Down on the Cubs Farm: 2-2 record, Happ hitless, Hatch impressive, highlights, more |
For the second straight day, the Cubs performed very well on the Farm as they delivered a 2-2 record for the night.
IOWA CUBS 3 – New Orleans Baby Cakes 6: The road trip continued for Iowa as they headed to New Orleans for their next visit. With Trevor Clifton on the mound hoping for his second win of the season, it was consecutive two-run innings from the Baby Cakes that did him in as the Cubs got doubled up 6-3 on Saturday for the loss. It was all New Orleans early as they raced out to a comfortable lead and never looked back. Isan Diaz put the Baby Cakes up 1-0 in the first as he went deep for the ninth time this season. Two innings later, it was the Miami Marlin connection of JT Riddle and Lewis Brinson coming through as they each picked up RBI hits to push the lead to 3-0 after three innings of play. Looking to find their offense, the Cubs put an end to the shut out bid in the top of the fourth inning. Jim Adduci got a good pitch to hit as he drove it over the fence for his sixth homer of the season. That as the closest Iowa would get the rest of the game as New Orleans went right back to work in the bottom of the fourth. Monte Harrison continued to swing a hot bat against the Cubs hitting his third homer of the season off of them for the 4-1 lead. Brinson added his second RBI single in as many innings later that frame to put New Orleans up 5-1. The long ball continued to be the lone source of runs for the Cubs in the fifth, as Jacob Hannemann connected for his first homer of the season bringing things to 5-2. With Trent Giambrone and Ian Happ now on base and a chance for a big inning, it was Robel Garcia coming through with a single as the lead was now just 5-3. Unfortunately, the Cubs were unable to get any closer as Yadiel Rivera picked up a sixth-inning RBI to cap off the scoring and give the Baby Cakes a 6-3 win. Iowa is now 29-20 following the loss but remains in first place. Giambrone and Garcia hot the hot hand at the plate collecting two hits apiece in the loss. Six other Cubs picked up one hit in the game while Happ went 0-3 with a walk. Junichi Tazawa and Randy Rosario continued to pitch well in relief. Iowa battled in the 9th, but couldn't close the gap.
TENNESSEE SMOKIES 5 – Pensacola Blue Wahoos 1: Led by Thomas Hatch who was looking for his second win of the season, the Smokies delivered a strong performance on the diamond as they cruised for the 5-1 win to take the series against the Blue Wahoos. Hatch (2-5) who has been in a real tailspin as of late, finally got back on the winning track as delivered his best start of 2019. In six innings, Hatch allowed 1 ER on 6H with 1BB and 8K. The lone blemish off of Hatch came right away in the first inning when Travis Blakenhorn took him deep for his second homer in as many days to give Pensacola the 1-0 lead. That was all the Blue Wahoos could muster in the game as Hatch was on point from start to finish. It was in the third inning when the Smokies took the lead for good as Vimael Machin went deep for the two-run shot and 2-1 lead. That lead continued to grow in the fifth inning when the Smokies offense put the game on ice with a strong showing at the plate. A P.J. Higgins RBI single pushed the lead to 3-1 in favor of the Smokies. Ian Rice added an RBI by giving himself up via groundout before Jhonny Pereda capped off the three-run frame with a single of his own to push the Smokies lead to 5-1 after five. That would be all the offense they would need as Scott Effross, and Wyatt Short slammed the door by tossing three shutout innings of relief allowing just one hit to preserve the 5-1 win. Tennessee is now 25-23 on the season as they are starting to play well once again. SmokiesCenter 5/24 vs Pensacola: Another big middle inning helps the Smokies against the South Division's best pic.twitter.com/YPmy47WAWq
MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS 1 – Wilmington Blue Rocks 2: Pitching was the name of the Game for Myrtle Beach Saturday as they sent young stud Luis Lugo to the mound hoping for another victory. Lugo did a fantastic job keeping the game close allowing just two earned runs in six innings of work; the lackluster offense reared its ugly head again handing the Pelicans a 2-1 loss. Lugo only allowed three hits in the game, but the one inning where his command was an issue was the second as that was the lone inning that Wilmington was able to push any runs across. Two singles and a walk had the Blue Rocks in business as they had the bases loaded with no outs. Next to the plate was Brewer Hicklen who rolled one up the middle for an RBI single and 2-0 lead. Lugo was able to prevent any further damage sending the next three hitters back to the dugout to keep things close. Fast forward to the eighth inning, the Pelicans still trailed 2-0 as it was now or never if they wanted to score. A one-out Zach Davis single and Jimmy Herron walk had the Pelicans in business with two runners on base. After a wild pitch moved both runners up 90 feet, Cam Balego was called out strikes keeping both runners at second and third. Once again a wild pitch proved to play a significant factor as Davis was able to make it 2-1, but Myrtle Beach couldn’t find that clutch hit they needed, falling 2-1. Birds on the board! @zdavis24 scores on a wild pitch in the 8th and the Pelicans now just trail 2-1!! pic.twitter.com/Adcr0hFn9W
The Pelicans continue to occupy the cellar as they are sitting at 18-32 on the season. Davis and Aramis Ademan had no trouble getting on base picking up four of the teams seven hits. Jesus Carmargo was brilliant in relief tossing two perfect innings to bring his ERA to 2.37 for the year. SOUTH BEND CUBS 10 – West Michigan Whitecaps 7: Not known for their offense, the Cubs were involved in a Saturday slugfest as the powered past West Michigan 10-7 for the win. Lefty Brailyn Marquez was on the hill was able to get through five innings to improve to (3-0) on the season. With the game tied 1-1 after 1 1/2 innings of play, the Cubs busted things wide open in the second and third to back Marquez with plenty of support. Brennan Davis gave the Cubs the lead for good 2-1 with his first double of the season before D.J. Artis followed that up with a single to make it 3-1 South Bend. The Cubs continued to swing a hot bat as Andy Weber went deep for a three-run shot to cap off a five-run frame and the Cubs leading 6-1 after two. That lead continued to grow in the third as Eric Gonzalez singled home a pair to make it an 8-1 South Bend lead. It was in the fifth when West Michigan began to crawl back into the game using a nice inning to chase Marquez in the process. A bases loaded hit by pitch to John Valente got the scoring started, as Wenceel Perez, and Ulrich Bojarksi picked up RBI hits to bring the deficit to 8-5. Avery Tuck closed the gap to 8-7 in the top of the sixth with his second of the season as South Bend was in danger of letting this one get away. However, a Weber triple and Tyler Durna single in the bottom of the sixth gave the Cubs all the insurance the needed as they were able to hang on for the 10-7 win and improve to 26-21 on the season.
We get another chance tomorrow with a 1 p.m. first pitch at Shrine on Airline! pic.twitter.com/BnLlFFtWkH
