Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: July 8

Kris Bryant is scheduled to make a rehab appearance in Tennessee on Monday night. He just missed “Kris Bryant Koozie Giveaway” night, which was today.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were quieted by the Nashville Sounds (Athletics), 5-3.

Starter Eddie Butler went three innings and took the loss after giving up two runs on five hits. He walked one and struck out one.

Catcher Ali Solis plated the first Iowa run with a solo home run in the eighth inning. It was his first of the season. Solis was 1 for 3 with a sacrifice fly in the ninth for two total RBI.

Center fielder Trey Martin went 2 for 3 with a triple and a walk. He scored on the Solis sac fly.

Third baseman Jason Vosler singled to lead off the ninth inning to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. Vosler was 1 for 4 and scored once.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were battered by the Montgomery Biscuits (Rays), 7-1.

Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Month for June Duncan Robinson was cooled off by a Biscuits team that hit two home runs off him in just five innings. The final line on Robinson was six runs, five earned, on seven hits. He walked one and struck out two.

Yasiel Balaguert doubled home Charcer Burks in the bottom of the first inning for the Smokies sole run. Both players were 1 for 4.

Eddy Martinez went 3 for 4.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were tripped up by the Buies Creek Astros, 8-7 in ten innings.

Starter Tyson Miller allowed four runs on five hits over five innings. Miller struck out six and walked just one.

Casey Bloomquist had a rough game, blowing the save twice. (I believe he can only be credited with one blown save.) He allowed one run in the eighth inning and while he pitched a perfect ninth inning, he stayed in the ballgame after the Pelicans scored twice in the top of the tenth. He faced three batters, retired none of them, gave up three runs and took the loss.

The final line on Bloomquist was 2+ innings, allowing four runs on three hits. One of the runs in the ninth was unearned, of course. He walked three and struck out one.

DH Jhonny Pereda hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh to give the Pelicans a 5-4 lead. It was Pereada’s sixth home run this year. He was 2 for 6 and scored twice.

Shortstop Aramis Ademan went 2 for 4 with two walks. He scored twice and had one run batted in.

Catcher P.J. Higgins was 3 for 6 with two RBI.

Right fielder Luis Ayala went 2 for 5 with a double and one run scored.

First baseman Jared Young went 2 for 5 with a sacrifice fly.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs stripped the Lansing Lugnuts (Blue Jays), 10-0.

Arguably the best start of the year for Brendon Little, who set a career-high with nine strikeouts along with just one walk over six scoreless innings. Little allowed just three hits.

Brendan King pitched the final three innings for a save. He gave up one hit. King struck out three and did not walk anyone, although he did hit one batter.

South Bend clubbed 15 hits and two home runs tonight. Center fielder Chris Singleton hit his fourth of the year with the bases empty in the fourth inning. Singleton was 2 for 4 with a walk and an RBI. He scored twice. The 2 for 4 today put Singleton’s batting average up over .200 for the first time since April 13.

DH Miguel Amaya hit his 11th of the year with the bases empty in the seventh inning. Amaya went 2 for 5 and scored twice.

Left fielder Zach Davis went 3 for 4 with two walks and one steal. He scored once.

Catcher Michael Cruz was 2 for 5 with a pair of doubles and a pair of RBI.

Third baseman Cam Balego went 3 for 5 with a double. He scored once and drove home two.

Eugene Emeralds

The Eugene Emeralds scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth to jump over the Hillsboro Hops (Diamondbacks), 4-3.

Starter Jose Albertos pitched four innings and allowed two runs on four hits. Albertos struck out five and only walked two, which would be more promising if he hadn’t hit two batters. Albertos threw 69 pitches and 38 were strikes, which is better than most of his starts this season.

Eugenio Palma threw the final three innings without allowing a run to get the win. He did give up one hit, walk three and he hit one batter, but he got out of a second and third with no outs and bases-loaded with one out jam in the seventh inning. Palma struck out four.

Pinch-runner Fernando Kelli scampered to third and the home from second base reliever Kei-Wei Lin threw two pitches and both were wild pitches. (Ems hitter Jonathan Soto swung at both of them, however.)

Kelli was on second because DH Gustavo Polanco hit a game-tying ground-rule double in the bottom of the ninth. Polanco was 2 for 4 with two doubles.

First baseman Tyler Duma also hit a ground-rule double just before Polanco’s double. He was 1 for 4 and scored once.

Here’s the winning run.

AZL Cubs

Cubs 1 were beating Indians 2 2-1 in the 4th inning.

Justin Steele pitched three innings in this game, giving up one run on a solo home run. Corey Black relieved him, so this is apparently the TJ surgery rehab game.

Cubs 2 were losing to the Athletics 3-2 in the 5th inning.