six batters of the inning all reached. The final line on Tseng was seven runs on seven hits over three innings. One of those seven hits was a grand slam by Paulo Orlando. Tseng walked five, hit one batter and struck out five.
After that, Alberto Baldonado gave the the I-Cubs the chance to get back in the game with three scoreless innings, giving up just one hit. Baldonado struck out four and did not walk anyone.
Justin Hancock pitched the ninth and tenth inning and didn’t deserve the loss. Orlando started the inning on second base and he scored on an error by third baseman David Bote. Hancock’s line was two innings, allowing one unearned run on no hits. He did walk two, although one was intentional. Hancock struck out three.
The Iowa lineup faced Kyle Lohse, the 1996 Cubs draftee who hadn’t pitched a game since July of 2016. The I-Cubs scored three runs in the third inning and two in the fourth on Lohse. First baseman Efren Navarro hit a two-run home run off Lohse in the fourth inning, his second of the season. Navarro went 1 for 3 with two walks and two runs scored.
Right fielder Mark Zagunis tied the game up 7-7 in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run home run. It was Zagunis’ third home run of the year. Zagunis was 1 for 4 with a walk.
Bote was 2 for 5 with two one-run singles. Bote also walked once and scored once. However, he made that crucial error in the tenth and then struck out with the bases loaded to end the game.
Left fielder Wynton Bernard went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He also stole one base and scored once.
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies were defenestrated by the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 8-3.
Starting pitcher Trevor Clifton didn’t make it out of the first inning. He retired only two batters, and one of those was a caught stealing. (The other was a strikeout, so there’s that.) Clifton took the loss after he gave up two runs on two hits and three walks in two-thirds of an inning.
Center fielder Trey Martin had a two-run double in garbage time in the bottom of the ninth. He scored later in the inning on a passed ball. He was 1 for 4.
Left fielder Charcer Burks was 2 for 4 and scored on the Martin double.
Catcher Ian Rice was 2 for 4.
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans shut out the Carolina Mudcats (Brewers), 3-0. It was the Pelicans’ fourth-straight win.
Terrific start by Tyson Miller tonight, who gave up just three singles over seven innings. He struck out seven and struck out one.
Jhon Romero got the save in the ninth when Wyatt Short got into trouble in the ninth. The first batter Romero faced hit an infield single to load the bases with two outs, but the second one struck out to end the game. It was Romero’s second save.
The Pelicans had 13 hits tonight, but all of them were singles to go along with five walks. They only scored three runs because they were 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position. (They were also caught stealing twice.)
Shortstop Andruw Monasterio was 3 for 5 and scored once.
Catcher Jhonny Pereda, the hero of Tuesday’s game, was 2 for 4 with a walk and an RBI.
Left fielder Kevonte Mitchell was 2 for 3 with a walk and one run scored.
Right fielder Chris Pieters was 2 for 4. He scored one run and drove in one.
Center fielder Connor Myers was 2 for 4.
Highlights:
Since the Pelicans 3-12 start to the season, they’ve gone 8-3 since and are now at least tied for last place in their division with Carolina.
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs at least got three hits after being no-hit on Tuesday, but still no runs as they were harvested by the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins), 3-0 in a game that ended after 5 1⁄2 innings because of rain.
Erich Uelmen started and took the loss. Uelmen gave up four runs on six hits in just three innings. He struck out three and walked one
DH Austin Filiere was 1 for 2 with a double in the second inning.