Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: July 26

In case you did not hear:

Obviously that’s bad news, but Marquez is still quite young and could still have a bright major league future ahead of him. But the path just got even more cloudy.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs profaned the St. Paul Saints (Twins) 6-2.

Mark Leiter Jr. pitched his first game for Iowa since his demotion and was solid, not allowing a run over three innings. Leiter gave up three hits, walked one and struck out five.

Nicholas Padilla blew a save when he gave up a run in the bottom of the seventh, but he got the win when Iowa re-took the lead in the eighth. The final line on Padilla was one run on one hit and one walk over one inning. Padilla did not record a strikeout.

Right fielder Narciso Crook hit a solo home run in the second inning, his 14th on the season. There was 65-minute rain delay in this game in the ninth, and Crook hit a two-run double as the first batter after play resumed. Crook went 2 for 5 with the double and the home run. He had the three runs batted in and he scored twice.

Left fielder Darius Hill was 2 for 3 with a walk. He had one RBI. Hill has now played 40 games in Triple-A and he’s still hitting .340.

Center fielder Greg Deichmann went 3 for 4 with two steals.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies dethroned the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 7-6.

Starter Ryan Jensen was fairly strong for four innings, but he got off to a bad start to the fifth and the two runners he had on when he exited came around to score. Jensen’s final line was three runs on four hits over 4.1 innings. He struck out four and walked three.

The first batter to face Samuel Reyes hit a three-run home run. The second one he faced hit a solo home run. After that, he did much better. (I guess he couldn’t do any worse.) Reyes got the win after giving up two runs (and two inherited runs) on three hits over 2.2 innings. Reyes struck out six and did not walk anyone.

The first three batters to face Bailey Horn in the ninth inning reached base and Horn was faced with runners on first and second, no outs and only a one-run lead. But he struck out the next three batters to end the game and earn his third save.

The final line on Horn was one run on one hit and one walk over one inning. He also hit one batter while striking out three.

Right fielder Yonathan Perlaza hit two home runs tonight and five RBI. Perlaza hit a two-run blast to right field in the third inning and a two-run bomb to left in the fifth. Perlaza went 2 for 4. He now has 13 home runs this season.

Left fielder Bradlee Beesley had a pair of doubles and a walk in a 2 for 3 night. Beesley had one RBI and Perlaza drove him home three times. Beesley also stole a base.

Shortstop Luis Vazquez also doubled twice. He was 2 for 4 and scored one run.

Here are Perlaza’s two home runs.

And because I don’t show enough good defensive plays, here’s Bradlee Beesley in left field.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs sent the Lake County Captains (Guardians) to Davy Jones’s Locker, 8-4.

Starter Dalton Stambaugh gave up three runs in the top of the first inning, but settled everything down after that. Stambaugh finished the game giving up three runs on seven hits over five innings. He walked two and struck out three.

The win went to Riley Martin in relief. Martin pitched 1.2 innings without allowing a run or a hit. He struck out four and walked two.

Hunter Bigge retired all five batters he faced to get the save. He struck out three of them.

First baseman B.J. Murray Jr. hit his first South Bend home run in the second inning with a man on. Murray also had a two-run double in the sixth inning for four total RBI on the night. Murray went 3 for 4 and scored twice. Counting his Myrtle Beach home runs, Murray now has four on the year.

Third baseman Luis Verdugo connected for his third home run of the season in the fifth inning, also with a man on. Verdugo went 1 for 3.

Finally, DH Jake Washer hit the third South Bend two-run home run of the night in the eighth inning. Washer has been red-hot, hitting four home runs over the past three games. He’s hit a total of 14 homers this year. Washer was 1 for 4 this evening.

Catcher Pablo Aliendo was 2 for 4 with two runs scored.

Highlights:

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans got stung by the Augusta Green Jackets (Braves), 5-4.

Luis Angel Rodriguez pitched the first three innings and surrendered one run on two hits. He walked four and struck out five.

Yovanny Cabrera threw the next three innings and took the loss. Cabrera was torched for four runs on just two hits, but one of those two hits was a three-run home run. Cabrera walked four, hit one batter and struck out three.

DH Felix Stevens provided most of the offense for the Birds, going 2 for 2 with two walks. He drove home two (one with each single) and scored one run.

First baseman Matt Warkentin went 1 for 3 with a double and a walk. He scored twice.

ACL Cubs

Lost to Brewers Blue, 8-4.