Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 14

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs ran Indianapolis (Pirates) off the road, 8-1.

Ben Brown tied a season-high with 11 strikeouts this afternoon over six scoreless innings. Brown scattered six hits and walked no one, although he did hit one batter.

All nine batters in the Iowa lineup had at least one hit. Center fielder Nelson Velázquez went 2 for 4 with a walk. He scored twice and had one run batted in.

Catcher Bryce Windham went 2 for 3 with a double and a walk. He scored twice.

Third baseman Chase Strumpf was 2 for 5 with an RBI single.

Edwin Ríos was the designated hitter today in a rehab outing. He was 2 for 5 with a double and an RBI single. He scored one run as part of a six-run third inning.

Cody Bellinger played the entire game at first base in a rehab assignment. He was 1 for 4 with a sacrifice fly.

Bellinger’s single:

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies usurped the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 5-4.

Starter Porter Hodge gave up just two hits tonight. Unfortunately, the first one was an RBI single in the fourth inning and the second one was a two-run home run in the fifth. Hodge’s final line was three runs on two hits over five innings. He struck out seven and walked just two.

After Luke Little pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Hodge, Zac Leigh came on to make his Double-A debut in the bottom of the eighth. He got a rude greeting as the first batter he faced, Tyler Neslony, hit a home run. But the Smokies came back to score three runs in the top of the ninth and Leigh got his first Double-A win in his debut game. The final line on Leigh was one run on one hit and one walk over one inning. He struck out one, of course.

Ben Hecht came on to get the save in the bottom of the ninth and he struck out the first two batters he faced. He then walked the next two batters, putting the potential winning run on first with two outs. But then Hecht got his third strikeout of the inning to end the game and get the save.

With the bases loaded and two out in the top of the ninth, center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong came to the plate and emptied the bases with a three-run double. Crow-Armstrong was 2 for 5 with the double and he scored one run.

First baseman Nelson Maldonado hit a solo home run in the second inning, his fourth on the year. Maldonado was 1 for 4.

Here’s Crow-Armstrong’s big three-run double. Off the opposite field wall and off a lefty.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs got creamed by the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins), 7-2.

Starter Luis Devers got the Cubs off to a great start by not allowing a hit or a run over four innings. He did walk two, hit two batters and struck out two.

An error by third baseman Fabian Pertuz opened up a four-run inning in the fifth, which gave Cedar Rapids the lead for good. Those runs were charged to Tyler Santana, who took the loss. Santana allowed five runs, one earned, on three hits over two innings. Two of those three hits were home runs, which was a big part of the problem. Santana walked one and struck out one.

Shortstop Kevin Made doubled in the fifth inning and scored the first run of the game on a Casey Opitz single. Made went 1 for 2 with a walk. Opitz went 1 for 3.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans outpolled the Fredericksburg Nationals, 1-0.

Starter Miguel Arias was outstanding tonight, pitching five scoreless innings and allowing just two hits. Arias struck out a whopping ten batters and walked just one.

The win, however, went to Erian Rodriguez, who gave up just two hits and one walk over the next three innings. Rodriguez struck out five.

Angel Gonzalez pitched the ninth inning, completed the shutout and got the save. He allowed a two-out single as the only baserunner of the inning. He did not have a strikeout.

The only Pelicans run came in the sixth inning when second baseman Pedro Ramirez reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring DH Cristian Hernandez. Ramirez was 0 for 3 and Hernandez was 0 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base.

Shortstop Jefferson Rojas was 2 for 4.

The Pelicans won despite just four hits tonight, all singles.

Mostly pitching highlights tonight, so that’s a nice change for you mound fans.

ACL Cubs

Off day.