Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: May 4

The Cubs announced that Myrtle Beach Pelicans outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and Pelicans right-handed pitcher Porter Hodge were the organization’s Minor League Player and Minor League Pitcher of the Month, respectively.

Crow-Armstrong hit .375 (24 for 64) for the month with four doubles, one triple, three home runs and seven steals. Hodge went 2-0 with a 1.56 ERA in 17.1 innings. He struck out 21 batters and walked six over four starts.

Also, Baseball America updated their Top 100 prospects list and Crow-Armstrong broke into the list at number 95.

Check out what Myrtle Beach did tonight.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were excommunicated by the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 8-1.

Mark Leiter Jr. got dinged for a three-run home run in the first inning and two-run one in the second. Leiter’s final line was five runs on four hits over 2.2 innings. Leiter walked two and struck out seven.

Iowa’s only run came on a home run by left fielder Jared Young in the third inning. It was Young’s sixth home run this year. He went 2 for 4.

Catcher Erick Castillo was also 2 for 4.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies defenestrated the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 10-4.

Starter Ryan Jensen pitched the first four innings and gave up two runs on four hits. He walked three and struck out three.

The win went to Blake Whitney because Jensen didn’t last five innings, but Whitney was also the Smokies’ most effective pitcher on the day. He threw two perfect innings of relief, striking out one.

The Smokies exploded for a season-high 15 hits, including two home runs. Third baseman Chase Strumpf connected for his fifth home run of the year with the bases empty in the second inning. Strumpf went 3 for 5 and scored three times.

In the third inning, right fielder Nelson Velazquez smacked his ninth home run on the year already. It was also a solo blast. Velazquez had a big game, going 2 for 3 with two walks. He scored twice.

Center fielder Christopher Morel was 2 for 5 with an RBI triple. He scored one run.

Second baseman Andy Weber and DH Levi Jordan were both 2 for 4 with a walk. Both also scored exactly once and had one run batted in.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs demoted the Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals), 6-3.

Kohl Franklin started and went just two innings, giving up two runs on two hits. One of the two runs Franklin allowed was unearned. Franklin walked two and struck out two.

Joe Nahas picked up the win with six strong innings of relief. Nahas allowed one run on four hits. He walked two and struck out seven.

Jeremiah Estrada pitched a perfect top of the ninth inning for his second save. He struck out one.

South Bend hit three home runs today. Right fielder Alexander Canario hit a solo home run in the second inning, his seventh on the year. Canario was 1 for 2 with two walks and two runs scored. Canario is red-hot at the moment, having homered in each of his past four games.

Center fielder Bradlee Beesley hit a two-run home run in the third inning, his second of the season. Beesley went 1 for 3 with a walk.

Finally, first baseman Matt Mervis broke a 3-3 tie in the eighth inning with a three-run home run that proved to be the difference. It was Mervis’ fifth home run this year. Mervis went 1 for 4.

Highlights:

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans shredded the Salem Red Sox, 24-6. Insert any Coastal Carolina Chanticleers beating the Virginia Tech Hokies jokes here.

Starter Luke Little went 2.1 innings and gave up two runs on three hits. One of the two runs was unearned. Little struck out four and walked one.

Tyler Santana was awarded the win in relief. Santana threw three innings and gave up two runs on four hits. He walked one and struck out three.

As you can probably guess, a lot of players had good games tonight. You may want to just check out the box score yourself, but I’ll try to recap all the top players here.

Left fielder Peter Matt was the biggest star as he hit his first two home runs of the season. The first one came in the third inning with a man on and the second one came an inning later with two men on.

Matt finished the game with seven total RBI. He was 3 for 5 with a sacrifice fly.

The other Pelicans home run came off the bat of center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who hit his fourth of the year in the fifth inning with a man on. Crow-Armstrong was 3 for 6 with a double and a walk.

After two games, right fielder Cole Roederer is now hitting .545 after going 4 for 7 with two doubles tonight. He scored three runs.

First baseman B.J. Murray went 3 for 4 with two doubles and a walk. Murray knocked in five runs tonight and scored four times.

Shortstop Reginald Preciado also hit two doubles in a 4 for 6 game. He scored once.

Catcher Ethan Hearn was 2 for 4 with two walks and a steal. Hearn scored four times and had two RBI.

Second baseman Yeison Santana went 2 for 3 with a double and three walks. Santana scored four times and drove in two.

Here’s the first and more impressive of Matt’s two home runs.

And here’s Crow-Armstrong’s home run.