Down on the Farm: 3 Iowa Cubs homer, Javier Baez extends hitting streak to 13 games

Three Iowa Cubs players homered and Javier Baez extended his hitting streak to 13 while Boise inched closer to a first-half title.

Iowa Cubs
Iowa 5, Round Rock Express (Rangers) 4

Iowa scored all five runs in the second inning with solo home runs by Chris Valaika, Eli Whiteside, and Logan Watkins. Javier Baez would add a two-round double to round out the scoring. Baez’s double extended his hitting streak to 13 games.

Valakia led off with a home run, his 10th on the season, and was 2-for-4 at the plate. The next two I-Cubs were retired then Whiteside and Watkins hit back-to-back homers, their fourth homers of the year. They were both 1-for-4 on the night.

Brett Jackson was 2-for-5 with a double and he scored on Baez’s double.

Eric Jokisch allowed all of his four runs in the third inning on six hits, striking out four and walking three over four innings.

Carlos Pimentel took the win after tossing three scoreless innings and allowing just three hits, striking out four and walking two. Blake Parker picked up the Pacific Coast League-leading 20th save with a perfect ninth and two strikeouts.

Iowa improves to 64-46 with a 2.5 game lead over Omaha (Royals) in the PCL North Division.

Tennessee Smokies
Huntsville Stars (Brewers) 1, Tennessee 0
Huntsville Stars (Brewers) 5, Tennessee 0

The Stars scored an unearned run in the fourth inning after an error by rehabbing center fielder Emilio Bonifacio. Pierce Johnson allowed four hits and struck out three and walked two over five innings.

Elliot Soto was 2-for-3 and Bonifacio was 0-for-3.

In game two, Eduardo Figueroa allowed four runs on seven hits, striking out four and walking three over three and one-third innings for the loss.

The Smokies mustered just three hits with two of them from Stephen Bruno.

Daytona Cubs
Ft. Myers Miracle (Twins) 5, Daytona 3

Tayler Scott allowed four runs on eight hits, striking out two and walking two over five innings for the loss.

Gioskar Amaya was 1-for-2 with two walks and one run scored, Kyle Schwarber went 1-for-4 with an RBI, and Jordan Hankins 1-for-4 with a two-run double in the seventh.

Kane County Cougars
Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers) 4, Kane County 2

Paul Blackburn allowed four runs on eight hits, striking out one and walking on over six innings.

Trey Martin was 2-for-4 with an RBI and Jeimer Candelario went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk.

Boise Hawks
Boise 12, Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (Giants) 9

Jesse Hodges hit a solo home run in the second, his fifth of the season, to spark a three-run inning. He went 3-for-5 with three runs.

Mark Zagunis hit two doubles and had an RBI with a run scored. Rashad Crawford tripled, knocked in a run, and scored in the fifth to extend his hitting streak to 19 games.

Justin Marra was 2-for-4 with a walk, three runs scored, and two RBIs. Chesny Young was also 2-for-4 with a walk, two RBIs, and one run scored.

Danny Canela was 2-for-5 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI.

Ben Wells (2-2) started and allowed two runs on three hits, striking out one and walking three over five innings for the win.

Boise (21-15) remains tied for first place with the Hillsboro Hops with two games left in the first half. The Hops hold a slim tiebreaker over Boise. The Hawks must win one of their next two games to claim the first-half crown.

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