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Just a quick reminder that MiLB.tv is free this weekend. Also, while this map looks like the dreaded MLB blackout map, it’s actually a fun way to see where all the affiliated minor league teams are. You can quibble about individual counties and what territory they are in, but it is still cool to see the location of all 120 teams. They even gave one island in Washington State to the Vancouver Canadians.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs were dirtied up by the Toledo Mud Hens (Tigers), 5-3.
Iowa starter Matt Swarmer had a no-hitter until one out in the sixth inning, when he surrendered a double. After an error and a triple, he left the game with the score tied 2-2. The final line on Swarmer was two runs, both unearned, on two hits over 5.2 innings. Swarmer struck out six and walked one.
The Mud Hens scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning off of Tony Cingrani and Dakota Mekkes, which turned out to be the difference in the game. Two I-Cubs errors contributed to the defeat. Mekkes got the loss after allowing two runs, one earned, on one hit over two-thirds of an inning. He did not have a walk or a strikeout.
Left fielder Michael Hermosillo hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning. It was his sixth home run on the season. Hermosillo was 1 for 5.
Right fielder Nick Martini went 2 for 4 with a walk. He scored once.
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies lost to the Mississippi Braves, 6-4.
Starter Cam Sanders gave up two solo home runs in the fifth inning and took the loss. Sanders gave up three total runs on just three hits over 5.1 innings. He struck out six and walked two.
Catcher Tim Susnara gave the Smokies an early lead with a two-run home run in the third inning. It was Susnara’s third home run this year. (I’m not counting the three homers he hit in the “Partner League” before the Cubs signed him.) Susnara went 1 for 3 with a walk.
Left fielder Darius Hill connected for a solo home run to right center to lead off the eighth inning. Hill went 2 for 2. He had a second RBI on a single in the bottom of the ninth.
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs popped the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins), 6-5 in 10 innings. It’s the third-straight win by South Bend over Cedar Rapids in ten innings.
Starting pitcher Matteo Bocchi gave up just one run on three hits over four innings. Bocchi struck out eight and walked three.
Burl Carraway blew the save in the top of the ninth, giving up two runs on one hit and three walks over just one inning. The one hit was a game-tying two-run home run with two outs. Carraway struck out two.
The win went to Jose Albertos, who pitched the top of the tenth. After a passed ball put the automatic runner on third with no outs, Albertos struck out the next two batters. After issuing a two-out walk to put runners on the corners, Albertos recorded his third strikeout of the inning to end the threat.
Second baseman Ryan Reynolds hit a two-out bloop single in the no-man’s land between the shortstop, left fielder and center fielder to score DJ Artis and win the game. Reynolds went 1 for 5.
Artis also hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning. It was Artis’ first home run in South Bend this year, although he hit three home runs for Double-A Tennessee. Artis went 2 for 5 with three runs scored and the three RBI.
First baseman Tyler Durna went 3 for 5 with one run batted in.
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans also beat the Columbia Fireflies (Royals), 6-5 in ten innings.
Didier Vargas pitched the first five innings and allowed five runs on six hits. He struck out six and walked no one. He did hit one batter.
The Pelicans pitching staff only allowed one more hit the rest of the game. Carlos Ocampo with three scoreless innings of relief, giving up just one hit. Ocampo struck out five and walked no one.
The win went to Bailey Reid. Reid pitched two innings without allowing a hit or a run. He walked one and struck out two.
Jordan Nwogu laid down a bunt single with two outs in the bottom of the tenth to score Yohendrick Pinango with the winning run. That was Nwogu’s only plate appearance of the game. Pinango went 1 for 5 with a double. He scored twice.
Catcher Ethan Hearn hit a three-run home run in the second inning, his second on the season. Hearn went 1 for 3.
Right fielder Jacob Wetzel was 2 for 4 with a walk. Wetzel scored one run and had one run batted in.
ACL Cubs
Their game was suspended in the fourth inning.