Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 12

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were dirtied up by the Toledo Mud Hens (Tigers), 14-9. The I-Cubs lost five of the six games in the series at Toledo.

Robert Gsellmen started and allowed three runs on two hits over three innings. One of those runs was unearned one one of the hits was a two-run home run in the third inning. Gsellmen struck out two and walked one.

Matt Dermody, Eury Ramos, Wyatt Short, Dakota Mekkes and Bryan Hudson all pitched in this game and all gave up at least one run.

The I-Cubs had 15 hits today and still lost. Left fielder Darius Hill had three doubles in a 3 for 5 game, which raised his batting average in Triple-A to .415. Hill scored twice.

For the third game in a row, right fielder Narciso Crook hit a home run. This one came with the bases empty in the fourth inning and was his seventh on the season. Crook went 1 for 5.

DH Nelson Maldonado was 2 for 5 with a double and three runs batted in. He scored once.

Third baseman Levi Jordan was 3 for 5. He drove in one run and scored one run.

First baseman Jared Young hit a two-run triple in the top of the ninth as Iowa tried to stage a comeback. Young went 2 for 5 with a double and the triple. He scored once.

Catcher Erick Castillo went 2 for 4.

Here is Crook’s home run:

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were beaten by the Biloxi Shuckers (Brewers), 5-4 in ten innings.

Starter Chris Clarke put the Smokies in a hole early by giving up four runs in the first inning, but he calmed down after that and finished five innings. His final line was four runs on six hits over five innings. Clarke neither struck out nor walked anyone.

Four Smokies relievers each pitched a scoreless inning, but after Bryan King tossed a scoreless ninth inning, he gave up a walkoff single in the bottom of the tenth to take the loss. King’s final line was one unearned run on one hit over 1+ innings. He walked one and struck out two in the ninth inning.

Chase Strumpf got the Smokies out to an early 1-0 lead by homering as the first batter of the game. It was his 12th home run this year. Strumpf went 1 for 5.

First baseman Matt Mervis went 2 for 3 with a double and scored once.

DH Bryce Ball was 1 for 3 with two walks.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were canned by the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins), 9-3. The Kernels won the six-game series, four games to two.

Starter Kohl Franklin gave up a two-run home run in the first inning and two more in the second and took the loss. Franklin’s final line was four runs on four hits over three innings. He struck out three and walked one.

Jarod Wright threw three innings of relief without allowing a run or a hit in his South Bend debut. However, he did walk three batters while striking out two.

Right fielder Jonathan Sierra connected for a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. It was his first home run this season. Sierra went 1 for 4.

First baseman Caleb Knight went 2 for 4 with a double and one run scored.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans served up the Carolina Mudcats (Brewers), 15-6. The Pelicans won four and lost two in the six-game series.

Tyler Schlaffer gave up a solo home run in the first inning and a solo shot in the second, but not much else as he cruised to his second win. Schlaffer pitched five inning and gave up two runs on three hits. He struck out seven and walked two.

Center fielder Kevin Alcantara set a Pelicans franchise record with eight RBI in this game, He was 4 for 6 with two home runs and a triple. The first home run came in the third inning with two men on and the second one was also a three-run home run in the seventh. The triple plated two runners in the top of the first inning, which accounts for the eight RBI.

Alcantara now has nine home runs on the season. He scored three times in this game,

Left fielder Ezequiel Pagan went 2 for 4 with two walks. Both of Pagan’s singles plated one run for two total RBI and he scored twice, once on each of Alcantara’s home runs.

DH Felix Stevens was 2 for 3 with a double and two walks. He scored twice.

Shortstop Kevin Made was 1 for 2 with three walks. Alcantara drove him home three times. Made’s three walks are all the more remarkable because he had six walks total in 243 plate appearances last season. He has 18 in 145 PAs this season.

Here’s Alcantara’s two home runs.

The Pelicans record stands at 40-17 and if the first half ended today, they would miss the playoffs as Charleston has an identical record and holds the tiebreaker by virtue of a 5-4 record against Myrtle Beach. Luckily, there are nine games left in the first half.

ACL Cubs

No game.