Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 11

Three Pelicans, catcher Jhonny Pereda, shortstop Aramis Ademan and right-handed pitcher Tyler Peyton were named to the Carolina League All-Star Game.

Opening Night for the Emeralds is Friday. So this is my last week of early nights.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs split a doubleheader with the El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres), winning game one 6-5 and losing the second one 3-1.

Jen-Ho Tseng didn’t make it out of the first inning this morning, giving up three runs on three hits and a walk over two-thirds of an inning. Tseng struck out one.

Rob Zastryzny kept the game close and was in line for the win with only one run allowed over 3.1 innings. Then Alberto Baldonado blew the save when he allowed one run on four hits over two innings. Baldonado walked two and struck out three. One of those walks was intentional, but he also hit one batter.

But Baldonado got the win when Iowa pushed across a run in the bottom of the sixth. Then Dillon Maples pitched the top of the seventh and struck out the side for the save.

Pinch-hitter Mike Freeman hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Lane Adams, who had walked, went to second on a ground out and then stole third base.

Catcher Victor Caratini hit his first home run of the season, majors or minors, with a man on in the fourth inning. Caratini went 2 for 4 with three RBI.

Center fielder Jacob Hannemann was 2 for 3 with a double and two runs scored. He also had one run batted in.

Here’s the video of Maples appearance.

In game two, starter Alec Mills gave up a two-run home run in the fourth inning to Javy Guerra and that basically was the ballgame. Mills pitched well other than that, though, allowing just the two runs on four hits over five innings. He struck out seven and walked just one.

Iowa only managed two hits in game two. They did walk five times, but didn’t take advantage.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies defenestrated the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 5-3.

Starter Thomas Hatch gave up a three-run home run in the second inning, but was pretty good otherwise. (Yeah, I know that’s a big “otherwise.”) Hatch went five innings and allowed three runs on four hits. He did walk three and hit one batter while striking out just one.

The win went to Scott Effross, who pitched two scoreless innings, giving up just one hit. He walked one and struck out two.

Craig Brooks pitched a perfect top of the ninth for his fourth save. He struck out two.

Right fielder Trent Giambrone got the Smokies on the board with a solo home run in the third inning, his sixth of the season. Giambrone also broke a 3-3 tie in the seventh inning with a two-run double. He was 2 for 3.

First baseman Yasiel Balaguert led off the four-run seventh inning with a home run, also his sixth this season. Balaguert went 2 for 4.

Here’s Giambrone’s double:

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans saw their nine-game winning streak snapped with a 10-7 loss to the Winston-Salem Dash (White Sox).

Bryan Hudson started and took the loss. Hudson allowed five runs on seven hits over 5.1 innings. Hudson walked three and struck out five.

Second baseman Andruw Monasterio was 3 for 5 with three RBI and two runs scored.

Catcher Jhonny Pereda had a pair of doubles and three RBI in a 2 for 5 game.

Center fielder Zach Davis was 2 for 2 and was hit by pitches twice. He scored one run.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs surfed past the West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers), 6-3.

For the first time this season, Brandon Little followed up a good start with another pretty good start. (Little’s first 10 appearances of the season were 5 good and 5 bad, alternating the whole way.) Unfortunately, he left the game in the fifth inning with the trainer. I don’t have a report at this time about what, if anything, was wrong with Little.

The final line on Little was no runs and just one hit over 4.2 innings. He struck out four and walked just one.

The win went to Ben Hecht, despite allowing three runs on two hits and a walk over 2.1 innings. Hecht did strike out five.

Garrett Kelly got his first save in the Cubs organization when he retired the final six Whitecaps batters in order. Kelly struck out three of them.

Center fielder Chris Singleton tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth with his second home run of the season. Singleton was 1 for 3 and was hit by a pitch. He also stole one base.

Right fielder Roberto Caro went 2 for 5 with a stolen base. He scored once.

Shortstop Jhonny Bethencourt was 2 for 4 with a double, a walk and a stolen base. Bethencourt scored once and had one RBI.

Third baseman Austin Filiere went 2 for 3 with a walk and one RBI. He also scored one run.

Left fielder Brandon Hughes was 2 for 4 with one run batted in. First baseman Jared Young went 2 for 5.