Down on the Farm: Eric Jokisch hammered as Iowa Cubs fall

Mar 8, 2014; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher

(80) throws a pitch against the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth inning at Goodyear Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday was a mixed bag for the Chicago Cubs’ Minor League affiliates. Kane County pulled off yet another come-from-behind win over Burlington, while the Iowa Cubs were hammered by a 10-1 final. Tennessee added some insurance runs on the road late to top Jackson and the Daytona Cubs fell at home by a 5-2 margin.

Several players put together impressive performances, including Kris Bryant, who clubbed his tenth home run on the young season.

But before we get to Bryant and the Smokies, we’ll start with Triple-A Iowa in today’s look at Down on the Farm.

Nashville 10 – Iowa 1 

The Nashville Sounds poured it on early and often Saturday night in Des Moines, pounding out six runs in the first four innings against Iowa pitching, en route to a 10-1 blowout of the Cubs in front of the home faithful.

The second batter of the game, Hector Gomez, hit a solo shot – his third long ball of the season – to open the scoring against Iowa starter Eric Jokisch (2-3), who allowed six runs, five of which were earned, in just four innings of work.

His counterpart, Matt Fiers (6-1) tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings, notching 13 strikeouts and issuing just one walk, lowering his ERA to a minuscule 1.59 nearly halfway through the month of May.

In the second, an RBI double and a run-scoring single added two more runs to the Nashville lead, before a two-run home run by Sean Halton in the third made it a 5-0 Sounds advantage. The visiting Sounds added another run in the fourth and were kept relatively quiet until the top of the seventh, when an RBI single by Halton off reliever Jeffry Antigua made it a 7-0 contest.

Iowa did not score until the bottom of the eighth, when Josh Vitters lined a single up the middle to plate Arismendy Alcantara. It would prove to be the only Cubs’ run of the night, as the club went just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and Nashville quickly answered back with two more runs in the top of the ninth, squandering any hopes of a late-inning comeback.

Christian Villanueva led the lackluster Iowa offense with a 2-for-4 night at the plate, raising his season average to .234.

With the loss, Iowa falls to 18-15 on the season, while Nashville improves to 20-16.

Tennessee 10 – Jackson 6

Three late insurance runs – one coming in the eighth and two in the ninth – helped Tennessee hold Jackson at bay on Saturday, as the Smokies escaped with a 10-6 win on the road, thanks to a four-hit, four-RBI effort from second baseman Stephen Bruno.

In the top of the third, with Tennessee trailing 5-2 after a second-inning grand slam by the Generals’ Daniel Paolini, Bruno homered to left, cutting the Smokies’ deficit to 5-4. The next inning, another long ball – this one off the bat of Jeudy Valdez – tied the game at five apiece.

The deciding run came in the top of the fifth inning when Taylor Davis singled to left, scoring Rubi Silva and Dustin Geiger to make it a 7-5 Smokies lead. Kris Byrant’s tenth home run of the season in the eighth added one of the aforementioned insurance runs and Bruno followed that up in the ninth with a two-run shot, his second of the game and third on the season.

The Tennesee bullpen proved to be the difference in the contest, tossing five shutout innings of relief in which they surrendered just one lone base hit, scattering three base-on-balls. P.J. Francescon (4-1) notched three of those innings in the winning effort, striking out two and lowering his ERA on the season to 0.87 in 20 2/3 innings of work.

Three Smokies players – Bruno, Silva and Valdez – had at least three hits, while two others added a pair apiece on a night where the team was able to overcome a 3-for-11 night with runners in scoring position thanks to the power of the long ball.

Tennessee improves to 21-15 on the season with the win, while Jackson falls to 15-21.

Kane County 2 – Burlington 1 (11 innings)

The Kane County Cougars just keep willing their way to wins. Saturday night on the road, the club rallied against the Burlington Bees with an 11th-inning run that gave them a 2-1 win. It marks the second straight night the team scored late to down Burlington.

Carlos Penalver led off the top of the 11th with a single to left field before advancing on a sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, with two outs in the inning, a wild pitch by Bees’ reliever Trevor Foss allowed Penalver to advance to third. After a walk to Will Remillard, Jordan Hankins delivered a clutch RBI single that proved to be the game-winner.

Kane County pitching was dominant on Saturday, combining for 11 innings of one-run, five-hit baseball, while notching 15 strikeouts and issuing just one walk. Right-handed reliever James Pugliese (1-0) tossed three scoreless frames in which seven of the nine outs he recorded came via strikeout.

In 12 1/3 innings of work this season, opponents are hitting just .156 against Pugliese.

Burlington led the game until the top of the sixth inning, when Remillard singled to center to tie the game at one apiece. Neither team scored again until Kane County took the lead in the top of the 11th.

Kane County improves to a Midwest League-best 26-10 this season with the win, while Burlington falls two games below even at 16-18.