Down on the Farm: Kyle Hendricks dominant in Iowa Cubs’ win

A happy Friday to all our readers across the Web, and welcome back to ‘Down on the Farm.’ Last night saw the Chicago Cubs drop the series finale to the Cardinals down in St. Louis, but there was plenty to be happy about on the Minor League side of things.

Kyle Hendricks, who is ranked as the Cubs’ 15th-best prospect according to MLB.com, was dominant for Triple-A Iowa last night, tossing eight shutout innings of three-hit ball, notching 11 strikeouts – leading the Cubs to a win over Round Rock in Des Moines.

The Tennessee Smokies were edged in extras, 6-5, but three different players tallied a pair of hits for the club in the loss. The defending Florida State League champion Daytona Cubs were not active on Thursday, as their matchup with Charlotte was cancelled, ending that series on a shorter note than anticipated. The Cubs’ Class-A affiliate, the Kane County Cougars suffered a 7-0 defeat at the hands of the Astros’ Class-A affiliate, the Quad Cities River Bandits, continuing a bit of an up-and-down stretch for the Cougars, who still retain the Midwest League’s top record.

Here’s a look at each of the contests.