Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 14

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs outran the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 11-6.

Cam Sanders had some trouble with control, but was otherwise quite dominating in his four-inning start. Sanders allowed no runs and just one hit. He did walk four batters and he hit one while striking out three.

Because Sanders didn’t go five innings, Conner Menez got the win. Menez gave up one run on two hits over 1.1 innings. (The run came after Menez left the game with one on and one out in the sixth inning.) Menez struck out two and walked no one.

Iowa hit back-to-back-to-back home runs on three consecutive pitches in the second inning by Jared Young, Narciso Crook and Greg Deichmann and never really looked back after that. They broke out to a 10-0 lead before the bullpen let the Storm Chasers grab a few runs back.

Young’s home run was his tenth of the season. He was 3 for 4 with a double (that was just short of a home run) and a walk. Young scored three times and drove in two.

Crook’s home run marked the fourth-straight game that he’s gone deep. Crook went 2 for 5 with a stolen base. He had two total RBI and now has eight home runs on the season.

Deichmann hit the third home run of the second inning and his sixth of the season. Deichmann later hit a two-run double in the fifth inning. Deichmann went 2 for 3 with a walk. He had the three RBI and he also scored three times.

Catcher Tyler Payne went 2 for 4 with a double and three runs batted in.

In his first game back in Iowa since mid-April, first baseman Alfonso Rivas went 2 for 5 and scored one run.

Shortstop Dixon Machado went 1 for 4 and extended his hitting streak to 13 games. He also walked once.

Get this:

Here are the three home runs:

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were speared by the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Marlins), 3-0.

Ryan Jensen returned to Double-A Tennessee and pitched two perfect innings. He struck out two. He needed just 20 pitches to get through the two innings.

Dalton Stambaugh pitched the next five innings and took the loss. Stambaugh allowed three runs on four hits. He walked one and struck out one.

The Smokies outhit the Blue Wahoos 7 to 4, but failed to get anyone home after going 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position.

Second baseman Chase Strumpf went 2 for 4 with a double.

First baseman Matt Mervis went 2 for 4.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were robbed by the Quad Cities River Bandits (Royals), 5-4.

Starter DJ Herz pitched three innings and surrendered one run on four hits. He walked three and struck out five,

Hunter Bigge came on for the save in the bottom of the ninth with a 4-3 lead, but he blew it when he gave up a walk-off bases-loaded one-out single by Dillan Shrum that scored two. Bigge’s line was two runs on two hits and two walks (one intentional) over one-third of an inning. The only recorded out was a sacrifice bunt.

Left fielder Yohendrick Pinango had RBI singles in the fourth and eighth innings. Pinango went 2 for 4 with the two RBI and one run scored.

Center fielder Jordan Nwogu was 2 for 4 and he scored once.

The same goes for second baseman Yeison Santana: 2 for 4 with one run scored.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans vetoed the Fredericksburg Nationals, 2-0.

Starter Luke Little pitched 2.2 innings without allowing a hit. He did walk two while striking out three.

Tyler Santana pitched the middle 5.1 innings and collected the win. The P-Nats got six hits off Santana, but he didn’t walk anyone and struck out two.

Angel Hernandez pitched a perfect ninth inning to finish off the shutout and pick up his first career save. He struck out two.

DH Felix Stevens singled home Matt Warkentin with the first run of the game in the fourth inning. Stevens went 2 for 3.

Second baseman Juan Mora was hit by a pitch in the eighth inning and scored on an error. Mora went 1 for 3.

Charleston lost, so the Pelicans now have a one-game lead in the division with a record of 41-17.

There weren’t many highlights, but they were good ones. There’s a nice defensive play by Mora here as well.