Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 1

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs desecrated the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 13-3. The score was the exact reverse of last night’s 13-3 defeat.

Alec Mills started on a rehab assignment and allowed just one run on a solo home run to Jake Cave in the fourth inning. Mills’ final line was one run on four hits over 3.2 innings. He struck out three and walked no one. Mills threw 55 pitches, 35 of which counted as strikes. That’s good.

Eric Stout relieved Mills in the fourth inning, stranded the two inherited runners and got the win because Mills didn’t go five innings. Stout’s final line was one run on one hit and three walks over 2.1 innings. He struck out four.

Iowa exploded for six runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back. Second baseman David Bote, also on a rehab assignment, got the scoring started with an RBI double. Bote went 1 for 5 today and scored one run.

Center fielder Greg Deichmann capped off the six-run first with a three-run home run, his second of the season. Deichmann went 1 for 4 with a sacrifice fly, giving him four total RBI for the game.

In the eighth inning, right fielder Narciso Crook made it 13-3 with a two-run home run, his third this year. Crook also had an RBI single in the first inning (scoring Bote) and a two-run single in the second inning for a five RBI game. Crook was 3 for 5 and sored twice.

Shortstop Dixon Machado went 2 for 3 with a double and two walks. Machado scored three times and drove home one run with his double in the seventh.

First baseman Jared Young was 2 for 4 with a walk. He scored twice and had one run batted in.

Catcher Tyler Payne was 2 for 4 with a double and one run scored.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were subjugated by the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 14-5.

Chris Clarke got knocked around for a run in the first inning and four in the second, but he stayed in the game and saved the bullpen. Clarke went five innings and allowed six runs on 12 hits. Clarke struck out five, walked one and hit one batter.

Third baseman Chase Strumpf got the Smokies on the board with a solo home run in the sixth inning. It was his ninth of the year. Strumpf was 1 for 3 with a walk and he was hit by a pitch.

Center fielder Cole Roederer had three RBI tonight. He hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning and hit a two-run double in the ninth. Roederer went 1 for 4 with one run scored.

Shortstop Luis Vazquez went 2 for 5 with one run scored.

Left fielder Yonathan Perlaza was 2 for 4.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were leading the Dayton Dragons (Reds), 3-0 when the rains came in bottom of the sixth inning. Because all three Cubs runs came in the top of the sixth, the game was suspended. They’ll finish the game on Thursday before the regularly-scheduled game.

DJ Herz had his best game as a professional. He pitched five innings and allowed a double to the first batter he faced. After recording an out on a popped-up bunt, Herz struck out the next eight batters in a row. He would strike out four more batters over the next two innings before leaving for a career-high 12 strikeouts against no walks. He hit one batter in the fifth inning.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans beached the Delmarva Shorebirds (Orioles), 2-0.

They may not have been as impressive as Herz, but Tyler Schlaffer and Jose Miguel Gonzalez were almost as good in finishing off the four-hit, 15-strikeout shutout.

Schlaffer went five innings and allowed two singles. He struck out eight and walked no one.

Gonzalez recorded a four-inning save, also giving up just two singles. Gonzalez struck out seven and walked one.

First baseman Felix Stevens provided all the scoring with a two-run home run in the fourth inning. It was his fifth home run this year. Stevens went 1 for 3.

Second baseman Juan Mora went 2 for 4.

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