Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: April 13

Iowa had twice as many runs as the rest of the system combined.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs blasted the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 14-1.

I-Cubs starter Nick Neidert picked up his first win of the year after giving up just one run on four hits over five innings. The one run was a fourth-inning home run by Nick Loftin. Neidert struck out two and walked no one.

Brandon Hughes threw a scoreless inning of relief in a rehab appearance, Hughes gave up one hit. He struck out one and walked no one.

On the positive side here, Hughes’ velocity was up to around 93 mph tonight, after being around 91 mph in his last appearance. On the negative side, two of the outs that Hughes recorded were incredible highlight grabs by right fielder Darius Hill and center fielder Mike Tauchman. The ball Hill caught would have been a foul ball had it landed, but Tauchman saved an RBI double.

Tyler Duffey tossed two innings without allowing a run or a hit. Vinny Nittoli pitched the ninth in a non-save situation and allowed just one hit.

Tauchman made it 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning with a two-run home run, his first of the season. Tauchman went 2 for 4 with a walk and three total runs batted in.

Third baseman Christopher Morel smashed a two-run home run in the third inning, his third of the year already. He also barely missed a home run in the seventh inning, settling for an RBI double off the wall. Morel was 2 for 5 with the three RBI and two runs scored. He also walked once. Morel leads the International League with ten extra-base hits over his first 11 games.

Shortstop Sergio Alcántara went 3 for 5 with a double. He scored three times and drove in a run in the eighth inning with a ground out.

Catcher Dom Nuñez doubled twice in a 2 for 4 night. He drove in three runs and scored twice. Nuñez was also hit by a pitch in the seventh inning. He stayed in the game and even batted again in the eighth, but Jake Washer came out to catch the ninth inning.

Left fielder Jared Young went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He scored twice.

First baseman Matt Mervis was 2 for 4 with a walk. Mervis scored twice and drove in one.

Iowa’s offense so far this year has been impressive. They lead the International League with 95 runs in just 11 games. That’s 8.6 runs a game.

Tauchman’s home run.

Morel’s home run.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were battered by the Montgomery Biscuits (Rays), 6-5.

The good news is that Smokies starter Ryan Jensen was unhittable tonight. The bad news is that was because he wasn’t throwing much that was close to a strike. Jensen didn’t make it out of the first inning, walking four batters and striking out two. Three of those walks would come around to score, two of them after Jensen was relieved by Dalton Stambaugh. Jensen threw 31 pitches and only 11 were strikes.

The Smokies got back in this game with back-to-back home runs by left fielder Jordan Nwogu and right fielder Owen Caissie. Nwogu’s was a three-run home run and was his first of the season. Caissie’s solo shot was his fourth of the year and his fourth in two games.

Nwogu was 1 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base. He scored twice. Caissie went 2 for 4 and drove in two.

Catcher Miguel Amaya went 2 for 4 with two doubles.

Here’s Caissie’s home run.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were dive-bombed by the Beloit Sky Carp (Marlins), 9-1.

Richard Gallardo started and got the loss. Gallardo allowed six runs on seven hits over 4.1 innings. Gallardo struck out five and walked two.

First baseman Haydn McGeary hit a solo home run in the seventh inning for South Bend’s only run. He was 1 for 4.

South Bend only had four hits in this game.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were scratched by the Lynchburg Hillcats (Guardians), 3-1.

Grant Kipp started and took the loss. Kipp gave up three runs on five hits over 3.2 innings. He walked three and struck out two.

Marino Santy pitched three scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit. Santy did walk three batters while striking out four.

First baseman Felix Stevens was responsible for the Pelicans only run after he hit an inside-the-park home run in the fifth inning. Stevens went 2 for 4. He also made the final out of the game trying to stretch his ninth-inning single into a double.

Center fielder Christian Franklin doubled twice in a 2 for 4 game.

Here’s the inside-the-park home run. It’s not great camera work, but it’s what we’ve got.