Cubs Minor League Daily: Dylan Cease Throws Five Scoreless, Strikes Out Six

So, you remember how yesterday we were wondering whether or not Kyle Schwarber was really ready to come back soon since he had only hit singles and had only been in Iowa a few days? Funny what a two home run performance will do for you. Yesterday was more the sort of thing we’d expect when a slugger of Schwarber’s caliber headed to Triple A.

That doesn’t mean he’s ready to come back – one game is just one game, after all.  But it is good to see Schwarber looking like Schwarber again.

Triple A: Iowa Cubs
Iowa 7, Round Rock 3
Schwarber and Frankoff both had very good games.

  • Seth Frankoff: 5 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 3 BB, 9 K
  • Conor Mullee: 3 IP, 2 K
  • Jemile Weeks: 2 for 5
  • Kyle Schwarber: 2 for 4, 2 HR, BB
  • Chris Dominguez: 3 for 5, SB
  • Chesny Young: 2 for 4
  • Ali Solis: 2 for 4
  • Elliot Soto: 2 for 3, BB
  • Double A: Tennessee Smokies
    Tennessee 5, Jackson 2
    The rehab assignments went OK, but it was the regular roster that secured this win.

  • Brett Anderson: 4 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K
  • James Pugliese: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K
  • Justin Hancock: 1 IP, 2 K
  • Charcer Burks: 2 for 3, 2 2B, SB
  • Ben Zobrist: 1 for 3, BB
  • Yasiel Balaguert: 1 for 4, HR
  • Ian Rice: 2 for 4
  • High A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
    Down East 10, Myrtle Beach 2
    Good teams sometimes have ugly games.

  • Michael Rucker: 5 IP, 6 R (4 ER), 8 H, 1 BB, 2 K
  • James Norwood: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 K
  • Eddy Martinez: 3 for 3, BB
  • Matt Rose: 2 for 4, 2 2B
  • Low A: South Bend Cubs
    Lansing 6, South Bend 4
    The South Bend Cubs have won just three games in the last three weeks, and lost fifteen in that span.

  • Dylan Cease: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 6 K
  • Roberto Caro: 2 for 4, 2B
  • Vimael Machin: 2 for 5, 2B
  • Alberto Mineo: 2 for 3, BB
  • Isaac Paredes: 2 for 4, 2B
  • Adonis Paula: 1 for 4, 2B
  • Michael Cruz: 1 for 3, 2B
  • Short Season A: Eugene Emeralds
    Eugene 2, Vancouver 1
    The Emeralds beat the Canadians on the day before Canada Day.

  • Enrique De Los Rios: 5 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 4 BB, 2 K
  • Yapson Gomez: 3 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 5 K
  • Rafael Narea: 1 for 3, BB, SB
  • Gustavo Polanco: 1 for 4, 2B
  • Jhonny Bethencourt: 2 for 4
  • Rookie: AZL Cubs
    Angels 11, Cubs 7
    Thanks in part to five errors, the Cubs are again a .500 team.

  • Faustino Carrera: 2.2 IP, 4 R, 5 H, 3 BB, 1 K
  • Eury Ramos: 2.1 IP, 4 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 1 K
  • Jonathan Sierra: 2 for 4, BB
  • Austin Upshaw: 3 for 5, 2B
  • Marcus Mastrobuoni: 2 for 4, 2 2B
  • Other Notes

  • Word is that the Cubs are in line to land two pretty good international free agent prospects out of Mexico when the new signing season opens on July 2. That would not be at all remarkable were it not for the fact that the Cubs are under the very harsh restriction of not being able to sign anyone for more than $300k. Brett has the details here. This was not an unexpected development, but it is a very, very welcome one.
  • The pitch count for Dylan Cease is slowing creeping higher again. He threw 68 in yesterday’s start. He was pitching into the 90 pitch range before the ankle injury, so he has a bit to go before he’s all the way back to where he was. The Cubs should continue to be in no hurry, though. The results continue to be very good.
  • written by

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

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