Cubs’ Minor League Daily: Attack Of The Bullpens

Photo by Mark LoMoglio/MiLB.com

From the Chicago Cubs to the Peoria Chiefs, Thursday belonged to the bullpens. Fortunately, it wasn’t all bad news. After listening to Marmol melt down on Thursday afternoon, the minor league night games were almost therapeutic. Nothing wipes away the bitter aftertaste of a blown game quite like a come from behind win, and that is exactly what the minors provided us. The minor leagues may not quite save your sanity, but they might help keep the fun in following baseball, even during the darkest of days in Chicago.

AAA – Iowa Cubs. 10 – 16
Now that I have you feeling more positive, let’s crush your spirits with another bullpen loss. The Iowa Cubs lost to Memphis 7-6.

Chris Rusin pitched six pretty good innings, but he left with one out in the seventh and the bases full of Cardinals. Frank Batista recorded the next five outs, giving up just one hit in the process, and struck out two. Unfortunately, that one hit (a double) cleared the bases and left Batista with a blown save (and an ERA of 0.00). Esmailin Caridad took the loss by giving up a run on two hits in the ninth.

Josh Vitters blasted a two run bomb, his first of the season, and Blake Lalli went long as part of his two hit night. Alfredo Amezaga also collected two hits (including a triple), as did Dave Sappelt (who smacked a double). Sappelt has elevated his game of late; his OPS over the last ten games is now 0.895. That includes seven walks and two home runs. I don’t think there is any room in the Wrigley outfield for him right now, but if there are any injuries he should be ready to go.

AA – Tennesse Smokies. 12 – 16
One bad inning sunk the Smokies in a 7-4 loss.

Trey McNutt started this game. He cruised through the first two innings, and might have kept going, until a pair of errors in the third led to a nasty jam. McNutt was lifted for Ryan Searle who promptly opened his night of work by giving up a double and a triple. Those were two of just five hits allowed by Searle in four and a third innings all night, but they put an exclamation point on Montgomery’s six run rally. Jeffry Antigua pitched two perfect innings to finish the game.

Tennessee rallied for four runs of their own in the seventh, but those were the only runs they managed in this game. Jae-Hoon Ha singled, doubled, and drove in the first of the Smokies’ runs. He was also along for the ride when Justin Bour finished the scoring with a three run homer.

High A – Daytona Cubs. 8 – 19
We have some good news! Not only did Daytona win this game, but the winning pitcher might be the last guy you’d expect. Daytona’s W came with a score of 6-5.

Matt Loosen pitched the first three innings and gave up three runs on four hits. Tony Zych pitched the last two innings and earned the save despite giving up two runs on three hits. Pitching four nearly perfect innings in the middle was the winning pitcher. Care to make a guess?

Did anyone say Hayden Simpson? That’s right, the oft maligned Simpson faced the minimum, gave up one hit, and struck out four. According to the Daytona Cubs Twitter feed, his fastball was clocking in as high as 88 MPH. That’s not his old velocity, but it is as hard as I’ve heard of him throwing this season.

Rubi Silva was batting lead off for this game, and he apparently enjoyed it. His celebration included a two for four night, a walk, and a solo home run. Nelson Perez also launched a solo shot, but Arismendy Alcantara out did them both with a three run bomb.

Low A – Peoria Chiefs. 11 – 16
A seventh inning rally put Peoria in a position to win, and they held on for a final of 4-3.

Despite allowing two walks and ten hits in five and two thirds innings, Jose Rosario somehow limited Kane County to just three runs in that span. His six strike outs certainly helped matters. Austin Reed pitched two and a third and earned his first win of the season with a two hit, three strikeout performance. Jeffry Lorick finished the game for his third save.

Pin-Chieh Chen led all Chiefs with three hits, including a double. Rafael Lopez and Oliver Zapata both had two hits in the game, including a double for Lopez. Taiwan Easterling did not collect a hit, but he might have saved the game with his defense. Easterling gathered two outfield assists, cutting down one runner at third base and another one at the plate.

written by

Luke Blaize is the Minor League Editor at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @ltblaize.

more cubs news

Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

I Dug Deep on the Cubs 2024 Schedule (And I Like What I See)

Finally, with Cody Bellinger in the fold, we can start focusing more seriously on the season ahead. So today, I thought we'd take a look at the Cubs 2024 schedule. You can flip through the Cubs 2024 schedule right here...

Here’s What I’m Betting on the Cubs for Opening Day

I get it. Sports betting isn't for everyone — like, say, the interpreter for an international baseball superstar — but some of us quite enjoy it! If you are one of those people, this article is for you. Below, I'm...

WAKE UP, BASEBALL IS BACK

The day has arrived. Opening Day. The most glorious day on the baseball calendar, save for the day of each Chicago Cubs World Series win, of course. See, I get to say things like that on Opening Day. Maybe the...

Wrigley Field is Gonna Be Lit This Year (As in New Colored Lights!)

Last year, the Cubs started using their new LED outfield lights to do a little dancing display during 'Go Cubs Go,' lighting along with the song and throwing in a W. It was very fun and I liked it. This...

Why Craig Counsell Wanted Miles Mastrobuoni on the Cubs’ Bench

I don't know why Miles Mastrobuoni bugs some folks, but it's probably heavily-weighted toward his small-sample, bad-batted-ball-luck start last year, and that time he didn't dive while playing in right field. It can be hard to shake initial impressions, I...

Latest News

Buffalo Bills 1st Round Mock Draft: Wild Crossroads at 28 – Offense or Defense?

The Buffalo Bills stand at a crossroads. The 2024 NFL Draft looms, and the 28th pick presents a fascinating dilemma. This Buffalo Bills 1st Round Mock Draft analyzes 10 different options that could be available to them at their current...

How to Watch Celtics vs. Hawks: Live Stream or on TV

The Atlanta Hawks (33-39) hope to continue a three-game home winning stretch when hosting the Boston Celtics (57-15) on Thursday, March 28, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET.In their last time out, the Celtics lost 120-118 to the Hawks on Monday....

Rangers vs. Cubs Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Texas Rangers open their season as -120 favorites in a home matchup with the Chicago Cubs on Thursday at 7:35 PM ET, live on ESPN.Nathan Eovaldi will get the ball for Texas while Chicago will counter with Justin Steele.Rangers...

Dejounte Murray Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Celtics – Thursday, March 28, 2024

Will Dejounte Murray make four 3-pointers when the Atlanta Hawks face the Boston Celtics on Thursday at 7:30 PM ET? If so, he'll beat his prop for the game.Dejounte Murray's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the CelticsDejounte Murray's over/under for three-pointers...

Bogdan Bogdanovic Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Celtics – Thursday, March 28, 2024

To beat his 3-point over/under, Bogdan Bogdanovic needs to make three from beyond the arc on Thursday, when his Atlanta Hawks meet the Boston Celtics on Thursday at 7:30 PM ET.Bogdan Bogdanovic's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the CelticsBogdan Bogdanovic's over/under...

Jayson Tatum Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Hawks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

At 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, it'll be the Boston Celtics versus the Atlanta Hawks, with Jayson Tatum needing three treys to beat his 3-pointer prop.Jayson Tatum's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the HawksJayson Tatum's over/under for three-pointers in this game:...

Jaylen Brown Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Hawks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

To beat his 3-point prop, Jaylen Brown must make three from beyond the arc on Thursday, when his Boston Celtics play the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday at 7:30 PM ET.Jaylen Brown's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the HawksJaylen Brown's over/under for...

Derrick White Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Hawks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

To beat his 3-point prop, Derrick White needs to make three from beyond the arc on Thursday, when his Boston Celtics meet the Atlanta Hawks, starting at 7:30 PM ET.Derrick White's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the HawksDerrick White's over/under for...

BetMGM Promo Code Boosts Your First Bet Up to $1,500 for MLB, NCAA Tourney, and Beyond

The 2024 baseball season is upon us! But before the first pitch is thrown, why not enhance your MLB betting experience with the BetMGM Promo Code welcome offer. With Opening Day right around the corner, baseball fans are eager to...

WOW: Minnesota Timberwolves Sale to Alex Rodriguez Falls Through

The Minnesota Timberwolves dropped a bomb on Thursday morning. According to a statement released by the Timberwolves and Lynx ownership group, the franchise is no longer for sale. A transition of power was thought to be in place over the...

more cubs news