Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: May 19

Iowa Cubs

As Harry Caray used to say: “God didn’t make those little green apples and it don’t rain in Indianapolis in the summertime.”

Rained out in Indianapolis. Doubleheader tomorrow.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies netted the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Marlins), 5-1.

Jordan Wicks turned in a strong start for his second win of the season. Wicks went five innings and allowed just one run on two hits. The one run scored on a fifth-inning home run by Troy Johnston. Wicks struck out five and walked no one.

After Blake Whitney got in trouble in the ninth inning, Ben Hecht entered the game with runners on first and second and one out. He got a fly to left and a strikeout swinging to end the game and pick up his second save.

Second baseman Chase Strumpf connected for a solo home run in the third inning, his seventh home run this year. Strumpf was 2 for 5 and scored twice.

No one on the Smokies is hotter than third baseman BJ Murray Jr. is right now. Tonight Murray was 3 for 3 with a walk, a double and a solo home run in the eighth inning. It was Murray’s seventh home run. He scored twice.

Over his last eight games, Murray is 15 for 28 with seven doubles, one triple and four home runs.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs stuffed the Beloit Sky Carp (Marlins), 13-5.

Tyler Santana got the win after he allowed no runs and just one hit over the first five innings. Santana struck out three and walked no one.

South Bend banged out 14 hits and drew eight walks this evening. Shortstop Scott McKeon doubled three times tonight in a 3 for 6 game. He drove in four runs.

Left fielder Ezequiel Pagan was 3 for 5 with a two-run double in the fourth. Pagan also scored twice.

First baseman Bryce Ball was 3 for 5 with a walk. He scored twice and had two RBI.

Center fielder Kevin Alcántara was 2 for 5 with a walk and a two-run triple in the fourth inning. Alcántara scored three runs.

South Bend scored five runs in the third inning and seven in the fourth.

Alcántara’s triple.

One of McKeon’s doubles.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans landed in the water against the Augusta Green Jackets (Braves), 8-1.

Starter Jackson Ferris didn’t last as long as he did in his first two starts, but he still tossed two scoreless innings and allowed just one hit. Ferris walked two and struck out three.

The loss went to Brandon Noriega, who got tagged for two runs in the fourth inning and three more in the fifth. Noriega’s final line was five runs on three hits over 1.1 innings. He walked five, struck out one and gave up a three-run home run. So you can see what the problem was.

Shortstop Rafael Morel led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run, his second of the season. Morel was 1 for 4.

First baseman Miguel Fabrizio was 2 for 3 with a steal. That’s all three hits the Birds had tonight.

Highlights. You can turn it off after Morel’s home run if you want. Although Juan Mora does make a nice play on defense.