Daytona edged closer to a postseason berth. Iowa kept their slim playoff hopes alive.
The Cubs hired Baseball Prospectus' chief minor league writer Jason Parks as a scout. So now every report that Jaron Madison gets is just going to say #want and will be written on the back of a copy of Steve Stone's Playgirl spread.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs hung on to beat the Tacoma Rainers (Mariners), 4-2.
Starter Dae-Eun Rhee pitched 6.1 innings and gave up just four hits and no runs. He walked two and struck out six as he won his second game for Iowa and seventh overall.
Armando Rivero got in trouble in the eighth inning. He gave up one run to make the score 3-1 and left with men on first and second with one out. Blake Parker entered the game and gave up an RBI single to the first batter he faced and put the tying run on third with one out. Parker then struck out the next two batters to end the inning and the first two batters of the ninth inning. The final batter of the game, Julio Morban, hit the ball hard and deep to left field, but it landed in Junior Lake's glove on the warning track. It was Parker's 24th save of the season.
Center fielder Jae-Hoon Ha and second baseman David Bote broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning with back-to-back solo home runs. It was Ha's first Iowa home run this season and sixth overall. It was Bote's first ever game for Iowa and it was his fourth home run overall
The win keeps Iowa's slim post-season hopes alive. They trail Oklahoma City by four games with four to play. Luckily for Iowa, all four games are against OKC in Des Moines. So they need to sweep the RedHawks and then hope Omaha loses at least two of four to Colorado Springs.
Tennessee Smokies
Getting ready for the final five-game showdown with Chattanooga.
Daytona Cubs
The Daytona Cubs destroyed the Dunedin Blue Jays, 8-2.
Juan Paniagua started and got the win. He allowed one run on four hits over five innings. He walked three and struck out two.
Catcher Willson Contreras hit a three-run home run in the third inning that made it 5-0 and put the game pretty much out of reach. Contreras went 2 for 5.
First baseman Dan Vogelbach gave opened up the scoring with an RBI single in the top of the first inning. Vogelbach was 3 for 5 and scored once.
Center fielder Jacob Hannemann was 2 for 5 with double and a run batted in. Third baseman Ben Carhart went 2 for 5 with an RBI double that scored Vogelbach in the fifth inning. Carhart scored twice.
Right fielder Bijan Rademacher was 2 for 5 with a run batted in.
Left fielder Kyle Schwarber extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a single in the first inning. He was 2 for 5 wiht a run batted in.
Tampa lost, so Daytona now has a three-game lead with three games against Tampa to play. However, Tampa plays one more game with Clearwater tomorrow, and Daytona would clinch on an off-day if Tampa lost. If Tampa wins, then the Cubs just need to win one of the three games with the Yankees, of course.
Kane County Cougars
The Kane County Cougars lost to the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins), 3-2 in eleven innings.
Jen-Ho Tseng started and allowed one run on only two hits in six innings. Tseng gave up a home run to the first batter he faced in the bottom of the first inning and then didn't allow another hit until the sixth. He struck out two and walked no one, although he did hit one batter.
Michael Wagner entered the game in the bottom of the ninth and took the loss. He allowed one run on two hits in two-thirds of an inning. Wagner struck out one and walked no one.
The Cougars had five hits tonight. Third baseman Jeimer Candelario was 1 for 4 with an RBI double in the first inning. Candelario walked once.
The franchise record for wins will have to wait for another night.
Boise Hawks
The Boise Hawks dehydrated the Everett AquaSox (Mariners), 12-8.
Jake Stinnett started and allowed two runs on a home run in the fourth inning. His final line was 3.2 innings, allowing three hits and a walk. Stinnett struck out three.
Jeremy Null got the win with 4.1 innings of scoreless relief. Null gave up two hits and a walk while striking out five.
Trey Lang entered the game with a ten-run game in the top of the ninth and retired no one, giving up four runs and two walks. All six baserunners would score, but Alberto Diaz finally got the final out of the game.
First baseman Alex Tomasovich was 3 for 5 with a double and a triple. He had four RBI and scored twice.
Right fielder Charcer Burks was 3 for 5 with three RBI and two runs scored.
Center fielder Rashad Crawford went 2 for 5 with a double. He scored two runs and batted one in.
AZL Cubs
Split a doubleheader with the Athletics, losing game one 4-3 and winning the second one 3-2.