The minor leaguers broke out the lumber as the week came to an end. Low-A South Bend outscored their opponents by 26 to 3 as Cael Brockmeyer and Chesny Young led the way. Tennessee also came up big and scored a total of 22 runs in two games as Dan Vogelbach continued his assault on Southern League pitching.
Myrtle Beach got seven shutout innings from Daury Torrez, while the Iowa Cubs look in disarray from all of the recent call-ups.
So dust off home plate, because here comes all of the runs in today’s Down on the Farm Report.
Low Class-A – South Bend Cubs (7-8)
It is the type of game you hope a team builds on and turns a season as South Bend crushed Lake County 16-3 on Wednesday.
Trey Martin (2-for-6 with a double) led off the game with a single, followed by a base hit from Chesny Young (3-for-3 with a stolen base). Walks to Gioskar Amaya (1-for-4 with an RBI) and Cael Brockmeyer (3-for-4 with a double and two RBI) scored Martin, and a double play brought in Young. A fielding error allowed Gleyber Torres (2-for-5 with two RBI) to reach and Amaya to score. With one out in the second inning, Young was hit by a pitch and came around on a double from Brockmeyer. Charcer Burks (2-for-3) singled with two out in the third and went to second on a wild pitch. A base hit by Rashad Crawford (2-for-5 with two RBI) drove in Burks.
In the fourth, Martin doubled and Young singled, with a stolen base putting runners on second and third. A base hit by Amaya brought in Martin and Young, and a single from Brockmeyer put runners on the corners. Amaya scored on a single from Jesse Hodges (2-for-6 with a double and three RBI), and a base hit Torres drove in Brockmeyer. Hodges would score on an error.
The fifth was also a big inning as Young singled and Amaya walked. A double from Hodges brought them both in. A single by Torres scored Hodges, and base hits by Burks and Crawford plated Torres. And the SB Cubs weren’t done.
David Bote (1-for-2) singled in the eighth and scored on a Justin Marra (1-for-1 with a home run and two RBI) home run, his second of the season.
Jeremy Null has been a revelation for the Cubs organization. The 6-foot-7 right-hander has not walked a batter in 17 innings this season. Null allowed only three hits as he struck out four in six scoreless innings. Tommy Thorpe went the rest of the way and gave up three runs (one earned) with a strikeout over three innings. Thorpe recorded the long save.
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The offense and pitching remain in sync for South Bend as they buried Lake County on Thursday 10-0. Erick Leal was virtually untouchable as he scattered three hits over five innings while striking out six batters. Tyler Ihrig dazzled with his off-speed pitches in striking out five in four innings as he recorded the long save.
The SB Cubs broke the game open in the third inning beginning with a Charcer Burks (0-for-2) walk. Trey Martin (2-for-5) singled. And Gioskar Amaya (1-for-3 with an RBI) loaded the bases with a one out base hit. A double by Cael Brockmeyer (1-for-4 with a double and two RBI) drove in Burks and Martin. Amaya scored on a two out single from Gleyber Torres (2-for-3 with two RBI and two stolen bases). After a stolen base by Torres, Yasiel Balaguert (2-for-4 with a double, a triple, and three RBI) tripled in Brockmeyer and Torres. Balaguert scored on a double by David Bote (1-for-2 with a double and an RBI).
South Bend took advantage of some wildness by the Captains in the fourth after Chesny Young (2-for-5 with a stolen base) led off with a single and walks to Amaya, Brockmeyer, and Jesse Hodges (0-for-4 with an RBI) drove in Young. Amaya scored on a force play, and Brockmeyer came home on a sacrifice fly. The SB Cubs capped the scoring in the fifth inning after Martin singled, reached third on an error, and scored on a ground out.
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High Class–A – Myrtle Beach Pelicans (9-4)
Myrtle Beach did not have another comeback in them for a Wednesday matinee as they lost 4-1 Salem 4-1. Jonathan Martinez did not pitch badly as he allowed three earned runs on five hits and four walks in five innings. Josh Conway relieved and gave up an earned run on two walks and two hits in 1.1 innings. Gerardo Concepcion finished out the contest with two strikeouts as he pitched 1.2 perfect innings.
The only run scored by the Pelicans came in the first inning after Jacob Hannemann (0-for-4 with a stolen base) reached on an error, stole second, and scored on another error.
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Pitching for the Pelicans flexed their muscles as Myrtle Beach shut out Winston-Salem on Thursday 6-0. Daury Torrez became the first Pelicans pitcher to go seven innings as he scattered four hits and struck out a batter. Michael Heesch followed and the big lefty had a strikeout in an inning of work. Jasvir Rakkar cleaned up, as he fanned two to close out the ballgame.
Myrtle Beach used some heady play as Ben Carhart (1-for-3 with a double and two RBI) walked to lead off the second inning. Carlos Penalver (1-for-3) walked with two out, and a double by Jacob Hannemann (3-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and a stolen base) brought in Carhart. The fifth inning began with singles by Penalver and Hannemann. Jeimer Candelario (1-for-3) worked a two-out walk. Jacob Rogers (0-for-4) reached on an error as Penalver and the speedy Hannemann both scored. A double by Carhart plated Rogers and Candelario.
The Pelicans stole a run in the six after Hannemann singled with two out, stole second, and moved to third on an error. Mark Zagunis (1-for-3) walked and Hannemann crossed the plate before Zagunis could be tagged out on a double steal.
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Double-A – Tennessee Smokies (8-5)
The Smokies took out their frustration on Jackson Wednesday night as they pummeled the Generals 13-4. Pin-Chieh Chen (3-for-4 with a double) led off the game with a walk and moved to second on a single from Albert Almora (2-for-4 with an RBI). Dan Vogelbach (2-for-5 with a double, a home run, and five RBI) wiped the bases clean with his second home run of the season. Willson Contreras (0-for-5) and Stephen Bruno (2-for-5 with two RBI) followed with walks. A two out single from Elliot Soto (2-for-4 with an RBI) drove in Contreras.
With the score tied at four in the second, Chen singled and Almora was safe on a fielding error. Kyle Schwarber (4-for-6 with an RBI) loaded the bases with a single, and a walk to Vogelbach scored Chen.
Anthony Giansanti (0-for-2) walked to start the third inning. Base hits by Soto and Ryan Dent (2-for-5 with a home run and an RBI) brought in Giansanti. Chen drew a walk, and a force out plated Soto. The fifth inning saw Soto lead off with a walk, move to third on a double from Chen, and score on a sacrifice fly. Bruno singled with two out in the sixth inning and stole second. Giansanti walked. A double by Soto drove in Bruno.
In the seventh, Almora and Schwarber had one out singles. Almora scored on a double from Vogelbach. A two out single by Bruno brought in Schwarber and Vogelbach. Dent capped the scoring in the eighth inning with a solo home run.
Ivan Pineyro had a shaky start as he allowed four earned runs in the first inning, but settled down to blank Jackson the rest of the way. Pineyro tossed 5.2 innings and struck out six batters. Zach Cates put together his best outing of the season. Cates struck out three in 1.2 scoreless innings. Starling Peralta tossed 1.2 perfect innings with three strikeouts.
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It was a little bit more of a restrained effort on Thursday but Tennessee still came up big, beating Jackson 9-2. The Smokies tied the game at one in the second after Stephen Bruno (0-for-2 with three walks) and Bijan Rademacher (0-for-3 with two walks and two RBI) drew two out walks. Bruno scored on a single from Ryan Dent (3-for-4 with three RBI). Elliot Soto (1-for-6) led off the third with a single and scored on a one out double from Kyle Schwarber (3-for-6 with a double, a home run, and two RBI). Dan Vogelbach (1-for-3 with a double) walked and a double by Willson Contreras (2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI) brought in Schwarber.
Tennessee broke the game open in the seventh after Vogelbach doubled, Contreras and Bruno walked to load the bases. Rademacher drew a walk to force in Vogelbach, and Contreras scored on a sacrifice fly. A single from Anthony Giansanti (1-for-4 with an RBI) drove in Bruno. Schwarber led off the eighth inning with a no-doubt solo home run to right field. Vogelbach walked and Contreras doubled. Vogelbach scored on a ground out. A single by Dent brought in Contreras with the final run.
Felix Pena continues to impress in his second tour of duty with Tennessee as he had a career high eight strikeouts while allowing two earned runs on four hits and two walks in 5.2 innings. New arrival Matt Brazis had a strikeout in a scoreless inning of work. P.J. Francescon followed with 1.1 perfect innings that include two strikeouts. Michael Jensen finished things off with a strikeout in a scoreless ninth inning.
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Triple-A – Iowa Cubs (6-8)
A bullpen collapse led to an Iowa loss in a Wednesday afternoon game as the I-Cubs fell to New Orleans 6-3. In his second rehab start, Tsuyoshi Wada pitched well enough to win as he allowed two earned runs on six hits and four walks while striking out five in 5.1 innings. Hunter Cervenka has looked completely overmatched since his promotion from Double-A. Cervenka surrendered three earned runs and had three strikeouts in 1.2 innings. Joe Ortiz also had his difficulties. Ortiz yielded an earned run in two innings.
The I-Cubs took the lead in the sixth inning after John Andreoli (1-for-2 with a double and a stolen base) led off with a double. Arismendy Alcantara (0-for-4) reached on a fielding error that allowed Andreoli to score. A wild pitch and a walk to Chris Valaika (0-for-3) put runners on the corners with two out. Jonathan Mota (2-for-4 with an RBI) singled in Alcantara. A double from Junior Lake (2-for-3 with a double and an RBI) plated Valaika.
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Injuries have thrown the Iowa pitching staff into chaos as they were not able to hold off New Orleans on Thursday and lost 9-2. Jeffry Antigua and Andres Santiago were called up from Double-A and Antigua got the start. The left-hander allowed nine runs (four earned) on seven hits with four walks and two strikeouts in 3.2 innings. Santiago stopped the onslaught as he struck out two in 3.1 scoreless innings. Michael Wagner and Armando Rivero each tossed a scoreless frame.
The I-Cubs got two consolation runs in the eighth inning after Arismendy Alcantara (1-for-4) singled with one out and scored on a Chris Valaika (1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI) home run.
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News and Notes
The Chicago Cubs assigned RHP Andres Santiago and LHP Jeffrey Antigua to the Iowa Cubs from the Tennessee Smokies; assigned RHP Matt Brazis to the Tennessee Smokies from the Myrtle Beach Pelicans; assigned OF Kevin Brown to the Myrtle Beach Pelican from the Iowa Cubs; assigned RHP Ben Wells to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans from extended Spring Training.
The Iowa Cubs placed LHP Eric Jokisch and LHP Drake Britton on the 7-day disabled list. The Myrtle Beach Pelicans placed OF Shawon Dunston Jr. on the 7-day disabled list.