Chicago Cubs Minor League Recap: Kevin Alcantara has a five-hit day

Iowa Cubs (AAA)

The Iowa Cubs beat the Indianapolis Indians 6-3

This was a good win for Iowa on a day when the Major League squad had a good win of their own. You got to see legitimate potential contributors do it at the AAA level and it begged the question, if the team in Chicago keeps winning, are these guys that could come up later this season and help with a playoff push?

Nelson Velazquez (OF) went 2-for-5 with two singles.

Yonathan Perlaza (OF) went 1-for-4 with a double, a walk, a stolen base, and two RBI.

David Bote (3B) continued his good week by going 1-for-3 with a walk, and a three run homer while adding a second run scored as well. 

Matt Mervis (1B) went 2-for-4 with a double, a single and a run scored. 

Edwin Rios (3B) went 2-for-3 with two singles, a walk and a run scored. 

Chris Clarke (RHP) was the starter yesterday and he went four innings, gave up one run on three hits and a walk and struck out three. 

Keegan Thompson (RHP) has still given up a run in six of his eight Iowa appearances, but he at least limited the walks yesterday. He went two innings and gave up a run on a hit, a walk, and struck out three while picking up the win. 

Codi Heuer (RHP) threw one scoreless inning and gave up one walk and no hits while striking out two. 

Ryan Jensen (RHP) only lasted a third of an inning as he gave up a run on two hits and a walk and struck out no one. 

Daniel Palencia (RHP) came in and slammed the door with 1.2 perfect innings with three strikeouts. 

Tennessee Smokies (AA)

The Tennessee Smokies beat the Birmingham Barons 2-1 (Game One)

The Tennessee Smokies lost to the Birmingham Barons 11-10 (Game Two)

It was a tale of two games in this one as the Barons and Smokies showed just how different a one-run game can look. In the first game, the Smokies were victorious in a low-scoring affair in which the starting pitcher carried the team, and in the second game timely hitting very nearly carried the Smokies to a second victory but even after taking the late lead in the top of the sixth they gave it right back in the bottom half to take the loss. 

Owen Caissie (OF) went a combined 4-for-6 with his 12th home run, three singles, two walks, five RBI, and two runs scored.

Haydn McGeary (1B) went a combined 1-for-6 with a double, two walks and an RBI.

Luis Vazquez (SS) went a combined 2-for-8 with two doubles and four RBI.

Caleb Knight (C) only played in the second game but he went 1-for-1 with a single, two walks and two runs scored. 

Walker Powell (RHP) started the first game. He went six innings and only gave up one earned run on five hits while walking no one and striking out two. 

Kohl Franklin (RHP) was the starting pitcher in the second game and he got rocked. He only last two innings and gave up six earned runs on five hits and two walks while only striking out a single batter. He gave up three home runs on the day. 

Luke Little (LHP) wasn’t much better. He lasted 1.2 innings and gave up two earned runs on two hits and two walks while striking out two. 

South Bend Cubs (A+)

The South Bend Cubs beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels 10-2

This one was what you like to see: complete domination and potentially the best offensive performance we’ve seen all year from a Cubs prospect. The bullpen only allowed two baserunners in the last four innings and struck out eight and the offense put up ten runs. We’ll take it. 

Ezequiel Pagan (OF) went 2-for-5 with two singles, a walk and three runs scored.

Kevin Alcantara (OF) had the best day of his young career. He went 5-for-5 with two home runs, three singles, six RBI and two runs scored. 

Ed Howard (SS) was almost as impressive as Alcantara. He went 3-for-6 with a home run of his own, a double, a single, an RBI and three runs scored. 

Richard Gallardo (RHP) was the starter yesterday and he gave up two earned runs over five innings on three hits and two walks while striking out four. 

Adam Laskey (LHP) pitched two perfect innings and struck out four. 

Myrtle Beach Pelicans (A)

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans beat the Fredericksburg Nationals 3-1

At the end of the first inning, the score was 3-1 Myrtle Beach and that would end up being the final score in this one. The names you’ve become accustomed to seeing in the box score had their normal impressive performances even if Jackson Ferris wasn’t as dominant as usual, but the Pelicans managed to take the win in this one and move to 12 games above .500 on the year. 

Felix Stevens (1B) went 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

Rafael Morel (OF) went 2-for-3 with two singles, a walk and a run scored.

Reivaj García (3B) went 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored.

Pedro Ramirez (2B) went 2-for-3 with two singles and a stolen base.

Jackson Ferris (LHP) was the starter and actually managed to look human. He went three innings and gave up one run on three hits and a walk while adding four strikeouts.

Yovanny Cabrera (RHP) closed out the game with three scoreless, hitless innings in which he only walked one and struck out three to lower his ERA to 1.83 on the season.

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