Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 16

I wish I had better news today.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were drenched by the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 8-2.

Brandon Leibrandt started and had trouble keeping the ball inside Principal Park, as he allowed three home runs in just five innings. Leibrandt took the loss after giving up six runs on nine hits. He struck out three and walked one.

Iowa had three hits in this game, but two of them were solo home runs. Left fielder Narciso Crook, a day after his four-game HR streak ended, started a new one with a home run in the second inning. It was his ninth of the season and fifth in the past six games. Crook was 1 for 4.

DH Nelson Maldonado homered in the third inning. It was Maldonado’s second home run in Triple-A and fifth overall. He was also 1 for 4.

Here’s Maldonado’s home run.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies lost to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Marlins), 6-5 in ten innings. It was the Smokies’ fourth-straight loss and three of those were in extra innings.

Starter Anderson Espinoza couldn’t find the plate tonight and lasted only 1.2 innings. In that time, Espinoza gave up four runs on one hit and six walks. One of the four runs was unearned. He struck out three.

Danis Correa was very good in the first two innings he pitched in relief, retiring all six batters he faced. But he came out to pitch the tenth inning and took the loss. After intentionally walking the bases loaded with one out, Correa hit the next batter for a walk-off hit-by-pitch. Correa’s final line was one unearned run on one hit over a third of an inning. He walked two (one intentionally) and struck out one.

Second baseman Jake Slaughter hit a solo home run in the fifth inning. It was his eighth of the year and fifth with the Smokies. Slaughter went 1 for 4.

Third baseman Chase Strumpf was 2 for 5 with an RBI double in the fourth inning.

Left fielder Cole Roederer went 1 for 3 with an RBI single and a walk. He was also hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for two total RBI.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were hijacked by the Quad Cities River Bandits (Royals), 8-3.

Daniel Palencia started and allowed three runs on four hits over five innings. All three of the runs and three of the four hits came in the second inning. Palencia struck out five and walked no one, but he did hit a batter to lead off the second inning.

Riley Martin relieved Palencia and took the loss. He allowed one run on three hits in two innings. Martin struck out three and walked one.

Zac Leigh gave up four runs in the bottom of the eighth that turned a close game into a comfortable win for Quad Cities.

Shortstop Fabian Pertuz hit a two-run double in the seventh inning to tie the game up 3-3. Pertuz went 1 for 4.

Left fielder Yohendrick Pinango was 2 for 4.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were trailing the Fredericksburg Nationals 4-0 in the fifth inning when the rains came. The game was suspended and they’ll finish it tomorrow before the regularly-scheduled game. That game will be a seven-inning affair.

However, the Charleston RiverDogs lost their third-straight game to Augusta, so the Pelicans have a 2.5 game lead in the division with six games to play in the first half. Or seven games to play for Myrtle Beach counting tonight’s suspended game.

ACL Cubs

Beat the Reds, 6-1.

Hey, there’s some good news.