Cubs Minor League Baseball Blog

The Smokies may have lost 5-4 but Josh Kroeger got it done at the plate.  He went four for five with a homerun and three RBIs.  Gary Cates went three for four with an RBI.

Geoffrey Jones took the loss when he gave up a run in the ninth.  The run was unearned and he struck out two.

Mark Holliman improved to an impressive 3-0 record with a solid start over Carolina.  He gave up just two runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks with six strikeouts in six innings.

Christopher Walker was the hitting star.  He went two for four with a double, two RBIs and a run.  Jorge Cortes singled and drove in two runs in the 4-2 win.

Sean Gallagher had a tough start and he took the loss in the Smokies 13-4 loss, but the pen was even worse.  Gallagher gave up three runs in two innings and then two relievers gave up five runs a piece in a pretty poor pitching performance all the way around.

Christopher Walker had a nice game at the plate.  He went two for five with two RBIs.  Issmael Salas went two for five with a double and two runs.

Justin Berg was knocked around for ten runs (six earned) on six hits and four walks in just one inning in a 16-7 beatdown at the hands of Mobile.  Tim Layden was also hit hard and he gave up five runs (two earned) on five hits in two innings.  The four errors by the Smokies didn’t help things but this was an ugly game all the way around.

Jacob Fox was the hitting star in the game.  He went two for five with a three run homer.  Gary Cates also went yard with a two run shot.

The Smokies got their share of hits but they could only push one across the plate as they lost to Mobile 6-1.  They outhit Mobile 13-9 but they didn’t pick up a single walk and they stranded ten runners in the game. Josh Kroeger was a perfect four for four and the only run came on a solo homerun by Jemel Spearman.

Donald Veal took the loss and he dropped to 0-4 on the season.  He gave up six runs on six hits and five walks with five strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings.

Paul Schappert dropped to 1-1 this season with a tough start against Mobile. He gave up six runs on seven hits and two walks with one strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

Jacob Fox went four for five with a run and an RBI in the 8-5 loss.  Jorge Cortes was a perfect five for five and Sam Fuld went three for four with two runs.

Mark Holliman threw a gem as the Smokies beat Mobile 3-0.  He gave up eight hits with six strikeouts in eight shutout innings.

Issmael Salas hit a solo homerun to account for one of the three Smokies runs.  Jemel Spearman went two for three with a run and an RBI.

Kevin Hart improved to 2-1 with his best outing of the year.  He gave up just four hits and two walks with four strikeouts in seven shutout innings.  He’s gotten progressively better in each of his last three starts and hopefully this is a breakthrough outing for the right hander.

Christopher Walker was the hitting star with three hits including a three run homer.  Josh Kroeger and Gary Cates each finished with two hits and an RBI.

Justin Berg had an impressive start today in the Smokies 5-1 win over the Lookouts.  He gave up seven hits and a walk with five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

Jacob Fox went two for three with two RBIs and a run.  Christopher Walker went two for five with a double and two runs.

Donald Veal’s had a tough time this year and he’s dropped to 0-3 with another rough start.  He gave up four runs on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts in just 4 1/3 innings and he’s given up at least three runs in each of his first three starts while not even making it into the fifth inning in any of them.  This isn’t good news for a guy who was listed as high as number two on Cubs prospect lists.

Josh Kroeger provided most of the offense in the 7-5 loss.  He homered and drove in two runs.

Sean Gallagher had a nice start today in the Smokies 5-2 win over the Lookouts.  He gave up just two runs on five hits and three walks with eight strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.

Matt Craig went two for four with a double and two RBIs.  Christopher Walker finished the game with two hits and two runs along with two stolen bases.

Chris Robinson led the way for the Smokies at the plate with a big two run homer in their 6-5 win.  Brian Dopirak also went yard with a solo shot and Matt Craig finished with three hits.

Mark Holliman had a very nice start.  He gave up just a single run on three hits and two hits with three strikeouts in seven innings.

Christopher Walker led a seven run fourth inning with a big three run homer in the Smokies 7-2 win over the Lookouts.  He was also the only Smokie to finish with two hits in the game.

Kevin Hart picked up the win with five solid frames.  He gave up two runs on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts.

Seven different Smokies had two hits a piece in a team effort 7-5 win over Huntsville.  Jorge Cortes went two for three with two walks, two RBIs and a run while Issmael Salas went two for three with a double and two runs.

Justin Berg was roughed up in his start but the bats and the pen picked him up.  He gave up five runs on nine hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.  Carmen Pignatiello threw two shutout innings with two strikeouts and he picked up the win.

Sean Gallagher was hit hard in the Smokies 5-2 loss to Huntsville today.  He gave up four runs on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts in five innings of work.

Jemel Spearman was the hitting star.  He doubled in a run in his only at bat as a pinch hitter and he later scored as well.

The Smokies were held to just four hits in a 1-0 loss to the Jacksonville Suns.  Chris Robinson had the only extra base hit of the game with a double.

A great start by Mark Holliman went to waste.  He gave up four hits in six shutout innings in which he walked one and struck out seven.

The Smokies might have lost 8-2, but Matt Craig got it done at the plate.  He was a perfect two for two with a solo homerun and two walks.  Issmael Salas also hit a homerun in the loss.

Kevin Hart had a rough start and he took the loss.  He gave up five runs on four hits and a walk with a strikeout in five innings of work.

Jacob Fox had a huge game for the Smokies in their 10-6 win.  He went four for five with two homeruns, two doubles, five RBIs and four runs.  Josh Kroeger was also effective at the plate with three hits, a run and an RBI.

Justin Berg was bounced after just one inning in his start.  He gave up four runs on two hits and three walks with a strikeout.  Paul Schappert picked up the win in relief.  He gave up two runs on four hits in four innings of work.

The Smokies couldn’t put a single run across the plate despite getting seven hits.  Brian Dopirak had three of those hits and Joseph Simokaitis had two hits and the only extra base hit for the Smokies (a double).

Donald Veal was roughed up in his start.  He gave up five runs on six hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings.

The Daytona Cubs hammered Brevard County in their season opener.  They scored six of their eight runs in the final three frames with Matt Matulia leading the way.  He went two for four with a double and three RBIs.  Nate Spears scored twice and Tyler Colvin had two hits and a run.

Mitch Atkins threw six solid innings in his start.  He gave up two runs on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts in six innings of work.

The Iowa Cubs were blown out in their season debut yesterday.  J.R. Mathes was really hit hard by Round Rock and he was tagged for five runs on four hits and four walks with three strikeouts in four innings of work.  Fedrico Baez had a nice relief appearance though.  He held Round Rock to a single hit with two strikeouts in two innings.

The offense managed just two runs and Felix Pie led the way. He singled twice while Buck Coats singled, drew two walks and scored a run.  He even gunned down a base runner at third base to help out on defense.

Third baseman Matt Craig singled twice, scored and drove in two in the Smokies 3-1 win over Jacksonville.  Brian Dopirak also singled twice while Gary Cates doubled and drove in a run.

Sean Gallagher picked up the win with 5 2/3 solid innings.  He gave up just four hits and a walk with five strikeouts. 

John Sickels has recently upped his ranking for Cubs pitching prospect Mark Pawelek.  After falling out of favor last year when he showed up to camp way out of shape, he came into this years camp back in shape and ready to pitch.  It looks like he may start the season at Double A instead of Single A and that by itself is encouraging.

Welcome.  My name is Drew Martin, a life long Cubs fan and when my friend, Aaron Maxwell at Wrigley Field Curse, told me his network was looking for someone to cover the Cubs’ minor league system I jumped all over it.  The concept of the site is simple and that’s to be a great one stop resource for everything and anything related to the Cubs minor league system.  The minor league season starts up Thursday and that’s when things really get started here so be sure to stop by and check it out.