Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 17

Edwin Ríos was officially taken off the injured list and optioned to Iowa.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs stomped on Indianapolis (Pirates), 6-3.

Starter Chris Clarke went four innings and gave up just one run on three hits. He struck out three and walked one.

The win went to Keegan Thompson because Clarke didn’t go five innings. Thompson allowed one run on one hit over two innings. He walked a batter with one out in the fifth, a single put runners on the corners and then a sac fly scored the run. Thompson struck out three.

Daniel Palencia faced five batters and retired them all in a 1.2 inning save. He struck out three. Palencia threw eight pitches at 100 mph or faster.

DH David Bote hit a three-run home run in the third inning. It was his seventh of the season. Bote went 1 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored.

Right fielder Yonathan Perlaza drove in two runs in the second inning with a double. He was 1 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base.

First baseman Matt Mervis was 2 for 4 with a double and one run scored on Matt Mervis Bobblehead Day in Des Moines.

Third baseman Edwin Ríos was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Center fielder Nelson Velázqeuz was 2 for 5.

Perlaza’s double. He just missed a home run.

Bote’s home run.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies split a doubleheader with the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), winning game one 2-1 and dropping the second one 11-10.

Walker Powell started and won game one. Powell gave up one run on five hits over six innings. Powell struck out two and walked no one.

Cayne Ueckert threw a perfect bottom of the seventh and got the save. Ueckert struck out two.

Right fielder Owen Caissie was 2 for 2 with two walks and a solo home run in the fifth inning. He scored both of the Smokies runs.

DH Hayden McGeary doubled home Caissie in the first inning. He was 1 for 2 with two walks.

In game two, starter Kohl Franklin got hammered for six runs on five hits over just two innings. Three of those five hits were home runs. Franklin walked two and struck out just one.

Luke Little allowed two runs in the bottom of the sixth and took the loss. His final line was two runs on two hits over 1.2 innings. He walked two and struck out two.

Shortstop Luis Vazquez hit a pair of two-run doubles in a four RBI night. Vazquez went 2 for 4.

Right fielder Owen Caissie was 2 for 4 with two runs batted in in game two.

Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong had three RBI on a single, a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and a ground out. He was 1 for 3 and scored once.

Caissie’s home run.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs boiled the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins), 10-2.

Richard Gallardo started and picked up the win, going five innings and allowing two runs on three hits. Two of those three hits were solo home runs. Gallardo walked two and struck out four.

Center fielder Kevin Alcántara busted out of his slump today in a big way, going 5 for 5 with two home runs. The first homer came with a man on in the first inning and the second one was also a two-run home run in the fourth. Alcántara had six total RBI today.

Shortstop Ed Howard homered for the first time since April 21 of last year with the bases empty in the fourth inning. Howard was 3 for 6 with a double and the home run. He scored three times.

Left fielder Ezequiel Pagan was 2 for 5 with a walk. He scored three times.

Alcántara’s first home run.

His second home run.

Howard’s home run.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans scored three runs in the first inning and held on to veto the Fredericksburg Nationals, 3-1.

Starter Jackson Ferris allowed one run on three hits over the first three innings. He walked one and hit one batter while striking out four.

The Pelicans bullpen then turned in six innings of shutout baseball, allowing just two hits. The win went to Angel Hernandez, who actually loaded the bases with one out before inducing a 5-4-3 double play to escape the jam. Hernandez’s final line was no runs on one hit and two walks over one inning.

Luis Rujano got a hold with two scoreless innings and then Yovanny Cabrera completed a three-inning save without allowing a run or even a single hit. Cabrera walked one and struck out three.

Right fiedler Rafael Morel was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Second baseman Pedro Ramirez went 2 for 3 with a stolen base.

Shortstop Jefferson Rojas was 1 for 2 with a sacrifice fly.

With the win, the Pelicans lowed their magic number to clinch the first-half division title to two with four games to play.

Highlights:

ACL Cubs

Lost to the Brewers, 7-6.