Cubs Minor League News |
Thursday was a horrible night not only for the Cubs but for the entire Cubs organization. Not only did the Chicago Cubs lose another game to the Rays but the Cubs Minor League system went out to post an 0-7 record for the night, which hasn't happened yet this year.
COLUMBUS CLIPPERS 9 - IOWA CUBS 7: Despite a fast start for the Cubs offense, which saw them score five runs in the first two innings, things went south in a hurry. A lack of pitching and a quiet offense led to a 9-7 loss. After a great first start with Iowa, Kyle McGowin got roughed up in this one, allowing five runs in three innings. He gave way to Eduarinel Nunez who was lit up for four runs in his outing before Edwin Escobar and Michael Arias settled things down late. Opposing McGowin was Darren McCaughan, who, although he wasn't, still managed to settle in after a rough start to go five innings to earn the win. Both teams got off to a fast start, with Miles Mastrobuoni going deep to lead off the game, and Cole Roederer added an RBI groundout to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead. A pair of RBI singles from Myles Straw and George Valera tied things up in the bottom of the first only to have the Cubs offense continue to produce in the second. Mastrobuoni was in the middle of it again with an RBI double, while the Luis Vazquez RBI double extended the Cubs lead to 5-2. Apart from those two innings, things were quiet for the Cubs offense as they managed just two runs the rest of the way. A Jose Tena homer for Columbus in the bottom of the second kept things close at 5-4, only to have Bryan Lavastida tie things up with a double in the third. One inning later, the long ball did the Cubs in, as both Johnathan Rodriguez and Valera took Escobar deep to put the Clippers in front for the first time, 8-5. That would add their final run in the fifth on the Juan Brito single as the Cubs had some work to do. After a long homerless drought, Chase Strumpf got back on the board as he crushed a solo shot in the sixth to pull Iowa within 9-6. Then came the Owen Caissie single in the seventh as the Cubs were on the comeback, trailing 9-7. Unfortunately for them, that was the final run of game as the Cubs dropped another tough game 9-7. Caissie and Mastrobuoni led the way with two hits, and Mastrobuoni and Vazquez drove in two. BILOXI SHUCKERS 4 - TENNESSEE SMOKIES 3 (F/11): After winning the series' first two games, the Smokies tried to make it three-straight only to find themselves deadlocked after regulation. Needing extra innings to decide this one, the Shuckers found a way to get it done as they took care of things in the 11th 4-3. Brandon Birdsell has very quietly turned in a stretch of strong outings as he has lowered his ERA to 3.72. He continued to go about his business with six impressive innings, allowing just two runs and striking out five. The first of those runs came on a first-inning homer from Brock Wilken, who answered a Moises Ballesteros single earlier to tie things up 1-1. Ballesteros was the Smokies offense in regulation as he added his second RBI single in the fifth to put them on top 2-1, only to have Lamar Sparks tie things up in the sixth with another homer. With the game still tied 2-2 after the ninth, it was time for extras as both teams were looking to win this one late. A bases-loaded walk to Haydn McGeary in the top half of the 10th pushed across the go-ahead run, but once again, it was the Shuckers with the answer as Carlos Rodriguez picked up an RBI single to make things 3-3. One inning later, the Shuckers got the last laugh as Ernesto Martinez put one on the ground for the game-winning forceout, and the Smokies fell 4-3 in 11. With his two hits and two RBIs, Ballesteros paced the offense and is now hitting .292 for the season. He was joined by Christian Franklin and Matt Shaw for multi-hit games, with Franklin leading the way with three hits. PEORIA CHIEFS 3 - SOUTH BEND CUBS 0 (Suspended in the fourth): After a great last few weeks, this week's series with the Chiefs hasn't gone according to plan for the Cubs, who find themselves down 3-0 with the completion of this game set for Friday. Ty Johnson was on the mound for the Cubs, who gave up all three runs in the first. Two of those runs came into score on the Leonardo Bernai double, with the Alex Iadisernia single making things 3-0. That is where things will sit when the action resumes, as Pere Hansen has scattered just a pair of hits to Rafael Morel and Ed Howard through the game's first 3 1/3 innings. COLUMBIA FIREFLIES 5 - MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS 4 (F/11): Thursday was a rough night for the Cubs system in more ways than one, especially with two teams falling in 11 innings. Myrtle Beach was the second of those teams, as the Fireflies managed to keep things close before winning late. Jaxson Wiggins continues to impress since his promotion to Myrtle Beach as he allowed just one run in three innings while striking out three. He gave way to Marino Santy, who gave up the other two runs in regulation before the back of the bullpen took over. Angel Hernandez was excellent as he allowed just one run in 4 2/3 and was responsible for seven of the Pelicans 14 punchouts. While the Pelicans took more of a piggyback approach on the mound, Ethan Bosacker gave the Fireflies a bit more length, going five innings and striking out eight. He was charged with three runs in those five innings, with Alfonsin Rosario opening the scoring with a first-inning single before coming home on the Drew Bowser double. That 2-0 lead held until the Daniel Vazquez single in the third, only to have Erick Pena put the Fireflies on top 3-2 in the fourth with a homer. Speaking of homers, Reggie Preciado answered with a homer of his own in the bottom of the fifth to tie things up, as that was the final run in regulation, helping send the game to extras. With neither team scoring in the 10th, Pena came through with the game-winning double in the 11th as two runners scored to make things 5-3. Myrtle Beach managed to get one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning on a Miguel Pabon sacrifice fly, but that was it, as they fell to the Fireflies 5-4. Bowser and Cristian Hernandez led the way with two hits as Hernandez pushed his average to .311. ACL ANGELS 3 - ACL CUBS 2 DSL TIGERS 4 - DSL CUBS RED 0 DSL PIRATES 8 - DSL CUBS BLUE 7
