Results tagged ‘ Michael Heesch ’
Minor Matters – May 16, 2013 (Cubs Minor League Reports)
At The Plate - Iowa didn’t really have a lot going offensively, but they didn’t need it as the one run they scored in the second inning was enough for the win. Brent Lillibridge was 1-for-3 with a walk in the win. Dave Sappelt, Brian Bogusevic, and Josh Vitters all had base hits in this one. Donnie Muphy had the biggest one, a run scoring single in the second, he finished the night 1-for-2 with said RBI.
On The Mound – Matt Garza is just about ready to return to the Cubs and he showed it tonight. Garza was brilliant going six scoreless innings giving up two hits while striking out six, he threw 75 pitches, 53 for strikes. Brooks Raley took it from there as he worked three scoreless inning out of the pen for his first save of the year, he gave up two hits while walking one and striking out three.
At The Plate – The Smokies broke through with two runs in the sixth inning to break a 4-4 tie, and eventually win 6-4, the win pushes them one game over .500 on the season. Arismendy Alcantara was 2-for-4 with a double and a runs scored in the win. Ty Wright had a huge night for the Smokies going 2-for-4 with two home runs, four RBI’s, and two runs scored, Wright came into this one with no home runs on the season. Jonathan Mota was 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Rafael Lopez was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
On The Mound – Matt Loosen never really found his command in this one as he worked four innings giving up four runs on three hits while walking six(!), and striking out five. Then the bullpen took over for the Smokies and won the game. A.J. Morris was perfect going three scoreless innings while striking out three to get his second win of the season. Marcus Hatley worked a scoreless eighth inning giving up one hit. Frank Batista worked a scoreless ninth to earn his fifth save of the season while striking out one.
At The Plate – The Daytona bats finally woke up, unfortunately that wasn’t enough to win tonight as they drop another disappointing one to Charlotte. Daytona scored seven times but left a lot out there as they were only 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position. Dustin Geiger is putting together a solid season and had another good night going 3-for-5 with his fourth home run of the season, a double, an RBI, and two runs scored, he is now hitting .298 on the season. Ben Carhart was 1-for-4 with a walk, and two runs scored in the loss. Huge night for Chadd Krist, he went 3-for-3 with a walk, two doubles, and five RBI’s, not bad for his second game with Daytona.
On The Mound – Probably the worst outing you will ever see P.J. Francescon have, he had nothing. Francescon went five innings giving up ten runs, eight earned, on nine hits while walking five and striking out three, his record fell to 3-3 on the season. Jeffrey Lorick was decent out of the pen going 1.2 innings giving up one run, unearned, on one hit while walking one and striking out one. David Cales was okay out of the pen going 1.1 innings giving up one run on one hit while walking one and striking out one. Hunter Cervenka worked a scoreless inning giving up one hit, he has a sparkling 1.62 ERA on the season.
At The Plate – Game one was all Cougars, they didn’t break it open until late but they only needed one as they beat the Chiefs in game one 5-0. Pin-Chieh Chen was 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI, and a run scored from the lead-off spot. Gioskar Amaya had a big game going 3-for-4 with a double, three RBI’s, and a run scored. Dan Vogelbach was 1-for-4 with a double, and an RBI in the win. Willson Contreras is locked in right now, he was 2-for-3 with a walk, he is now hitting .307 on the season. Marco Hernandez was perfect in game one going 3-for-3 with a double, and two runs scored.
On The Mound - Brian Smith was awesome for the Cougars, in fact he was almost perfect. Smith worked four scoreless, and hit-less innings while walking two and striking out two. Eddie Orozco took over and was very good, he worked two scoreless innings giving up one hit while striking out one to earn his second win of the season. Jeffry Antigua came on to close this one out, he worked a scoreless inning while striking out one.
At The Plate – The Chiefs got payback in game two as they routed the Cougars 8-2, the Cougars could only manage three hits in this one. What’s worse is they committed six errors in seven innings, that usually doesn’t end well. Jeimer Candelario was one of the few Cougars who had a strong game two at the plate, he was 2-for-3 with two doubles, he also committed three errors. Marco Hernandez proved to be the only offense for the Cougars going 1-for-3 with his first home run of the season, two RBI’s, a run scored, and you guessed it, an error.
On The Mound – As you could imagine the Cougars pitching didn’t get a lot of help from their defense. Michael Heesch got the start and took the loss, he worked three innings giving up six runs, two earned, on four hits while walking two. Steve Perakslis was solid out of the pen working three scoreless innings giving up three hits while striking out two. Bijan Rademacher, the Cougars starting right fielder, worked one inning giving up two runs, unearned, on two hits while walking one.
Minor Matters – May 11, 2013 (Cubs Minor League Reports)
At The Plate – The Cubs left some runs out on the bases in this one but they found just enough offense to come away with a win. Brett Jackson was 2-for-5 with a double, two RBI’s, and his fourth stolen base of the season. Dave Sappelt had a good day going 2-for-4 with his first home run of the season, two RBI’s, and a run scored. J.C. Boscan was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in the win. I mentioned that Iowa left some runs out there, they were 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position, and left nine guys on base.
On The Mound – Guillermo Moscoso was brilliant in this one for the Cubs as he improved his record to 2-0 on the season. Moscoso went seven innings giving up one run, unearned, on six hits while walking one and striking out seven. Zach Putnam worked a scoreless inning out of the pen giving up one hit while walking one. Blake Parker was solid again for his fifth save of the season, he worked a scoreless ninth while striking out one.
At The Plate – The Smokies finally found a way to beat the Barons, and almost blew the lead late before hanging on to a 5-4 victory. Matt Szczur was good again at the top of the order going 2-for-4 with two RBI’s, two runs scored, and two stolen bases, he now has twelve stolen bases on the season. Ty Wright was 2-for-3 with a walk, and a double in the win. Christian Villanueva had another solid day going 3-for-4 with two doubles, and an RBI, he’s hitting .294 over his last ten games.
On The Mound – Matt Garza had a solid outing for the Smokies, and more importantly came out of it healthy again. Garza went 3.1 scoreless innings giving up three hits while walking two and striking out two. Matt Loosen struggled with his command out of the pen but managed to get the win. Loosen went four innings giving up three runs on two hits while walking four and striking out six. Marcus Hatley struggled a little bit but earned his first save of the season going 1.2 innings giving up one run on two hits while walking two and striking out one.
At The Plate – After falling behind 3-1 early the Cougars went to work at the plate scoring six times over the final six innings en route to a 7-4 victory. Pin-Chieh Chen was solid at the top of the order going 2-for-5 with a double. Dan Vogelbach was 1-for-4 with a walk, a double, and a run scored, he’s now hitting .292 on the season. Willson Contreras had a huge day going 3-for-5 with a double, his fourth home run of the season, two RBI’s, and two runs scored. Gioskar Amaya only had one hit in this one (1-for-5) but he had two huge RBI’s.
On The Mound – Michael Heesch flirted with disaster all day long but pitched out of trouble for the most part. Heesch worked six innings giving up four runs on twelve hits while walking one to earn his second win of the season. Brian Smith was outstanding out of the pen, he worked three scoreless inning giving up two hits while striking out three to earn his first save of the season.
NOTES: Daytona had a double-header scheduled, and both games were postponed.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mom’s out there, including mine, the best one there is!
Minor Matters – May 5, 2013 (Cubs Minor League Reports)
At The Plate - The Cubs came awfully close to sweeping this double after two comebacks but in the end had to settle for a split. Logan Watkins was 1-for-4 with a triple, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored. Josh Vitters had a solid first game and a big second game going 3-for-5, he might be making the case to move ahead of Stewart on the organizational depth chart. Brian Bogusevic just hits, he was 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI, that raises his average to .418 on the season.
On The Mound – Brooks Raley was really good for Iowa going five innings giving up two runs on six hits while striking out four. Casey Coleman worked a scoreless inning out of the pen giving up one hit while striking out one. Yoanner Negrin was also solid, he went 1.1 scoreless innings giving up one hit while walking one and striking out three. Hisanori Takahashi went 1.2 innings giving up one run on one hit while striking out one. Cory Wade suffered the loss in this one as he went one inning giving up one run on two hits while walking one and striking out two.
At The Plate - The Cubs were locked in a battle into the fourth inning, that’s when they broke it open with three runs en route to a 5-2 win. Josh Vitters, who just returned to the team a couple of days ago was 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI’s and two runs scored. Brian Bogusevic continues to hit, he was 2-for-2 with two double, a walk, and a run scored, he’s now hitting .414 on the season. J.C. Boscan was 1-for-2 with two RBI’s, and a run scored in the win.
On The Mound - Guillermo Moscoso got the start in game one and was solid, but couldn’t make it to the fifth inning to get a win. Moscoso went four innings giving up two runs on four hits while walking three and striking out three. Esmailin Caridad, Kyuji Fujikawa, and Blake Parker all worked scoreless innings out of the pen. Fujikawa made his first game appearance since being put on the DL with a forearm issue. Blake Parker earned his third save of the year.
At The Plate - For the second straight game the Smokies had no answer for Braves pitching as they were shut out again in a 6-0 loss. The Smokies aren’t just having trouble scoring, they aren’t getting any hits either. The Smokies only had five hits in this one, all singles. Matt Szczur was 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base, his ninth of the season.
On The Mound - Kyle Hendricks didn’t get any help from his defense, as he worked five innings giving up five runs, two earned, on nine hits while striking out five. Marcus Hatley, and Zach Rosscup each worked scoreless innings out of the bullpen, both guys have been outstanding all year long. Trey McNutt worked an inning giving up one runs on three hits.
At The Plate – Pitching at it’s finest in this one as the D-Cubs and Mets remained scoreless into the bottom of the ninth, that’s when the Mets pushed across a run for a 1-0 win. The D-Cubs could only manage three hits all day in this one, they did draw four walks but were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. John Andreoli, Dustin Geiger, and Ben Carhart were the only D-Cubs to record a hit, all singles.
On The Mound – Yeiper Castillo was brilliant once again, but unfortunately didn’t factor into the decision. Castillo went six scoreless innings giving up two hits while walking one and striking out seven. Hunter Cervenka was just as good out of the pen as he worked two scoreless innings. Luis Liria took the loss in this one, he was very Marmol like, he worked two-thirds of an inning giving up one run on one hit while walking three.
At The Plate - The Cougars are on a roll, today’s win marks the sixth straight victory for Kane County and brought their record back above .500 on the season. Gioskar Amaya was 2-for-4 with a double, and a run scored in the win. Dan Vogelbach was 1-for-2 with two walks, a double and an RBI. Oliver Zapata was 2-for-3 with an RBI, he’s now hitting .280 on the season. Seven different players had at least one hit for the Cougars, and they were 3-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
On The Mound – Michael Heesch was outstanding going 7.1 scoreless innings giving up four hits while striking out five to earn his second win of the season. Nathan Dorris has been great all year, and was again today, he worked 1.2 scoreless innings giving up one hit to earn his second save of the season.
Thanks for reading,
- George
Minor Matters – April 29, 2013 (Cubs Minor League Recaps)
At The Plate – Wild game in Iowa today that saw a total of twenty-four hits and nineteen runs between the two teams, unfortunately Iowa came up one run short. Logan Watkins was 2-for-4 with a walk, and RBI, and a run scored. Ryan Sweeney just doesn’t stop hitting, he was 2-for-4 with a walk, and two runs scored, he’s hitting .377 on the season. Brad Nelson is a huge man, he had a huge day going 4-for-5 with two doubles, three RBI’s, and two runs scored. Brett Jackson seems to be settling in at the plate, he went 1-for-4 with a walk, a home run, two RBI’s and a run scored.
On The Mound – Rough go of it for the Iowa pitchers in this one. Nick Struck got the start and worked three innings giving up five runs on four hits while walking four, and striking out one. Esmailin Caridad didn’t fare much better out of the pen going three innings giving up four runs on four hits while walking three and striking out five. Cory Wade worked two innings giving up one run on three hits while walking one and striking out one. Blake Parker was the only Iowa pitcher to escape unscathed in this one as he worked as scoreless inning while walking one and striking out two.
At The Plate – Not a lot of offense in this one, but just enough for Daytona as they squeaked by the Cardinals 2-1. Daytona just couldn’t get the big hit in this one to open the game up, they were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Dustin Geiger had a solid game and a huge hit, he was 1-for-2 with a home run, a walk, and a run scored. Javier Baez continues to hit, and make errors, he was 1-for-3 with his eleventh error of the season, it will happen, and he will improve. Chad Noble and Ben Carhart each had a double in the win.
On The Mound – Yeiper Castillo was disgusting good in this one, unfortunately he didn’t factor in the decision. Castillo went four scoreless innings giving up two hits while walking one and striking out eight. Luis Liria was solid out of the pen going two scoreless innings giving up one hit and striking out one. Hunter Cervenka blew the save, not really his fault, but also got the win. Cervenka went two innings giving up one run, unearned, on one hit while walking one and striking out four.
At The Plate - Game one was as good as it gets when it comes to pitching as the game was scoreless into the last of the seventh. That’s when Jae-Hoon Ha came off the bench and walked off with a three run shot to give the Smokies a 3-0 victory. That was really the only offense for the Smokies in game one as they managed seven hits, with only one extra base hit, the Ha home run. Rubi Silva was 1-for-3 with a stolen base, and a run scored in the win.
On The Mound – Kyle Hendricks was brilliant in this one but did not factor into the decision. Hendricks went six scoreless inning giving up one hit while walking one and striking out eight. Marcus Hatley came on in relief and earned the win after working one scoreless inning, striking out two in the frame.
At The Plate – Game two had the same final score, unfortunately the opposite result as the Smokies could only manage two hits all game in the defeat. Matt Szczur and Ronald Torreyes were each 1-for-3, and that was it.
On The Mound – Eric Jokisch had a rough go of it early, but then settled in to have a decent outing, but took his first loss of the season. Jokisch went five innings giving up three runs on six hits while walking one and striking out one. Frank Batista and Tony Zych kept things close as they both worked a scoreless inning out of the pen, unfortunately the Smokies couldn’t get anything done offensively.
At The Plate – What a crushing loss for the Cougars in game one, I guess the good news is that there is another game right away so they can forget this one. The Cougars led 6-2 heading to the last of the 7th (7th inning is the last inning in DH games) and they gave up five runs to lose 7-6. The Cougars only managed six hits but they were awfully productive in scoring six runs. Daniel Vogelbach blasted his third home run of the season, he ended game one going 1-for-4 with said home run, two RBI’s and a run scored. Rock Shoulders joined the fun as well as he launched his fifth home run of the season, he finished game one 1-for-3 with two RBI’s and a run scored. Willson Contreras was 2-for-3 with a stolen base, and two runs scored.
On The Mound – Felix Pena did everything possible to earn the win as he went six inning giving up two runs on five hits while striking out three. Then things went south, and quickly. Ian Dickson was the first out of the pen, he was only able to get through two-thirds of an inning giving up four runs on two hits while walking two and striking out one. Matt Iannazzo added fuel to the fire in relief of Dickson, as he didn’t retire a hitter and gave up one run on two hits while walking two to get the loss.
At The Plate – Game one’s disaster just zapped any energy that the Cougars might have had, and they still could have won this one. For the second time today the Cougars blew a late inning lead, this one wasn’t as bad as the first game though. The Cougars could only manage two hits in game two, I know, not very exciting. Daniel Vogelbach was 1-for-3 with another home run, an RBI, and a run scored. Oliver Zapata had the only other hit, a single, he also walked.
On The Mound – Michael Heesch pitched well early, then struggled late. Heesch worked five innings giving up four runs on six hits while walking one and striking out seven. Steve Perakslis worked a scoreless inning out of the pen, but it was too little too late.
Thanks for reading,
- George
Minor Matters – April 22, 2013 (Cubs Minor League Recaps)
At The Plate – Iowa had several solid performances in this one and it led to a solid victory over a good Redbirds team. Logan Watkins went 1-for-3 with two walks, a double, a stolen base, and a run scored. Ian Stewart finally showed some life as he went 1-for-3 with a double, two RBI’s, and a run scored. Brian Bogusevic was 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored, he’s now hitting .389 on the season. Brad Nelson was 2-for-4 with a home rune, two RBI’s, and a run scored in the victory.
On The Mound – Brooks Raley had another solid outing, and was rewarded with his second win of the season. Raley went 5.1 innings giving up two runs on five hits while walking two and striking out three. Zach Putnam, Rafael Dolis, and Blake Parker combined to shut the Redbirds down over the final 3.2 innings to preserve the win. Putnam went 1.2 scoreless innings giving up two hits while walking one and striking out three. Dolis and Parker also worked scoreless innings with Parker walking a tightrope to earn his second save, he didn’t give up a hit while walking two and striking out two in the ninth.
At The Plate – The Smokies wasted no time in getting back into the win column as they destroyed the Biscuits…Biscuits! Arismendy Alcantara was in the middle of everything once again for the Smokies, he was 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI’s, two stolen bases, and two runs scored. Eight of the nine hitters had at least one hit for the Smokies, Alcantara was the only one to have a multi-hit game. Jae-Hoon Ha was 1-for-3 with a walk, a double, and two runs scored. Jonathan Mota was 1-for-4 with two RBI’s in the victory.
On The Mound – Eric Jokisch continued his tremendous start to the season tonight, he went 6.1 innings giving up three runs, one earned, on eight hits while walking two and striking out three to move his record to 3-0. Brian Schlitter, who has been just as good, if not better, did the rest out of the pen. He went 2.2 scoreless innings giving up two hits and striking out one, he has yet to give up an earned run this season.
At The Plate – After yesterday’s poor offensive effort the D-Cubs got back at it tonight as they pounded out ten hits and seven runs. Javier Baez, who is really turning it on of late, was 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI, and two runs scored. Dustin Geiger also had a big night going 3-for-5 with three RBI’s, he now has 18 already on the season. Jorge Soler was finally shut down, he was 0-for-5, but did have an RBI, and scored a run.
On The Mound - Austin Kirk had some trouble navigating through five innings, but he was able to do so and improve his record to 3-0 on the season. He gave up four runs on four hits while walking two and striking out eight over those five innings of work. The bullpen was stout for the D-Cubs, and it was just two guys doing the work. Zach Cates worked 1.1 scoreless, and hit-less innings while walking one, and Hunter Cervenka worked 2.2 scoreless, and hit-less innings while walking one and striking out two.
At The Plate – Tough one to take for the Cougars as they built an early 5-1 lead only to watch it slip away an end up in a 9-6 loss. Pin-Chieh Chen was 2-for-4 with a walk, a caught stealing, and a run scored. Gioskar Amaya was 2-for-5 with a run scored, but also made an error. Daniel Vogelbach had a productive night at the plate going 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI’s, and a run scored. Marco Hernandez was 2-for-4 with two doubles, and two RBI’s in the loss. Rock Shoulders was finally held without a hit, but did walk three times, and scored a run.
On The Mound – Michael Heesch was solid in his start today, unfortunately the bullpen and the Cougars defense kept him from getting the win. Heesch went six innings giving up two runs on five hits while walking two and striking out five. Brian Smith took the loss out of the pen, while he didn’t pitch well, he didn’t get much help either. Smith went two-thirds of an innings giving up five runs, only one earned, on three hits while walking two and striking out one. Matt Iannazzo was beat up as well, he went 2.1 innings giving up two runs on five hits while walking three.
Thanks for reading,
- George
Minor Matters – April 16, 2013 (Cubs Minor League Recaps)
At The Plate – You wouldn’t know it by the hit totals, but the I-Cubs won this one rather handily 4-3. Iowa only had three hits, and gave up ten, but that’s not what decides games. Ty Wright was 1-for-4 with a run scored. Ryan Sweeney had one of the other hits and it was a big one, he was 1-for-3 with a walk, a triple, and an RBI. J.C. Boscan had the biggest hit of the day as he was 1-for-3 with a double, and two RBI’s, definitely an odd game at the plate, but drawing four walks definitely helped.
On The Mound – Plenty of hits given up by the Cubs staff, but they didn’t walk anyone, and that was a huge reason they pulled this one out. Brooks Raley had a tremendous outing getting his first win of the season going six scoreless innings giving up six hits, and striking out seven. Yoanner Negrin continues to be untouchable out of the pen, he worked two scoreless innings only giving up two hits. Cory Wade worked the ninth and gave up one run on two hits while striking out two.
At The Plate – A back and forth game in Huntsville ended with the Smokies hanging on to win 4-3 over the Stars. Matt Szczur continues to be productive out of the lead-off spot, he went 2-for-3 with a home run, a stolen base, a caught stealing, an RBI, and a run scored. Justin Bour also joined in on the fun going 2-for-4 with a home run, an RBI, and a run scored. Rubi Silva has been scorching hot all year and it was no different last night, he was 2-for-4 with a home run, an RBI, and two runs scored, he’s hitting .405 on the season now.
On The Mound – Alberto Cabrera got the start and his second win of the season as he went six innings giving up two runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out five. A.J. Morris was solid out of the pen going two scoreless, and hitless innings while striking out three. Frank Batista worked the ninth for his second save, although he made it exciting, he worked one inning giving up one run on one hit while walking one.
At The Plate – All sorts of offense from Daytona but it wasn’t nearly enough in this one. Seven out of the nine players in the lineup had at least one hit. John Andreoli was 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI, two stolen bases, and one run scored. Javy Baez connected on his second homer of the season, he finished the day 1-for-5 with an RBI, a stolen base, and two runs scored. Stephen Bruno was 2-for-2 with two walks with a double, and a run scored. Dustin Geiger continues to stay hot going 2-for-3 with an RBI, and a run scored, he’s now hitting .310 on the season.
On The Mound – I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen anything like this in just nine innings. The D-Cubs staff gave up fifteen runs, that was low in my opinion seeing that they gave up twenty-seven hits, twenty-seven! Ryan Searle has been great this year, not last night, he went 4.2 innings giving up seven runs on fifteen(!) hits while striking out five, his ERA sits at 4.85 right now, a small miracle given how many runs he gave up. Hunter Cervenka and Luis Liria gave up a combined seven runs in 2.1 innings. Taylor Davis, a catcher, worked one inning giving up one run on four hits.
At The Plate - The Cougars had a thrilling comeback win in game one as they scored twice in the last two innings to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win 4-3. Gioskar Amaya was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. Daniel Vogelbach was 2-for-4 with an RBI, and a run scored, with that two hit game his average climbed to .302 on the season. Jeimer Candelario was 1-for-3 with a big two run double to help the Cougars come all the way back.
On The Mound – Errors got the best of the Cougars early on and it showed in the pitching staff”s numbers. Jose Arias got the start and went four innings giving up three runs, all unearned, on four hits while walking three and striking out three. Jeffry Antigua was great out of the pen and was rewarded with his first win of the season. Antigue went three scoreless innings giving up two hits while walking one and striking out three.
At The Plate – No such comeback luck in this one from the Cougars as they were done in by a seven run second inning. Marco Hernandez was 2-for-4 with a double, a stolen base, an error, and two runs scored. Wes Darvill was 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Bijan Rademacher was 2-for-2 with a walk. The top three guys in the Cougars order went 0-for-10 in game two, and the Cougars went 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
On The Mound – Michael Heesch got the start and didn’t get much help from his defense. Heesch went 1.2 innings giving up six runs, two earned, on five hits while walking one and striking out two. Brian Smith got beat up a little bit as he went 2.1 innins giving up two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out two. Steve Perakslis and Nathan Dorris each tossed a scoreless inning in the loss.
Thanks for reading,
- George
Minor Matters – April 7, 2013
At The Plate – Not a whole lot going on for the Iowa Cubs in their fourth straight loss to start the season. They could only manage three runs on four hits as they were swept by the Isotopes. Ryan Sweeney had his second straight solid game going 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk, and RBI, and a run scored. Brett Jackson was 1-for-4 with a runs scored, the I-Cubs were o-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
On The Mound – 2012 minor league pitcher of the year Nick Struck got the start, and also the loss in this one. Struck went five innings giving up four runs on eight hits while walking none and striking out one. Casey Coleman worked two innings giving up two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out two. Jensen Lewis also gave up a run in an inning of work on two hits.
At The Plate – The Smokies staged a late comeback that came up one run short. Matt Szczur was 1-for-4 from the lead-off spot with a walk, a stolen base, and a run scored, he’s now hitting .368 on the season. Justin Bour was 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored. Jae-Hoon Ha was 1-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base, an RBI, and a run scored, he is now hitting .389 on the season.
On The Mound - Kyle Hendricks got the start, and had a rough go of it. Hendrick went five innings giving up five runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out five, he took the loss. Tony Zych (1.2 innings) and A.J. Morris (1.1 innings) each had scoreless appearances out of the bullpen.
At The Plate – The D-Cubs are finding a grove right now, they are winning convincingly, and now have won three straight. It was the Jorge Soler show again as he went 2-for-4 with a walk, a home run, two RBI’s, and two runs scored, he is now hitting .438 on the season. Stephen Bruno continued his hot start to the season going 2-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored, he’s hitting .385 on the season. John Andreoli tops them all however as he went 2-for-3 with two walks, a triple, an RBI, and two runs scored, he’s hitting a robust .467 on the season.
On The Mound – P.J. Francescon was outstanding this afternoon, he went five scoreless innings, he gave up only one hit while walking one and striking out six. Yeiper Castillo (2.0 innings), Luis Liria (1.0 inning), and Austin Reed (1.0 inning) all had scoreless appearances to close this one out.
At The Plate - Pitchers duel in this one, only thirteen combined hits in thirteen innings as Kane County dropped their fourth straight. Oliver Zapata had another solid game going 2-for-5 with a walk and a caught stealing, he’s now hitting .357 on the season. Rock Shoulders continues his torrid start going 2-for-3, he’s now hitting .471 on the season. Willson Contreras was 1-for-3 with a walk, and an RBI in the loss.
On The Mound – Michael Heesch was outstanding this afternoon, he went 6.1 innings giving up one run on one hit while walking two and striking out five. Felix Pena was just as solid out of the pen going 5.2 scoreless innings giving up three hits while walking one and striking out five. Eduardo Orozco got the loss as he gave up two runs in his inning of work on two hits while walking one.
Thanks for reading,
- George
Boise Explodes in the Ninth To Force Deciding Game Three
Things were not looking good for Boise as they were down to their final four outs, but they tied it in the eighth, then exploded for seven beating Yakima 11-5 to force a winner take all game three. After a quick first two innings, Boise got the scoring started in the third. With one out Darien Martin singled and was followed by a two-run homer by Gioskar Amaya, and just like that the Hawks took a 2-0 lead. Yakima came right back to tie it in the bottom of the third on starter Tayler Scott, who ended the night giving up two runs on five hits in four innings. The game stayed tied into the fifth when Boise struck again. Darien Martin doubled to lead the inning off and moved to third on a Gioskar Amaya sacrifice bunt. Stephen Bruno quickly plated the run as he singled to center giving the Hawks a short-lived 3-2 lead. Michael Heesch took over for Scott in the fifth and was greeted quite rudely as the first two hitters singled. After a ground out that moved the runners to second and third Mark Ginther gave the Bears their first lead of the night as he singled to right. Boise squandered chances in both the sixth and the seventh, but couldn’t get that elusive big hit to tie it. Heesch and Tyler Bremer did a great job and were able to keep this a one run game into the eighth. In the eighth the Hawks quickly made two outs, and up stepped Albert Almora who hit the right-center gap and slid into third with a triple. The next batter Marco Hernandez swung and missed on a pitch, but the catcher couldn’t keep it front of him and Almora scampered home to tie the game at four. After Bremer pitched a scoreless bottom half, the Hawks came to the plate in the ninth. Once again Boise had two outs and nobody on when Gioskar Amaya came to the plate, the madness was about to begin. Amaya drew a walk and moved to third on a Stephen Bruno single. That would bring to the plate the team leader in RBIs, Jeimer Candelario, who didn’t disappoint as he tripled to center driving in two. After a Dan Vogelbach walk, with Wilson Contreras batting pitcher Cody Wheeler was called for a balk, brining in a run. Contreras walked and was followed by a two-run double by Almora, who ended the night 3-for-5 with a double, triple, two runs scored, and two RBIs. Things didn’t end there as Rock Shoulders and Darien Martin each added RBI singles in the ninth. When it was all said and done Boise would score seven runs and bring 12 men to the plate in the ninth inning. Bremer went back out in the ninth and recorded the last three outs and got the win for the Hawks. He pitched the final three innings allowing one run on three hits, while striking out three. Some other offensive highlights on the night was Darien Martin and Stephen Bruno who each had three hits and combined to score three runs and knock in two.
What a way to end this one. It didn’t come easy, but Boise finally got things going and it just kep going, and going. Hopefully it continues into tomorrow night as this series has turned into a one game playoff where the winner will take all. Vancouver will be waiting for the winner as they beat Everett tonight and have advanced to the championship. Looking forward to reporting good news on Wednesday, Go Hawks!!
Another shout out to George for the graphics and thanks again for reading,
-Mark
8/29: Around the Cubs Minor League System
Our daily look at the Cubs minor leaguers. Tennessee was off and the AZL Cubs regular season has come to an end. They wound up winning the wild card.
Boise got the bats going once again beating Everett 9-5. Stephen Bruno was back at it going 2-for-3 with an RBI, he is now hitting .354. Dan Vogelbach was 1-for-3 with a home run, his 10th of the season. Rock Shoulders had a nice night going 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and two RBIs. Darien Martin and Marco Hernandez each had a hit and an RBI. Albert Almora was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Tayler Scott started, but did not factor in the decision pitching only four innings and allowing three runs, two earned. Michael Heesch did get the win pitching the next two innings not allowing a run. Nathan Dorris pitched two scoreless innings and Eduardo Orozco pitched the final frame, giving up two runs.
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Cedar Rapids jumped on Peoria early and held on to beat Peoria 9-5. Jorge Soler was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Chadd Krist and Jacob Rogers each had one hit and one RBI, with Krist having a triple. Zeke DeVoss and Dustin Geiger each had a hit and a hit and combined to score three runs. Yao-Lin Wang started and struggled, giving up nine runs, seven earned on eight hits in getting the loss. Bryce Shafer and Pete Levitt combined to pitch the last five scoreless innings.
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Christian Villanueva had a good first game as Daytona won 4-1. Villanueva was 2-for-3 with a home run, RBI, and two runs scored. Javier Baez was 1-for-3 with a triple, RBI, and run scored. Taylor Davis, Elieser Bonne, and John Andreoli all had a hit a piece in the win. PJ Francescon started and was really good pitching six innings allowing one run on three hits, while striking out three. AJ Morris got the call in the seventh and recorded his sixth save of the season.
It took extra innings in game two as Daytona ended up on the losing end of the second one 3-1. Frank Del Valle started and pitched five innings allowing one run and striking out six. Ryan Searle pitched a scoreless sixth, but Jeffrey Lorick struggled giving up two runs in the eighth inning as he took the loss. Rebel Ridling accounted for the only run for the Cubs as he hit a home run in the fourth inning. Javier Baez was 1-for-3 with a stolen base in game two. John Andreoli, Elieser Bonne, and Rafael Lopez all had a hit in the loss.
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Iowa got shut out on Wednesday losing 3-0 to Nashville. Ryan Rowland-Smith started and took the loss giving up one run, two earned in five innings. Jay Jackson threw one perfect inning in relief striking out one and Jeff Beliveau gave up one run in two innings of work. There was nothing too exciting on the offensive end. Diory Hernandez was 2-for-4 with two doubles. New Cub Anthony Recker was 1-for-3 with a double and Adrian Cardenas also had a double in the loss. Greg Rohan, Dave Sappelt, and Jeff Frazier all had one hit a piece in the shutout loss.
Thanks for Reading,
-Mark
8/17: Around the Cubs Minor League System
Our daily trip through the Cubs system.
The AZL Cubs out hit the A’s, but also made five errors and lost 4-3. Ryan McNeil got the start going three innings allowing no runs on two hits, while striking out two. Rafael Dolis pitched another scoreless innings in relief. The fourth inning is really where the defense cost the Cubs as Corbin Hoffner gave up three runs, only one earned in two innings. Alvido Jimenez took the loss allowing one run on two hits in two inning of work. Yasiel Balaguert had another nice night at the plate going 2-for-4 including a triple and an RBI. Carlos Penalver and David Bote also had two hits, Bote had a triple and scored a run. Alberto Mineo was 1-for-4 and drove in a run of his own. Daniel Lockhart, Shawon Dunston, and Trevor Gretzky all had one hit in the loss.
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Boise put seven early, but had to hold on to beat Tri-City 7-6. The Hawks put up thirteen hits and had several players have a multi hit game. Dan Vogelbach was 3-for-5 including a triple and an RBI. Stephen Bruno had only one hit, but made it count hitting a three-run homer in the fourth. Albert Almora continued his hot stretch going 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Izaac Garsez and Lance Rymel each had a two hits and they both drove in one. Jeimer Candelario only had one hit, but drove in another run. Rock Shoulders and Marco Hernandez each had a hit in the victory as well. Justin Amlung started, but did not factor in the decision as he only lasted two innings allowing one run on three hits. Michael Heesch pitched the next two innings and got the win for Boise. James Pugliese and Su-Min Jung each struggled over the next three innings, but got the game to Eduardo Orozco with the lead. Orozco closed out the game recording his fifth save as he pitched two scoreless innings striking out three. Although they allowed Tri-City to mount a comeback it was good to see Boise hold on.
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Peoria lost to Burlington on Friday 5-4. Starling Peralta got the start and pitched pretty good giving up three runs, two earned on five hits in six innings. He also struck out eight in the no decision. Austin Reed took the loss in relief giving up two runs in his one inning of work. Bryce Schafer struck out three in two scoreless innings. Chadd Krist got back on track going 2-for-3 with a home run and a double. Wes Darvill and Dustin Geiger each contributed offensively with a solo home run a piece. Timothy Saunders added a triple and Sergio Burruel also had a hit. Jorge Soler was back in the lineup, but really struggled going 0-for-4 with three strike outs. It has been a tough stretch for Peoria as of late.
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Going into the eighth Daytona was tied at two, but gave up three runs in the inning and lost 5-2. Kyle Hendricks started and went four innings allowing two runs on three hits in a no decision. Kyler Burke continued his struggles since going to Daytona as he gave up three runs in five innings taking his seventh loss at Daytona. Christian Villanueva had a nice night going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. John Andreoli and Nelson Perez each added two hits as well, both having a double. Javier Baez had another hit and stole two bases, his first two since moving up. Rafael Lopez added a hit in the losing effort on Friday.
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Tennessee scored two in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough as they lost 5-4 to Birmingham on Friday. Starting pitcher Dae-Eun Rhee took the loss giving up four runs on nine hits in just 4.2 innings. Trey McNutt gave up a run, but struck out two in his 1.1 inning of work. Casey Weathers and Brian Schlitter combined to pitch the last two innings of scoreless baseball. Rubi Silva was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Jae-Hoon Ha, Justin Bour, and Chad Noble all drove in a run without getting a base hit on Friday. Junior Lake was 1-for-3 with a triple and a run scored. Logan Watkins had a double and scored a run on the night as well.
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Tied going to the eighth, Iowa put up four in the eighth and three in the ninth to beat Tucson 8-1. Dave Sappelt had a big night going 3-for-5 with a home run and a double. He also drove in four on the night. Alfredo Amezaga also had three hits and scored two runs. Diory Hernandez had a double and drove in two. Greg Rohan and Jeff Frazier each had a hit and had an RBI a piece. Nate Samson contributed to the victory with two hits of his own. In his first start with the Cubs Horacio Ramirez went six strong giving up only one run on six hits. Scott Maine got the win striking out three in his two innings and Jairo Asencio pitched a scoreless ninth to close out the game.
Thanks for Reading,
-Mark
