Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 1

Before we get to tonight’s games, there was a lot of movement in the Cubs minor league system as we started the month of June.

Going from High-A South Bend to Double-A Tennessee were:

OF Brennen Davis (technically ending a rehab assignment), 2B Chase Strumpf, RHP Matteo Bocchi, LHP Brandon Hughes (still listed by MiLB as an outfielder) and RHP Peyton Remy,

Going from Low-A Myrtle Beach to South Bend were:

OF Edmond Americaan, RHP Jose Albertos, LHP Scott Kobos and RHP Eduarniel Nunez.

Finally, joining Myrtle Beach from Extended Spring Training were:

RHP Danis Correa, RHP Jeremiah Estrada (coming back from Tommy John!), RHP Gabriel Jaramillo and RHP Jarod Wright.

Finally, Smokies outfielder D.J. Wilson voluntarily retired. We wish him the best with whatever is next for him.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were drenched by the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 5-3. It was Iowa’s ninth-straight loss.

Starter Adrian Sampson allowed three runs on seven hits over 4.2 innings. Sampson walked two and struck out five.

Dakota Mekkes relieved Sampson and pitched two scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit. Mekkes walked one and struck out three.

Ryan Meisinger pitched the bottom of the ninth and he took the loss when he surrendered a two-out, two-run walk-off home run to Ryan O’Hearn. Meisinger’s line was two runs on two hits over two-thirds of an inning. He struck out one.

Right fielder Trayce Thompson hit a solo home run in the sixth inning to tie the game up at 3-3. It was Thompson’s second home run of the season. He was 1 for 3 with a walk.

Catcher Tony Wolters went 2 for 4 and scored one run.

Iowa managed just four hits tonight. Dee Strange-Gordon had the other one, an RBI single in the third inning. He was 1 for 4.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies exiled the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 6-4.

Starter Javier Assad allowed three runs on three hits over 5.1 innings. He struck out four and walked no one. However, he did hit three batters.

Ryan Lawlor relieved Assad with one out in the sixth inning and gave up tying run that he inherited on first base. But he got the win when the Smokies struck back for three runs in the seventh. Lawlor’s final line was no runs (of his own) on one hit and one walk over two-thirds of an inning. He struck out one.

The save went Ben Leeper, and he made it interesting. Leeper allowed one run on three hits over one inning. Leeper struck out three.

Second baseman Chase Strumpf smashed the first pitch he saw in Double-A way over the left-field wall for a two-run home run. It was Strumpf’s first home run of the season. Strumpf was 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.

First baseman Tyler Payne went 3 for 5 with one run batted in.

Third baseman Grayson Byrd was 2 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.

Shortstop Levi Jordan was 2 for 4. He also walked with the bases-loaded for one run batted in.

Brennen Davis played center field in his Double-A debut and was 0 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.

Here’s Strumpf’s HR:

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were twisted by the Lansing Lugnuts (Athletics), 3-2.

Derek Casey started and took the loss. He was charged with three runs on seven hits over five innings. Casey struck out four, walked one and hit one batter.

Catcher Jake Washer was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI single in the sixth inning.

In his first game in High-A, center fielder Edmond Americaan was 1 for 4 with an RBI triple in the third inning.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans had their lights turned off by the Columbia Fireflies (Royals), 5-3 in 11 innings.

It was a bullpen game today for the Pelicans as Joe Nahas got his first start of the year and lasted three innings and 63 pitches. Nahas gave up two runs on five hits. He walked three, hit one batter and struck out four.

Jake Sullentrop pitched three scoreless innings of relief. He gave up just one hit and issued just one walk while striking out four.

Bailey Reid pitched the tenth and eleventh innings and took the loss. He kept the Fireflies from scoring in the tenth, but he surrendered two unearned runs in the eleventh. Reid surrendered two hits and a walk while striking out three.

Center fielder Jacob Wetzel got the Pelicans on the board for the first time with a solo home run in the seventh inning. Wetzel went 1 for 4 and was hit by a pitch. It was Wetzel’s first career home run.

Catcher Pablo Aliendo and shortstop Kevin Made were both 2 for 5.

Highlights: