Just when the Smokies needed to win, they have found some wins. The Cubs’ Double A affiliate woke up Sunday morning seven games back in the division and with a chance to make some significant ground. The first place Chattanooga Lookouts were coming into the Smokies’ house for a five game set. If Tennessee could pull off the sweep, they would enter the home stretch of the season in prime position to steal a playoff slot.
On Sunday they won the first game of that five game series.
They won again on Monday. The Chattanooga lead is down to five.
Make no mistake, minor league players are a competitive bunch. Winning matters to them. Playoffs matter to them. The Smokies want this sweep. This is some of the best minor league baseball you are likely to watch or listen to all season.
Every Tennessee home game is broadcast through the MiLB.TV package (not free) and is radio broadcast via the internet (free). If you feel like taking a day off from the Chicago Cubs, watch or listen to a Smokies game as they attempt to make a last minute surge into the postseason.
Scores From Yesterday
Iowa – The Cubs found themselves on the wrong end of an 11-3 blowout.
Tennessee – The Smokies put up four in the bottom of the eighth to pull away for the 5-1 win.
Daytona – Daytona had Monday off. For real. This one was a scheduled off day, not a rain out.
Peoria – Let’s just say the Chiefs’ have had better days. They lost this game 8-1.
Boise – The Hawks kept this one close despite four errors, but they lost in the end 8-7.
Arizona – The AZL Cubs scored just one run on eight hits in this 5-1 loss.
Performances of the Day
[Iowa] Esmailin Cardiad pitched two scoreless innings for the Cubs, lowering his ERA to 3.13 in the process.
[Iowa] James Adduci reached three times on two hits and a walk. One of those hits was his second triple.
[Tennessee] Nick Struck allowed just one run in his six inning start. Trey McNutt and Brian Schlitter held Chattanooga scoreless for the rest of the game.
[Tennessee] Struck helped his own cause in this game. He doubled (his first) and scored, and now has a season batting average of .043.
[Tennessee] Junior Lake finished 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs. Michael Brenly also drove in two.
[Tennessee] Not only did Jae-Hoon Ha go 2 for 3 with a walk, he also cut down a runner at home.
[Peoria] Timothy Saunders is riding a personal 12 game hitting streak that began when he was a member of Daytona on July 31.
[Boise] Daniel Vogelbach and Marco Hernandez both homered for the Hawks. It was Vogelbach’s ninth with Boise, and Hernandez’s fifth.
[Boise] Ian Dickson had a pretty good game. He allowed two unearned runs on three hits over five innings while striking out four.
[Boise] After reaching base five times on two singles, a double, and two walks, Stephen Bruno is now in possession of an 11 game hitting streak that dates back to August 8. The young infielder has hit safely in 17 of his last 18 games.
[Arizona] Paul Blackburn struck out four over four innings while giving up just two hits.
[Arizona] Carlos Penalver had two more hits and his fifth stolen base yesterday. That marked his third straight multi-hit game and his fifth in the past six games.
Other Minor League Notes
After dropping their second consecutive road game to Yakima, the Hawks’ lead is down to four games. They could really use a win today before they head to Vancouver.