Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: May 11

Two days and one game after tossing a no-hitter, the Iowa Cubs’ pitching staff tossed a two-hitter tonight.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs cast out the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 11-1.

Just two days after Iowa threw a no-hitter, Joe Biagini pitched the first five innings without allowing a hit or a run. Biagini walked two and struck out six.

Dakota Mekkes came on to relieve Biagini and gave up a solo home run with two outs in the seventh, the first hit of the day for the Saints. Mekkes pitched two innings, allowed one hit and one run. He walked two and struck out one.

Catcher PJ Higgins got the scoring started in the top of the first inning with an RBI single and Iowa never looked back. Higgins had a great game, going 3 for 3 with a double and two walks. He batted in two runs and scored three times.

First baseman Tyler Gushue went 2 for 5 with four runs batted in.

Left fielder Cameron Maybin was 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. Maybin scored twice and had two RBI.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies took out the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels), 4-3 in ten innings.

Starter Cam Sanders pitched well tonight with the exception of a pair of solo home runs, one in the fourth inning and one in the fifth. The final line on Sanders was three runs on four hits over 4.1 innings. He struck out seven and walked two. Sanders did hit one batter as well.

Cayne Ueckert got the win after keeping the Trash Pandas off the board in the eighth and ninth innings. Ueckert allowed a hit and a walk, but faced the minimum thanks to catcher Miguel Amaya throwing out two baserunners trying to steal. Ueckert struck out three.

The save went to Manuel Rodriguez, who pitched the bottom of the tenth, allowing no runs and no hits. He gave up just one walk. Rodriguez struck out two.

Smokies pitchers, which also includes Scott Effross, struck out 15 batters tonight.

Second baseman Christian Donahue laid down a squeeze bunt in the top of the tenth, scoring “ghost runner” Connor Myers. Donahue was 0 for 3 with a walk.

Amaya went 2 for 5. He also stole a base and threw out the two runners trying to steal.

Third baseman Levi Jordan hit a solo home run in the top of the second. Jordan also tied up the game 3-3 with an RBI single in the sixth. Jordan was 2 for 4.

DH Tyler Payne hit a solo home run in the fourth inning. Payne went 2 for 4.

Left fielder Zach Davis was 3 for 5 with a double.

The Smokies struck out 16 times in this game. There were a lot of strikeouts in this game.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were bitten by the Beloit Snappers (Marlins), 3-0.

South Bend starter Peyton Remy was the hard-luck loser tonight. He gave up a solo home run in the second inning and not much else. His final line was one run on four hits over five innings. Remy struck out six and walked three.

The Snappers took a perfect game into the eighth inning when first baseman Jacob Olson doubled. That was South Bend’s only baserunner of the game. Olson was 1 for 3.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans tattered the Augusta GreenJackets (Braves), 4-2.

Adam Laskey started and pitched 3.1 innings. He gave up two runs, one earned, on three hits. He struck out six and walked two.

Joe Nahas pitched four innings of scoreless relief and got the win, which was the first of his career. Nahas surrendered just one hit and issued no walks, but he did hit two batters. Nahas struck out six.

The save went to Scott Kobos and it was an adventure. Kobos allowed singles to the first two batters he faced before striking out the next two. Kobos then walked the bases loaded with two outs before getting his third strikeout of the inning to end the game and complete the save.

Playing his first professional game, first baseman Matt Mervis hit a three-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Pelicans the lead. Mervis was 1 for 3 with a walk.

Center fielder Darius Hill was 3 for 4 with a double. Hill is hitting .375 so far on the young season.

UPDATE: Pelicans highlights!