Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: July 5

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs defrocked the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 3-2.

Riley Thompson turned in a strong start this evening, allowing just one run on three hits over six innings. He struck out seven and walked three.

Rowan Wick pitched the seventh inning and gave up the lead, but he got the win when Iowa scored in the bottom of the inning. Wick’s final line was one run on one hit and one walk. He struck out one. The run came on a leadoff triple by Chris Williams followed by a sacrifice fly.

Manuel Rodríguez retired the side in order in the ninth for the save. He struck out two.

Shortstop Luis Vazquez is off to a great start in Triple-A and that continued tonight as he was a perfect 2 for 2 with a home run and a walk. The home run came in the fifth inning with the bases empty. It was his second in seven games with Iowa and his 13th overall. Vazquez scored twice.

Center fielder Nelson Velázquez doubled home Vazquez in the seventh inning with what turned out to be the winning run. Velázquez went 1 for 4.

Catcher Bryce Windham was 2 for 3 with a double.

Vazquez’s home run.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies deposed the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 4-3 in ten innings.

Starter Walker Powell had some problems with the long ball as he gave up three of them this evening. However, he limited that damage by not having anyone on base when any of the three home runs were hit. The final line on Powell was three runs on six hits over six innings. He struck out four and walked just one.

Blake Whitney pitched the next three innings without allowing a run. He allowed two hits, walked two and struck out three.

Cayne Ueckert got the win after pitching a scoreless top of the ninth. Ueckert allowed a bunt single to the first batter he faced, but then struck out the next three to keep the automatic runner, who had gone to third, from scoring.

Levi Jordan was the automatic runner for the Smokies in the bottom of the inning, and he went to third on a fly ball by Owen Caissie and then scored the winning run on a sac fly by Haydn McGeary.

Caissie was the big hero for the Smokies offense today. He was 3 for 5 with a double and a solo home run in the first inning. It was Caissie’s 15th home run this year. He had two runs batted in.

McGeary went 0 for 4 but he had the walk-off sac fly.

Caissie’s home run. He golfed it with a 2-iron.

Caissie’s double going the opposite way.

The walk-off sac fly.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs game against the Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals) was suspended by rain with the score tied 6-6 in the bottom of the ninth. South Bend has a man on second base and Kevin Alcántara is up to bat.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans shredded the Augusta Green Jackets (Braves), 9-3.

Starter Drew Gray pitched the first three innings and allowed no runs on just one hit. Gray struck out four and walked three.

The win went to Jose Romero in relief. Romero pitched 2.2 innings in relief of Gray and gave up just one baserunner, a walk in the sixth inning. Romero struck out six.

Third baseman Pedro Ramirez hit a pair of doubles tonight, going 2 for 5. He drove in two runs and scored once.

Shortstop Cristian Hernandez went 2 for 5. Each of his two singles drove in one run for two RBI on the game.

Center fielder Rafael Morel was 1 for 3 with two walks. He drove in one run and scored twice.

ACL Cubs

Are losing 10-4 to the Reds in the top of the seventh. Since this is a 7-inning game, I’m not optimistic.