Big offensive performances marked the beginning of the week as Arismendy Alcantara had a two home run game for Iowa, while rookie Jose Rojas also hit two in the same game in Venezuela.
In Myrtle Beach, Jacob Rogers came close to a cycle as they closed in on a playoff spot. And Duane Underwood Jr. dominated on the mound again.
Rafael Mejia belted a home run for the first place DSL Cubs, and pitcher Ryan Williams dazzled batters for Tennessee to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
Meanwhile, South Bend battled both the weather and themselves as Zach Hedges may have had his best game of the season.
All of this, and more, inside the Down on the Farm Report.
Low Class-A – South Bend Cubs (27-35)
The South Bend Cubs’ game with Peoria on Monday was cancelled due to weather, and will not be made up.
South Bend could only conjure one run out of nine hits Tuesday as they lost 3-1 to Dayton. That run came in the fifth after Rashad Crawford singled with two outs and came home on a double from David Bote.
Starter Zach Hedges had one of his best games of the season, striking out six while being nicked for an unearned run in seven innings. Michael Knighton made his SB Cubs debut and gave up two earned runs in an inning. Daniel Lewis came on in the ninth and had two strikeouts.
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High Class–A – Myrtle Beach Pelicans (37-27)
On Monday, Myrtle Beach fought back but were in too deep as they lost 7-4 to Winston-Salem. The Pelicans maintained their three-game first place lead, with seven left to play in the first half. Daury Torrez was battered around by the Dash, surrendering six earned runs on 13 hits in five innings. Josh Conway gave up an earned run as he pitched two innings, with Jasvir Rakkar striking out two in a scoreless inning.
Myrtle Beach tallied their first run in the first inning after Pin-Chieh Chen (1-for-4) had a base hit, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a single by Chesny Young (2-for-4 with an RBI). Behind 6-1 in the seventh, Jacob Rogers (1-for-3) singled and Carlos Penalver (1-for-3) walked. A base hit by Trey Martin (1-for-4 with an RBI) drove in Rogers. A walk to Chen, a single by Young, and walk to Jeimer Candelario (1-for-2) with a wild pitch brought in Chen. A double play scored Young.
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Myrtle Beach made a big statement Tuesday as they defeated Winston-Salem 6-0. Duane Underwood Jr. was allowed to go seven innings and he struck out four while giving up only two hits and a walk. Michael Heesch had two strikeouts in two innings.
Jacob Rogers (3-for-4 with a double and a home run) had a big night, as he doubled and scored on a one out double from Carlos Penalver (1-for-3 with a double and an RBI) in the second inning for the first run of the game. A double by Danny Lockhart (2-for-4 with a double) started the fifth inning, with singles from Mark Zagunis (2-for-4 with a double and three RBI) and Pin-Chieh Chen (2-for-5) bringing home Lockhart and Zagunis. Rogers blasted a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning. The ninth began with a walk to Penalver and base hit by Lockhart. Zagunis doubled in both Penalver and Lockhart.
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Double-A – Tennessee Smokies (35-29)
Tennessee refuses to go away quietly as they held onto their slim playoff hopes Monday with a 5-1 victory over Jacksonville. Ryan Williams seems to have established himself as a pitcher to be reckoned with in the Southern League as he limited the Suns to an earned run on three hits and two walks while striking out seven in six innings. Fresh off the DL, Michael Jensen worked around a walk for a scoreless inning. Starling Peralta and P.J. Francescon each tossed a perfect inning.
The Smokies pecked away all game, as Jacob Hannemann (2-for-5) led things off with a single and scored on a one out double from Kyle Schwarber (2-for-5 with a double). The third inning began with a triple by Albert Almora Jr. (2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI), who scored on a ground out. Consecutive singles by Schwarber, Dan Vogelbach (1-for-4 with two RBI), and Billy McKinney (1-for-4 with an RBI) brought in Schwarber in the sixth inning. Pinch-hitter Willson Contreras singled to start the seventh and Hannemann reached on an error, with a double play scoring pinch-runner Tayler Scott. Base hits by Hannemann and Almora started the ninth, and Hannemann scored on a double play.
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The Tennessee Smokies had a scheduled day off on Tuesday.
Triple-A – Iowa Cubs (34-30)
It was a true team effort on Monday as the I-Cubs blew past the Omaha Storm Chasers 6-3. Arismendy Alcantara (2-for-5 with two home runs and two RBI) brought in the first score of the night with a solo home run in the third inning. Rubi Silva (0-for-3 with a walk) walked with one out in the fourth. John Andreoli (2-for-4) followed with a base hit. A double from Rafael Lopez (2-for-4 with a double and an RBI) plated Silva, and a single by Chris Valaika (3-for-4 with two RBI) drove in Andreoli and Lopez. Iowa put the game out of reach in the top of the ninth as Valaika singled and scored on a double from Jonathan Mota (1-for-4 with a double and an RBI). Mota was out trying to stretch the double into a triple, but Alcantara made up for that with his second solo home run.
Drake Britton was tapped again for a spot start and responded by allowing two earned runs and striking out five in five innings. Armando Rivero worked around two hits with two strikeouts as he pitched an inning. It’s still rough for Carl Edwards Jr., as he gave up an earned run but struck out two in two innings. Yoervis Medina picked up his second save with two strikeouts in a perfect inning.
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Iowa could not keep Omaha inside the ballpark Tuesday in a disappointing 6-4 loss. Jeffry Antigua, just up from Tennessee, started and served up two home runs, allowing a total of three earned runs in five innings. Yoanner Negrin tossed three innings but yielded a solo home run. Blake Cooper could not get the last out in the ninth and gave up a two-run walk-off home run.
The I-Cubs tied the score at one in the third with two out after back-to-back doubles by Adron Chambers (1-for-4 with a double) and Matt Szczur (2-for-4 with a double and two RBI). Singles by Rafael Lopez (2-for-4) and John Andreoli (3-for-3 with a double), with Rubi Silva (0-for-4) reaching on an error loaded the bases in the fourth inning. A double play brought in Lopez. A double from Ryan Dent (2-for-4 with a double and an RBI) scored Andreoli. Iowa added a run in the seventh after Dent reached on an error and came home on a two out single from Szczur.
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Dominican Summer League – DSL Cubs (10-5)
The D-Cubs moved back into a first place tie in the Boca Chica North Division on Monday as they defeated the DSL Marlins 4-1. First baseman Rafael Mejia supplied the thunder as he was 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Wander Cabrera lowered his ERA to 0.92 as he struck out four in five scoreless innings. Hector Garcia picked up the victory as he gave up an earned run in four innings.
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On Tuesday, the DSL Cubs lost a squeaker to the DSL Pirates 3-2. Second baseman Edgar Rondon was 2-for-4 with two RBI while Chris Pieters went 2-for-3. The defense let Pablo Ochoa down as he was charged with three runs (one earned) and struck out two in four innings.
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Venezuelan Summer League – VSL Cubs (14-12)
The VSL Cubs seem to have the number of the first place VSL Rays, beating them 14-0 on Monday. Gabriel Lima had four strikeouts in six innings, while Moises Ramirez earned his second save with four strikeouts in three innings. Designated hitter Jose Rojas had a monster game, going 2-for-4 with two home runs and eight RBI.
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The V-Cubs continue to close in on first place as they rallied to beat the VSL Rays 5-4 on Tuesday. Jose Rojas remained on a tear as he was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI, and catcher Daniel Diaz was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Riger Fernandez did well in his start, allowing an earned run and striking out a batter in four innings.
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News and Notes
The Chicago Cubs selected the contract of C Kyle Schwarber from the Tennessee Smokies; optioned RHP Brian Schlitter to the Iowa Cubs; assigned LHP Jeffry Antigua to the Iowa Cubs from the Tennessee Smokies; assigned RHP Michael Knighton to the South Bend Cubs from the AZL Cubs; assigned RHP Brad Markey to the Eugene Emeralds from the South Bend Cubs.
The Tennessee Smokies activated RHP Michael Jensen from the 7-day disabled list. The Myrtle Beach Pelicans activated 3B Jeimer Candelario from the 7-day disabled list; placed RHP Paul Blackburn on the 7-day disabled list.