Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: April 12

Some news down in Myrtle Beach. Outfielder (and my 2nd-ranked Cubs prospect) Kevin Alcantara was assigned to the Pelicans. To make room, pitcher Jose Albertos was placed on the 7-day injured list.

Also, for those of you wondering why Pete Crow-Armstrong hasn’t been playing, he played his first official game as a Cub tonight.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs plucked the Toledo Mud Hens (Tigers), 8-5 to win their home opener.

Robert Gsellman started for the I-Cubs and threw three perfect innings. He struck out three.

Conner Menez relieved Gsellman to start the fourth inning. He coughed up a run in the fourth inning, but stayed in to pitch three innings and get the win. Menez allowed one run on three hits over three innings. He walked one and struck out one.

The I-Cubs took the lead in the bottom of the fourth when center fielder Donnie Dewees connected on an opposite-field grand slam. Dewees went 2 for 4.

Catcher P.J. Higgins went 3 for 3 with a double and a walk. He scored on Dewees’ slam.

Right fielder Greg Deichmann went 3 for 4 with a double and two runs batted in. He also scored on Dewees’ homer.

Here’s Dewees’ blast.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies had the Montgomery Biscuits (Rays) for breakfast, 4-3.

Starting pitcher Javier Assad went 3.2 innings and allowed one run on four hits. He struck out four and walked one.

Bryan Hudson got the win because Assad didn’t go five innings. Hudson pitched 2.1 innings and gave up two runs on two hits over 2.1 innings. He struck out four and walked one.

Brandon Hughes was terrific in nailing down the save, striking out the side in order.

The Smokies took the lead for good in the top of the first inning when second baseman Chase Strumpf hit a three-run home run. Strumpf was 1 for 4.

The Smokies scored their fourth and final run in the second inning when right fielder Yonathan Perlaza hit a solo home run. Perlaza went 1 for 4.

Left fielder Darius Hill went 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

DH Nelson Maldonado was 2 for 4. Maldonado is 6 for 11 with two home runs on the young season.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were boiled by the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 5-3.

Starter Daniel Palencia went 2.2 innings and surrendered one run on two hits. He did walk four batters while striking out four.

Manuel Espinoza relieved Palencia and got the loss after giving up four runs on four hits over three innings. Two of those runs scored on a home run by top prospect Robert Hassell III. Espinoza walked one and struck out four.

All three of South Bend’s runs came on a bases-loaded first inning double by first baseman Matt Mervis. Mervis went 1 for 4.

Shortstop Ed Howard was 1 for 2 with two walks.

South Bend managed just four hits in this game.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans won their home opener over the Augusta GreenJackets (Braves), 2-1 in 12 innings.

Neither team scored in this game before the 12th inning. Starter Porter Hodge allowed two hits over four innings. He struck out six and walked one.

Luis A. Rodriguez, Jake Rendl and Sheldon Reed all followed with two scoreless innings each. Only Rendl gave up a hit among them, but he also struck out six and walked no one. The only baserunners off of Rodriguez were a dropped third strike and an error. Reed walked one batter.

The win went to Walker Powell, who pitched a scoreless 11th inning and then allowed the automatic runner to score in the 12th, but no one else. Powell allowed one unearned run, one hit and one walk. He struck out two,

Right fielder Kevin Alcantara went 0 for 4 with a walk in his first five trips to the plate. But in his sixth AB, Alcantara singled home Yeison Santana to win the game in a walk-off.

Second baseman Santana had doubled in the 12th inning to tie the game 1-1. He went 1 for 3 with a walk and he was hit by a pitch.

Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong went 1 for 4 with a walk and he was also hit by a pitch.