The Iowa Cubs dropped both ends of a doubleheader, but Javier Baez had a big day. Daytona won both ends of their doubleheader. Addison Russell is adjusting to the Southern League.
Iowa Cubs
Despite a pair of Javier Baez home runs, the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) swept a doubleheader from the Iowa Cubs, 5-4 and 6-4.
Dan Straily started game one and for his second start in a row, he gave up two home runs. Straily allowed five runs on seven hits over five innings. The positive note is that he struck out eight and walked only two.
Second baseman Javier Baez hit a three-run home run in the first inning of game one. He would later just miss a second home run with two out in the bottom of the seventh when the potential tying run hit high off the wall in dead center field for a double. He was stranded there when Kris Bryant grounded out to end the game. Baez was 2 for 4.
Center fielder Matt Szczur was 3 for 4 and scored a run.
Right fielder Jorge Soler was 2 for 3 with a double.
In game two, starter Yoanner Negrin pitched five innings and allowed five runs, two earned, on six hits. He struck out four and walked two.
In the bottom of the first of game two, Baez did it again with another three-run home run. He now has 19 home runs on the year and eight in the month of July. Baez was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Josh Vitters was responsible for the other Iowa run when he hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second. Vitters was 1 for 3. He now has nine home runs this year.
Center fielder Ryan Kalish was 2 for 3 with a double and a walk. He scored on the Baez home run.
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies exiled the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 7-4 in ten innings.
Starter Matt Loosen pitched 5.1 innings and allowed three runs on five hits. He did strike out seven while only walking one. (He did hit one batter.)
Tony Zych pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth and got the win when the Smokies scored three runs in the top of the tenth. He did not record a strikeout. Frank Batista pitched a perfect bottom of the tenth for his eighth save, seventh in Tennessee.
Catcher Taylor Davis came to the plate with the bases loaded in the top of the tenth and plated all three runners with a double. Earlier in the seventh inning, Davis hit a two-run home run to cut Birmingham's lead to 4-3. It was Davis' second home run of the season. Davis was 3 for 5 with two doubles and five RBI.
The other two RBI in this game came off the bat of shortstop Addison Russell. Russell hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, his sixth for the Smokies. Then he tied the game in the eighth inning with an RBI double. Russell was 3 for 5.
Daytona Cubs
The Daytona Cubs swept a doubleheader from the St. Lucie Mets, 6-3 and 9-1.
In game one, Felix Peña got the win after five innings allowing three run, two earned, on six hits. He struck out six and walked two.
Stephen Perakslis tossed the final two innings for his third save. Perakslis retired all six batters he faced, striking out two.
In his first game for the Daytona Cubs, center fielder Jacob Hannemann was 3 for 4 with a stolen base. He scored twice and had one RBI.
Shortstop Marco Hernandez was 2 for 3 with a sacrifice fly. He scored in the first inning.
In game two, Tayler Scott had his best game of the season and got his sixth win. Scott gave up five hits. He struck out eight and didn't walk anyone.
In game two, Hannemann went 3 for 4 with a stolen base again!. But this time, instead of three singles, he hit two singles and a double. He scored after the double in the fourth inning.
Shortstop Marco Hernandez hit a two-run triple as a part of Daytona's seven-run second inning. He also singled home Hannemann in the fourth. Hernandez went 2 for 4 with one run scored and the three RBI.
DH Dan Vogelbach was 3 for 4 and scored once. Right fielder Billy McKinney was 2 for 3. He had an RBI single and he scored as a part of that seven-run second inning.
Kane County Cougars
The Kane County Cougars were beached by the West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers), 7-5.
Paul Blackburn allowed five runs on six hits over 4.1 innings. Only two of the five runs were earned, but since Blackburn made two errors himself, he can't really complain about his defense. He struck out two and walked two.
Left fielder Shawon Dunston has been on fire lately. Tonight he was 2 for 4 with a double and a triple. He scored twice and had one RBI.
Center fielder Trey Martin was 2 for 4 with a stolen base and a run scored. Second baseman Chesny Young was 2 for 4 with an RBI triple in the fourth inning.
Boise Hawks
The Boise Hawks squeezed the Everett AquaSox (Mariners), 7-6.
Dillon Maples made his first start for Boise this season. He allowed four runs on three hits over three innings. Only one of the four runs was earned, but it was his error that led to the unearned runs, so that doesn't count in my book, even if it does count in the official scorer's book. Maples walked two and struck out three.
Ryan Williams got the win in relief. He pitched two innings and gave up two runs on four hits, including a solo home run. Williams struck out two and walked one.
Brad Markey pitched the final two innings and got his first career save. He didn't allow a run or a hit, but he did have some control issues as he walked three. He also had a wild pitch that ended up being the third out of the inning when the runner tried to go all the way to third from first.
Second baseman David Bote was 2 for 4 with a double, a walk and a stolen base. He had two RBI and scored twice.
Center fielder Rashad Crawford went 2 for 5 with a double and an RBI. First baseman Alex Tomasovich was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Right fielder Charcer Burks went 2 for 5 with a double. He scored once and had one RBi. Left fielder Calvin Graves went 2 for 4 and was hit by a pitch.
The Hawks walked nine times in this game. DH Mark Zagunis went 1 for 2 with four walks. He scored twice and he got one RBI when he walked with the bases loaded in the second inning.
AZL Cubs
Off day.