Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 25

The system went 2 and 2 tonight, which is a big improvement over last night’s sweep.

Big night for Nelsons.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs beat the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 4-3.

Starter Cory Abbott pitched five innings and gave up three runs on four hits. One of those hits was a two-run home run. Abbott walked two and struck out five.

Ben Leeper still hasn’t given up a hit in Triple-A and nothing he did tonight changed that. Leeper got the win after pitching 1.2 innings while striking out four and walking one. Leeper’s fastball tonight was clocked between 96 and 99 mph.

Catcher Erick Castillo hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth, scoring Nick Martini from third. Castillo went 1 for 3 with a walk.

Martini hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second. It was his fourth home run on the year. Martini was 1 for 4 and scored twice. He reached on a dropped third strike to lead off the bottom of the ninth which led to the winning run.

First baseman Alfonso Rivas had his first official base hit in the bottom of the ninth, moving Martini from first to third. Rivas was 1 for 4.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were tamed by the Mississippi Braves, 4-3.

Javier Assad started and allowed three runs on four hits over four innings. He walked three and struck out six.

Cayne Ueckert gave up a one-out walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to Carlos Martinez. His final line on the night was one run on two hits over 1.1 innings. He struck out one and walked no one.

First baseman Nelson Maldonado hit a solo home run in the seventh inning, his second of the season. Maldonado was 3 for 3 with two runs scored.

Center fielder Connor Myers hit an RBI single in the top of the ninth inning to score Maldonado and tie the game up 3-3. Myers went 2 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base.

Left fielder Darius Hill went 2 for 3 with two walks. He scored once.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs pounded the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 10-5.

It was the same old story for Cubs starter Ryan Jensen. Jensen was strong over the first three innings and then struggled to locate his pitches in the fourth. Jensen’s final line was four runs on six hits over four innings. Jensen struck out seven and walked two.

Joe Nahas pitched the next four innings and got the win. Nahas surrendered one run on three hits. He walked two and struck out two.

South Bend smashed four home runs tonight and center fielder Nelson Velazquez hit two of them. Velazquez hit a two-run home run his first time up in the second inning and a solo home run the next time up in the fourth. He finished 2 for 3 with a walk. He scored three runs and drove home three.

First baseman Matt Warkentin was signed out of the Pioneer League three days ago and in his second game in affiliated ball, he had his first hit. It was possibly the longest home run I’ve ever seen a South Bend player hit at Four Winds Field. (Maybe Vlad Guerrero Jr. hit one longer when he was with Lansing.) The broadcast estimated it at 473 feet. It was a two-run home run in the fourth. Warkentin went 1 for 4.

Shortstop Delvin Zinn added a solo home run as part of a five-run seventh inning that turned a 5-4 South Bend lead into a 10-4 one. It was Zinn’s second home run this year. Zinn was 1 for 5 with a stolen base and he scored twice.

Here’s that home run by Warkentin.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were plucked by the Columbia Fireflies (Royals), 6-2.

Starter Richard Gallardo took the loss after allowing five runs, four earned, on six hits over 4.2 innings. Gallardo walked two and struck out three.

DH Ryan Reynolds was 2 for 4 with a double.

The Pelicans had only five hits tonight.