Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: May 5

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were cast out by the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 6-3.

Wade Miley made a rehab start for Iowa tonight and he looked terrific. He held the Saints to just two hits and no runs over four innings. He struck out three and did not walk anyone. Miley threw 41 pitches, 28 for strikes.

What’s most important about a rehab start is how a player felt afterwards, but Miley certainly looked good.

The rest of the I-Cubs pitching staff did not look as good. Erich Uelmen took the loss after he gave up a three-run triple to former I-Cub Elliot Soto in the bottom of the eighth. Uelmen’s final line was three runs on two hits over two-thirds of an inning. He struck out two and he walked two, although one of those two walks was intentional.

First baseman Nelson Maldonado went 2 for 4 with one run scored.

Shortstop Ildemaro Vargas was 2 for 4.

Here’s a sample of Miley pitching.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were subjugated by the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 15-6.

Smokies starter Riley Thompson has been good this year in his first official games since 2019. He had allowed just three runs over 12 innings in his first four starts.

You can probably guess where this is going. Thompson was not good tonight, to put it mildly. Thompson allowed all seven batters he faced to reach base on three hits and four walks. All seven runners eventually came around to score, so he was charged with seven earned runs in 0.0 innings. Ouch.

Peyton Remy wasn’t good in relief, either. After allowing all three runners inherited from Thompson to score, he ended up giving up six more runs of his own over 4.2 innings. Three of the six hits he allowed were home runs.

Third baseman Levi Jordan hit a solo home run in the eighth inning. It was Jordan’s third home run this year and first with the Smokies. He was 1 for 5.

First baseman Bryce Ball went 2 for 4 with a walk and two RBI.

Second baseman Andy Weber went 2 for 5. He had an RBI single in the ninth inning.

Catcher Bryce Windham was 2 for 3 with a walk. He scored once.

Right fielder Nelson Velazquez left the game in the seventh inning. He walked and stole second base in the fifth and went to third on a throwing error. But he clearly reached for his left hamstring while running to third. He stayed in the game and played defense in the sixth, but was pinch-hit for by Yonathan Perlaza in the seventh.

Velazquez was 1 for 1 with two walks. He scored once and had one run batted in. Perlaza went 2 for 2 with a double and one run scored.

South Bend Cubs

South Bend’s game was postponed due to a poor weather forecast. They’ll play a doubleheader with Peoria on Saturday.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans dyed the Salem Red Sox, 2-1.

Starting pitcher Richard Gallardo gave up a solo home run to the second batter he faced in the bottom of the first inning. He was terrific otherwise. Gallardo got the win after allowing just one run on six hits over six innings. He struck out five and walked two.

Sheldon Reed made it exciting in the bottom of the ninth, but he got the job done and got the save. Reed hit the first batter he faced and after a grounder for a force at second for the first out, he walked the next batter. Next, Reed threw a wild pitch that put runners on second and third with one out. So he intentionally walked the bases loaded and ended the game on a 6-4-3 double play.

Both of Myrtle Beach’s runs came on a two-run home run by shortstop Kevin Made in the sixth inning. Made was 2 for 4. It was his first home run of the year.

Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong extended his hitting streak to 11 games after he led off the game with a bunt single. He had another single (to left field!) to go 2 for 4. Crow-Armstrong was also intentionally walked once. Also, he was thrown out stealing after the bunt single. Crow-Armstrong isn’t perfect. But he is now hitting .397 (31 for 78) with a .495 OBP.

Crow-Armstrong has had at least two hits in ten of his eleven games of the hit streak.

Here’s Made’s home run.