Chicago Cubs Minor League Recap: Pitching dominates the day

Iowa Cubs (AAA)

Iowa Cubs beat the Indianapolis Indians 2-1 (Game 1 of Double Header)

Iowa Cubs beat the Indianapolis Indians 1-0 (Game 2 of Double Header)

Yesterday would certainly qualify as a pitchers' duel, and luckily for the Cubs, Iowa brought out two starters with major league experience using Kyle Hendricks in game one and Hayden Wesneski in game two. After the implosion of Jameson Taillon at the major league level it was very nice to see the depth that the Cubs have available to them for starting pitching in Iowa just in case there’s something more going on with Taillon and it requires an IL stint. After sweeping the double-header by a combined score of 3-1 the Iowa Cubs are now an impressive 25-16, but it turns out that when you call up your two most impactful bats to the majors, the offense becomes hard to come by.

Kyle Hendricks (RHP) threw six innings of one-run baseball and only gave up five hits, no walks and struck out six. The Cubs are hoping this was his last rehab game and could be able to return to the rotation soon.

Darius Hill (OF) went 2-4 with a pair of singles and an RBI.

Jake Slaughter (3B) went 2-4 with a double. 

Yonathan Perlaza (DH) went 1-2 with a double, a walk, a run scored and a stolen base.

Hayden Wesneski (RHP) pitched game two of the doubleheader and looked like a different guy from the one we saw in Minnesota giving up a home run every other pitch. He did walk four, but he didn’t give up a hit over five scoreless innings and struck out five as well.

Sergio Alcantara (SS) went 1-3 with the one RBI in the game.

Nelson Velazquez (OF) went 1-2 with a walk. Not usually a noteworthy performance but because I said yesterday he’d hit three homers and two doubles in the double header I thought I owed it to you to let you know how he actually played.

Tennessee Smokies (AA)

Tennessee Smokies beat the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 13-6

The Smokies saw the ball well yesterday. They turned 11 hits and 8 walks into 13 runs in a great day for the offense, but the pitching struggled a bit as a former first-rounder has still yet to find his footing. The Smokies beat the Blue Wahoos 13-6 to improve to 21-17 on the season.

Chase Strumpf (2B) pretty much experience his season in a microcosm yesterday. He went 1-5 with a walk, a run scored, an RBI, and a strikeout. 

Cole Roederer (OF) was back in the lineup yesterday and knocked the rust off a bit going 0-3 with two walks and a run scored. 

Haydn McGeary (1B) was great yesterday going 3-5 with a home run, and four RBI.

Bradlee Beesley (OF) went 2-3 with a double, a home run, two walks, three RBI, and four runs scored. In the 9th spot in the lineup. Not bad.

DJ Herz (LHP) wasn’t great. He went 4.2 IP and gave up three earned runs on five hits and three walks while striking out five.

Ryan Jensen (RHP) was worse. He only went 1.1 IP and also gave up three earned runs on five hits but he didn’t have any walks and struck out two. That moves the 2019 first-round pick’s ERA up to 6.84 on the year.

South Bend Cubs (A+)

South Bend Cubs beat the Beloit Sky Carp 3-2

The South Bend Cubs won a tight one with the Beloit Sky Carp 3-2. It’s fun to see the Cubs experience success from various aspects of team building and that was the case last night as they received a big offensive night from a draft pick and a player they got in the Joc Pederson trade, as well as a great night on the mound from an IFA signing.

James Triantos (2B) went 2-4 with a double, a home run and two runs scored.

Bryce Ball (1B) had an OBP of 1.000 yesterday as he went 3-3 and drew a walk. Not a bad trade return for a rental outfielder.

Manuel Espinoza (RHP) is having a helluva month. Yesterday was his third, and longest, start of the year. He went four perfect innings and struck out nine batters. He’s pitched exactly nine innings so far this year and has given up just two hits and one walk while striking out 13. We will take that. 

Myrtle Beach Pelicans (A)

Myrtle Beach Pelicans beat the Augusta Green Jackets 3-1 (Game 1 of the double header)

Myrtle Beach Pelicans beat the Augusta Green Jackets 6-3 (Game 2 of the double header)

Myrtle Beach had the other double header in the Cubs system yesterday and also came away with the sweep, beating the Augusta Green Jackets 3-1 in game one and 6-3 in game two. Those two wins mean that the Cubs affiliates played six total games on Saturday and went a combined 6-0, which almost makes their play at the major league level against the Phillies hurt a little bit less… right?

Juan Mora (DH) went 1-3 with a double and a stolen base. He also added a 2-3 with a double in the second game as well. 

Cristian Hernández (SS) went 0-2 with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored.

Reivaj García (2B) went 2-2 with a pair of singles in the first game and then 1-4 with a double in the second game.

Rafael Morel (3B) went 1-2 with a run scored and a sac-fly RBI.

Felix Stevens (OF) went 2-2 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBI.

Nick Hull (RHP) was strong in the first game. He threw five hitless innings and only walked two while striking out eight.

Johzan Oquendo (RHP) pitched two innings, gave up an unearned run on one hit and two walks and struck out five on his way to the win in game two of the double header.

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