Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 16

The Cubs released shortstop Yeison Santana, one of the four players that they received in the Yu Darvish deal.

Not much offense today. But there was one win.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs held off Indianapolis (Pirates), 2-1.

Riley Thompson had his best start since April and it got him his first win since April. Thompson threw five scoreless innings and surrendered just four hits. He struck out three and walked one.

Jeremiah Estrada got into trouble in the eighth inning, giving up a run on three walks and a single in two-thirds of an inning. It would have been much worse had the batter after the leadoff walk not grounded into a double play and had not Manuel Rodríguez relieved Estrada and ended the inning with a strikeout with runner on the corners and two outs.

Rodríguez stayed in the game in the ninth and allowed a double to the first batter and a single to center to put runners on first and third and no outs. But he nailed down the save with a strikeout and a 6-4-3 double play.

Shortstop David Bote hit a solo home run in the second inning, his sixth of the season. Bote went 1 for 3.

Catcher Bryce Windham hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning to score left fielder Darius Hill with Iowa’s other run. Windham was 0 for 2 and Hill was 0 for 2 with a walk.

Just four hits today for Iowa.

Bote’s home run:

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies offense couldn’t get going tonight and they did not manage to get even one hit. But it doesn’t count as a no-hitter because they were rained out. Doubleheader tomorrow in Birmingham.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were smoked by the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins), 3-1.

Brandon Birdsell didn’t pitch poorly, but he was a victim of non-support as they like to say as he got his fourth loss of the year. Birdsell allowed two runs on five hits over five innings. He struck out four and walked one. Three straight hits after two were out in the bottom of the fourth did him in.

DH Ezequiel Pagan went 2 for 4 with a double an RBI single in the third inning which scored shortstop Kevin Made. Made went 2 for 3 with two doubles.

Third baseman Luis Verdugo was 2 for 4.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were stuck in committee against the Fredericksburg Nationals, 2-0. However, Columbia lost, which dropped the Pelicans magic number to clinch the first half to three with five games to play.

Starter Nick Hull gave up a solo home run in the sixth inning and that was all it took to hang the loss on him. Hull pitched really well, however, allowing just one run on three hits over six innings. He struck out four and walked no one, although he did hit one batter.

The Pelicans had three baserunners tonight, all singles. It was one each from Cristian Hernandez, Moises Ballesteros and Parker Chavers.

Not much in the way of highlights, but here they are.

ACL Cubs

Losing to the Brewers, 8-3 in the seventh.