Cubs’ Minor League Daily: Heroics In The Mountains

Jonathan Mota, Photo by Roger C. Hoover

If the best part of following the minors is getting to track the future of the Cubs, then the second best part would have to be catching glimpses of other prominent prospects as they wander in and out of the minor league schedule. One of the bigger names, and one that should be familiar to Obsessive Watch fans, was on the mound against Daytona on Monday night.

But every once in awhile, if you follow baseball closely enough, you’ll find remarkable dramas like the one that unfolded in Tennessee. One member of the Smokies not only had the best all around day we are likely to see this season, he may have had the best day of his career. No one could make up a script like this one.

AAA – Iowa Cubs. 8 – 11
The bad news is that the that the Iowa Cubs lost 6-2. The worse news is that the Cubs lost to the Memphis Cardinals.

Jay Jackson was less than impressive, lasting just five innings and allowing five of the Cardinals’ six runs. More notably, the recently promoted Frank Batista made his Triple A debut in this game. Batista pitched the eighth and ninth innings and seemed to have no problem with the more advanced hitters. He gave up two hits and struck out two. His season ERA, spanning both Double A and Triple A, remains at 0.00.

At the plate, Brett Jackson went 2 for 4 with a run scored and no strikeouts. He also stole a base. After a rough stretch in which he could not make contact, Jackson has now avoided striking out in five of his last six games. Anthony Rizzo stayed hot with two hits, including a double. Despite jumping out to a good start to the season, Josh Vitters has slumped badly. Over his last ten games he is hitting just .118/.167/.147. In that stretch he has two walks and six strikeouts. It will be interesting to see how well Vitters is able to make adjustments and get himself back on track. He has already shown progress at the plate by walking at a much higher rate this season than he ever has in his career.

AA – Tennesse Smokies. 10 – 9
Tennessee scored both early and late and came out with a 12 inning win, 5-4.

A double (Elliot Soto), a triple (Logan Watkins), and a home run (Jonathan Mota) led to three first inning runs. An Elliot Soto triple in the fifth led to a fourth run, and the Smokies’ pitching almost made it stand up. When Chattanooga tied the game it took until the bottom of the twelfth before Justin Bour was able to single home the winning run.

Dallas Beeler did not have his best game of the season, allowing four runs on eight hits in five and two thirds. Alberto Cabrera, Kevin Rhoderick, and Marcus Hatley kept the Lookouts off the board through the end of the eleventh. In the twelfth, apparently low on pitchers in the bullpen, the Smokies sent left fielder Jonathan Mota (he of the first inning home run) to the mound. He gave up a hit but was otherwise perfect, setting him up for his first win of the season.

If you stay around baseball long enough you’ll see about everything, but I can’t remember ever seeing a game in which the starting left fielder hit a home run and was the winning pitcher. To top the story off, Mota was playing just his twelfth game ever in left field; he’s a career infielder. Not only is he the hero on the mound and at the plate, he spent the first eleven innings playing out of position. Stories like that are what makes baseball great.

High A – Daytona Cubs. 5 – 12
Zach Cates had his best start of the season but it wasn’t enough to keep the Cubs’ winning streak alive. Daytona falls 7-2.

Cates went one inning in his first start, three and third in his second, and made it through four in his third. In those four innings he gave up three runs on six hits. Joseph Zeller allowed a run in three innings before Larry Suarez let the game get away in the final two.

Offensively, Daytona was remarkably efficient; their two runs came on just three hits. None of those hits came in the four innings worked by Lakeland starting pitcher Jacob Turner, the top prospect in the Tigers’ farm system and a pitcher frequently mentioned (wishfully) in the Matt Garza trade rumors.

Low A – Peoria Chiefs. 7 – 11
Peoria scratched out three runs on five hits, but that did not get the job done. The Chiefs lost 7-3.

Starter Jose Rosario was not good in his five innings of work (9H, 5R, 2BB, 2K), but the bullpen kept the game close until the ninth. Luis Liria and Bryce Shafer combined on three scoreless innings before Austin Reed had a two run hiccup in the ninth.

Zeke DeVoss, Paul Hoilman, and Taiwan Easterling accounted for the Chiefs’ three runs and Wes Darvill reached base three times on a hit and two walks. History was made (in a small way) on Monday as Oliver Zapata was finally held hitless. He did earn a walk and steal a base, his third.

written by

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

more cubs news

Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

*SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

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...

Latest News

Suns vs. Thunder Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder (50-22) are 2.5-point underdogs against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns (43-30) Friday, March 29, 2024 at Paycom Center. The game starts at 8:00 PM ET on KSBI. The matchup's point total is...

Brewers vs. Mets Probable Starting Pitchers – March 29

The New York Mets (0-0) host the Milwaukee Brewers (0-0) in an Opening Day contest at 1:40 PM ET on Friday.The Brewers will call on Freddy Peralta against the Mets and Jose Quintana.Brewers vs. Mets Pitcher Matchup and Game InfoWhen:...

Cavaliers vs. 76ers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Philadelphia 76ers (39-34) are 8-point underdogs against the Cleveland Cavaliers (44-29) at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Friday, March 29, 2024. The game starts at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup's point total is set at 212.5.Our computer predictions...

Heat vs. Trail Blazers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Portland Trail Blazers (19-54) will attempt to end an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Miami Heat (39-33) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at FTX Arena as heavy, 14-point underdogs. The contest airs at 8:00 PM ET on...

Rockets vs. Jazz Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Utah Jazz (29-44) will try to end a seven-game losing streak when they host the Houston Rockets (37-35) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Vivint Smart Home Arena as 7.5-point underdogs. The contest airs at 9:30 PM ET on...

Bulls vs. Nets Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Chicago Bulls (35-38) hit the court against the Brooklyn Nets (28-45) as 5.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup has an over/under set at 214.5 points.Before you place an informed wager...

Suns vs. Thunder Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder (50-22) are 2.5-point underdogs against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns (43-30) Friday, March 29, 2024 at Paycom Center. The matchup begins at 8:00 PM ET on KSBI. The point total is set...

Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Minnesota Timberwolves (50-22) are 6.5-point underdogs when they host the Denver Nuggets (51-22) in a battle between the top two teams in the Western at Ball Arena on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 9:00 PM ET on ALT. The...

Knicks vs. Spurs Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The New York Knicks (44-28) will try to continue a three-game win streak when they visit the San Antonio Spurs (17-56) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at AT&T Center as big, 10-point favorites. The game airs at 8:00 PM ET...

Kings vs. Mavericks Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Dallas Mavericks (43-29) will look to Luka Doncic (first in the league scoring 33.9 points per game) when they try to beat De'Aaron Fox (eighth in the NBA with 26.5 PPG) and the Sacramento Kings (42-30) on Friday, March...

more cubs news