Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: May 16

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs scored eight runs in the top of the ninth inning and stunned the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 8-3.

Starter Joe Biagini pitched five innings and allowed three runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out six.

Ryan Meisinger pitched the final two innings without allowing a run and got the win. Meisinger surrendered just one hit. He struck out four and walked no one.

Shortstop Sergio Alcantara hit a two-run double in the ninth to give the I-Cubs a 4-3 lead. Alcantara was 2 for 3 with a walk. He scored later in the inning.

Left fielder Trayce Thompson hit a three-run double in the top of the ninth. Thompson was 2 for 5 with one run scored.

Catcher Tyler Gushue and second baseman Andrew Romine got the comeback started in the ninth when they hit back-to-back RBI singles. Gushue was 2 for 4 with one run scored and Romine was 2 for 3 with a walk and one run scored.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were trashed by the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels), 12-8 in 13 innings.

Starter Cam Sanders gave up the first grand slam in Trash Pandas history in the second inning. Sanders pitched three innings and gave up four runs on three hits and three walks. He also hit one batter. Sanders struck out five.

Darius Valdez pitched two-thirds of an inning and he allowed two runs on two hits, two walks and two hit batters. He also struck out two. His fastball was sitting 99-100 mph on the stadium gun, but he had little idea where it was going most of the time. Catcher Miguel Amaya did a good job allowing only one wild pitch.

Both teams scored a run in the tenth inning and neither team scored in the eleventh or twelfth. Cayne Ueckert pitched both of those innings without allowing a baserunner other than the ghost runner that started the inning on second. He struck out two.

But after Tennessee scored a run in the top of the thirteenth, the Smokies ran out of pitchers and brought in catcher Erick Castillo for the save. Castillo failed to retire a batter and gave up a walk-off grand slam. That’s why he’s a catcher.

Left fielder Darius Hill continued his hot start to his time in Double-A as he went 5 for 6 with a double and a walk. Hill scored one run and had three RBI.

Right fielder Vance Vizcaino hit a two-run home run in the top of the first inning to give the Smokies an early lead. Vizcaino was 2 for 6. He was also thrown out trying to steal home in the eleventh inning.

Center fielder Connor Myers hit a solo home run in the fourth inning. Myers went 3 for 6 with two runs scored.

DH Tyler Payne also hit a solo home run in the fifth inning. It was Payne’s second home run this year. Payne went 1 for 6.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs overturned the Beloit Snappers (Marlins), 12-6.

Peyton Remy started and got the win despite giving up a pair of home runs. Remy pitched five innings and allowed four runs on seven hits. He struck out five, walked one and hit one batter.

First baseman Tyler Durna hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, his first of the season. Durna went 3 for 4 and scored two runs.

Center fielder Nelson Velazquez connected for his first home run of the year with the bases empty in the sixth inning. Velazquez went 2 for 5. He scored two runs and had two runs batted in.

Shortstop Delvin Zinn was 2 for 5 with two stolen bases. He scored three times. Zinn has nine steals in eleven games already this season.

Second baseman Bryce Windham went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He scored once and had one run batted in.

DH Cole Roederer was 2 for 4 with two walks. Roederer scored once.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans stopped the Augusta Green Jackets (Braves), 9-7 in ten innings on a walk-off home run by Matt Mervis.

Starter Adam Laskey pitched the first four innings and surrendered four runs on seven hits. He struck out four and walked one.

Carlos Ocampo pitched two perfect innings of relief, striking out four.

The win went to reliever Joe Nahas, who pitched two perfect innings and got the win. He did allow the ghost runner to score in the tenth after a sac bunt and a sac fly. Nahas struck out three.

Mervis came to bat with two on and no outs in the tenth and connected for his first home run as a professional, ending the game. Mervis was 1 for 4 with a sac fly and four total runs batted in.

Center fielder Edmond Americaan hit his third home run of the year in the fifth inning with a man on. Americaan was 2 for 5. He later hit an RBI double in the seventh inning, giving him three total runs batted in. Americaan scored twice.

Shortstop Ed Howard got his batting average up over .200 by going 2 for 4 with a walk. He had an RBI single in the third inning and scored on Mervis’ home run after drawing a walk.

Catcher Pablo Aliendo went 2 for 3. He scored twice.

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