Down on the Farm: Tennessee Smokies top Lookouts, Kershaw, 4-3

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Mar 18, 2014; Surprise, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs catcher

Rafael Lopez

(82) slides at home plate to score a run in the third inning against the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

What’s going on Chicago Cubs fans? I hope everybody enjoyed their Wednesday and don’t worry, we’re only a couple days away from Friday. Now while the big league Chicago Cubs and Edwin Jackson took the field against the Cincinnati Reds during an evening contest, a couple Minor League affiliates had games postponed. The Iowa Cubs and the Kane County Cougars have seen a couple of their games postponed due to this ridiculous weather so far in 2014.

Kane County will have a double header tomorrow, while Iowa is still waiting to see when it will make up its game. The hot topic for tonight was 2013 National League Cy Young award winner Clayton Kershaw making a rehab appearance against the Tennessee Smokies. This was the perfect opportunity for Cubs prospects to get an early look at someone who dominated the league last season.

We’ll cover that game first, so let’s get down to business.

Taking the mound opposite of Kershaw was right-hander Ivan Pineyro.

Both Tennessee and Chattanooga were able to put runs on the board early on, as Dustin Geiger got things going. Geiger laced a double to left field to drive in John Andreoli during the top of the first inning off Kershaw. This made it 1-0. Scott Schebler would pick up an RBI double of his own during the bottom of the first inning to tie the ballgame.

Pineyro would make it through 5 2/3 innings, giving up seven hits and three earned runs. He was able to strike out six batters as he went toe to toe with the best in the rehabbing Kershaw. Pineyro was replaced by Ryan Searle in the sixth.

Pineyro would give up the lead during the bottom of the fourth but Geiger would help him out. Geiger finished the night 2-2 with two RBIs, both of those coming off the dominant Dodgers lefty. The Lookouts would grab the lead during the bottom of the sixth inning, but that was their final run of the contest.

Jae-Hoon Ha would tie the game up at three a piece off a sacrifice fly during the top of the seventh. Rafael Lopez would launch his second home run of the season during the same inning to give the Smokies a 4-3 lead. That’s all they would have to score to pick up the win.

Winning pitcher is Ryan Searle (2-1, 6.75) losing pitcher is Raydel Sanchez (0-2, 5.79 ERA) with the save being awarded to Armando Rivero (5).

Final Score: Smokies 4, Lookouts 3.

Tennessee Smokies are now at .500, improving to 13-13.

The final game of the evening that was played tonight due to a couple postponed contests was between our Daytona Cubs and the Lakeland Flying Tigers.

Now yesterday the Cubs struggled to put together hits as they were only able to record two on the night in the shutout loss. Today was somewhat better, but it wasn’t the greatest outing for the team, both offensively and pitching wise.

Lakeland would jump out to a 1-0 lead during the bottom of the first inning off a solo home run by Dixon Machado. Starting pitcher Yao-Lin Wang took the mound to start off the game and was absolutely chewed up by Lakeland hitters.

Wang was pulled after five innings, giving up nine hits (two of which were home runs) and was charged with six earned runs. Lakeland put up three during the bottom of the fourth, five during the bottom of the fifth while adding two insurance runs later on.

Daytona was unable to put a run on the board until the top of the ninth inning thanks to both Dan Vogelbach and Rock Shoulders.

Winning pitcher tonight is Josh Turley (2-0, 2.08 ERA), losing pitcher is Yao-Lin Wang (0-4, 8.82 ERA).

Final Score: Flying Tigers 11, Cubs 2.

Daytona is now 9-17 on the season.

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