Down on the Farm: Chris Valaika powers Iowa Cubs to 8-3 win

Let’s see how our guys ‘Down on the Farm’ did during tonight’s handful of ball-games. The Daytona Cubs swept a double-header today and with number of games being postponed they will have a few more double-headers in their future.

Final Score: Cubs 6, Threshers 5

Game 1 of the double-header saw the Cubs score four runs during the bottom of the third inning thanks to a string of hits by Marco Hernandez, Bijan Rademacher and Albert Almora who picked up RBI singles.

It was 3-0 Cubs until Jeimer Candelario made sacrifice fly to right field scored Pin-Chieh Chen for another run. Clearwater would fight back during the fourth, fifth and sixth innings of the ball game as they were able to plate four unanswered runs to tie the ballgame.

Pitcher Yao-Lin Wang (0-5, 6.11 ERA) started on the mound for the Cubs, looking for his first win of the season. Wang made it through 4 1/3 innings before Andrew McKirahan entered in relief. Wang allowed three earned runs on three hits while issuing two walks and fanning one. McKirahan made it through 1 1/3 innings before the game was called after seven innings.

Dan Vogelbach hit a solo home run to right for a 6-5 Cubs’ lead in the sixth.

Winning pitcher: Andrew McKiranhan (1-1, 1.16 ERA), Losing pitcher: Lee Ridenhour (1-4, 6.00 ERA).

Game 2 Final Score: Cubs 8, Threshers 4.

Cubs scored eight runs across the bottom of the first and second inning after allowing the Threshers to strike first. Daytona would be unable to plate anymore runs during the rest of another short ballgame. Zeke DeVoss, Dan Vogelbach and Jeimer Candelario all homered during the bottom of the first inning. Bijan Rademacher plated an RBI during the bottom of the second on a double to right field to make it 5-1 Daytona. Candelario also doubled to right field to make it 8-1 during the same inning.

Starling Peralta (2-0, 3.03 ERA) took the mound for Daytona in Game 2 – allowing four hits, two earned runs while striking out five. He was later replaced by Michael Jensen (2/3 innings) and Zack Godley (1 1/3 innings) to finished another shortened game.

Winning pitcher for the double-header sweep is Starling Peralta (2-0, 3.03 ERA) losing pitcher is Luis Paulino (0-1, 5.25 ERA).

Cubs improve to 18-28

The Kane County Cougars continued their series against the Clinton LumberKings.

Final Score: LumberKings 3, Cougars 2.

Clinton jumped to a 3-0 lead during the first three innings of the ballgame – forcing Kane County to string together a couple hits before giving their pitcher some run support.

Cougars finally cut the three run deficit down to just one during the bottom of the fifth inning thanks to David Bote who picked up a two run single to make it 3-2.

Pitcher Daury Torrez (4-3, 3.68 ERA) has had a couple solid starts this season and you could chalk this one up as another. Torrez allowed the only three runs (two earned) of the ball game off three hits through 6.0 innings of work tonight before he was replaced by Zak Hermans.

Hermans made it through the final three innings of the ball-game – only giving up two hits while striking out four LumberKings. Kane County would be unable to put up runs during the final half of the game.

Winning pitcher is Jose Flores (1-0, 5.56 ERA) losing pitcher is Daury Torrez (4-3, 3.68 ERA) with the save being awarded to Emilio Pagan (8).

Kane County Cougars fall to 32-17.

Next up we have the Tennessee Smokies who were in a battle against the Mobile BayBears.

Final Score: BayBears 2, Smokies 1.

The Smokies were able to string together four more hits then Mobile during the contest but were unable to score more runs. Tennessee took the lead during the middle of the ball game on Kris Bryant‘s 13th home run of the season – this made it 1-0 Tennessee.

Pitcher Joe Gardner (0-0, 1.69 ERA) had himself a great outing today (5 1/3 innings) against Mobile as he allowed just two hits, one earned run, two walks and strikeouts before being replaced. Austin Kirk would be responsible for shutting down the BayBears with Gardner’s first win of the season on the line. Mobile would record only one hit off Kirk who made it through 2 2/3 innings. The only hit he allowed as a two run double by Jake Lamb that gave Mobile the 2-1 lead. He would be handed a blown save.

BayBears only put together three hits tonight while the Smokies recorded seven.

Winning pitcher tonight is Charles Brewer (1-0, 1.29 ERA) losing pitcher is Austin Kirk (2 BS, 1-3, 4.71 ERA) while the save was awarded to Jake Barrett (7).

Tennessee Smokies fall to 25-23.