Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: May 1

There were some big moves in the Cubs system today, beyond Miguel Amaya coming up to the majors.

Haydn McGeary was promoted from South Bend to Double-A Tennessee. McGeary is still listed as a catcher, but he hasn’t played there all year and never above rookie ball.

Left-handed pitcher Jackson Ferris, the Cubs’ second-round pick last year, was promoted to Myrtle Beach. He must have shown enough in extended Spring Training that the Cubs feel confident with this assignment. This is good news.

Also, it appears that Roenis Elías had agreed to terms with an as-yet unnamed KBO team. So we wish him luck over there.

Also, Smokies left-hander Jordan Wicks was named Southern League Pitcher of the Week yesterday.

Iowa Cubs

Rained out in Columbus. They’ll try to play one game tomorrow and a doubleheader on Saturday.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies took out the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels), 13-2.

On the heels of being named Pitcher of the Week, Jordan Wicks got his second win of the season. He allowed two runs on six hits over five innings. Wicks struck out five and walked two.

Catcher Pablo Aliendo hit a three-run home run as part of a four-run second inning. It was Aliendo’s third home run this year. He was 2 for 5 and scored twice.

Second baseman Chase Strumpf was perfect at the plate tonight, going 3 for 3 with two walks and a solo home run in the third. It was Strumpf’s fifth home run this season. Strumpf scored four runs.

Shortstop Luis Vazquez hit a two-run home run in the top of the eighth, his fourth this year. Vazquez went 2 for 4 with a walk and three total RBI.

Third baseman BJ Murray Jr. was 2 for 5 with an RBI.

First baseman Haydn McGeary was 1 for 4 with a walk in his Double-A debut. He scored once and drove home two—one with the single and one with a ground out.

Aliendo’s home run. Not a cheapie.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs grilled the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins), 4-3 in 11 innings.

Tyler Santana gave the Cubs four solid innings, allowing just one run on three hits. He walked three and struck out four.

Brad Deppermann tried for a two-inning save. While he did fine in the eighth inning, Deppermann gave up two runs in the ninth to send it to extras. He was one strike away from ending the game when Noah Miller cracked an RBI single to right field.

Sheldon Reed pitched both extra innings and while he had some help on defense, he did fantastic in not letting the automatic runner (or anyone else) score in either inning. Reed got the win after allowing no runs on no hits. He walked one and struck out three.

Left fielder Yohendrick Pinango broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning with a two-run home run. Pinango was 2 for 5 tonight.

After both sides failed to score in the tenth and the Kernels failed to score in the top of the 11th, pinch-hitter Ezequiel Pagan sent the home fans home happy with an RBI single. The hit actually probably would have been at least a double had the automatic runner (and winning run) not been on third with one out.

Catcher Casey Opitz went 0 for 4. He was hit by a pitch in the 11th and stole a base that wasn’t officially defensive indifference, but it might as well have been. Normally that line would not earn a mention in the highlights, but Opitz threw out four of the five runners who tried to steal on him, including one in the 11th inning.

Highlights

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans got lit up by the Columbia Fireflies (Royals) 12-0.

Starter Michael Arias took the loss after getting knocked around for five runs on five hits over 2.2 innings. He surrendered a three-run home run to Daniel Vazquez in the first inning and things went downhill from there for the Birds. Arias walked five and struck out five.

All four Pelicans pitchers gave up at least two runs.

Second baseman Reivaj Garcia was 2 for 4 with a double. Center fielder Rafael Morel was 2 for 4.