June 19, 2011

 Iowa.Cubs.MILB.com, Cubs Crunched by Isotopes Big Inning http://iowa.cubs.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110619&content_id=20715272&vkey=news_t451 &fext=.jsp&sid=t451

 Knoxville News Sentinel, No heroics for Smokies, 5-3 http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/jun/19/no-heroics-for-smokies-5-3/

 Daytona Beach News Journal, Mixed bag for Cubs in All-Star victory http://www.news-journalonline.com/sports/baseball/daytona-cubs/2011/06/19/mixed-bag-for-cubs- in-all-star-victory.html

 Peoria Journal Star, Chiefs skidding to finish with sixth loss in a row http://www.pjstar.com/sports/chiefs/x1425876958/Chiefs-skidding-to-finish-with-sixth-loss-in-a-row

 Idaho Statesman, Boise Hawks record first win of season http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/06/19/1694821/hawks-record-first-win-of-season.html

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Iowa.Cubs.MILB.com Cubs Crunched by Isotopes Big Inning Isotopes tie record with 11 runs in the second inning By: Randy Wehofer

Albuquerque, NM - The Albuquerque Isotopes (40-29) tied a franchise record with 11 runs in the bottom of the second inning and beat the Iowa Cubs (30-39) 13-10 at Isotopes Park tonight. The Isotopes sent 13 men to the plate before the first out of the inning was recorded. The outburst tied the Isotopes' franchise record for the most runs scored in an inning. The Isotopes have won each of the first two games of this series by the same score and the Cubs are now a season-low nine games under .500. The Cubs built an early 4-0 lead with three runs in the first and another in the second. Welington Castillo had an RBI double in the first inning and drove in the run in the second, extending his hitting streak to 15 games. Castillo added a two-run homer in the fourth inning. He has hit three homers in two games in this series and has nine on the year.

Cubs's starter Austin Bibens-Dirkx struck out two in the first inning, but ran into trouble in the second. He faced the first 11 batters of the Isotopes' rally before giving way to the bullpen. Bibens-Dirkx (3-4) allowed eight hits in the inning, walked one, and hit John Lindsey with a pitch twice. Eugenio Velez had a two-run single that gave the Isotopes the lead. Jeff Stevens took over for Bibens-Dirkx and gave up a two-run single to Jamie Hoffmann and a run-scoring single to A.J. Ellis before Justin Sellers lined out to left for the first out of the inning. Stevens pitched three innings and allowed the final two runs in the third inning.

Castillo's two-run homer started a six-run rally in the top of the fourth for the Cubs that pulled the team back within three runs of the Isotopes. Scott Moore had an RBI triple and Fernando Perez drove in two with a double in the inning. Isotopes' starter Tim Sexton was chased after allowing 10 runs (seven earned) on 13 hits in 3.2 innings.

Both bullpens stepped up to shut down the scoring the rest of the way. Joe Newby (1-2) allowed one hit over 3.1 shutout innings to earn the win for the Isotopes. Travis Schlichting allowed a hit and a walk, but no runs in the eighth. Jon Link retired the Cubs in order in the ninth to earn his sixth save.

After Stevens, Marco Mateo struck out the side in the fifth inning, Scott Maine worked two scoreless frames, and Esmailin Caridad worked an inning to finish the game on the mound for the Cubs.

The Cubs and Isotopes continue this series tomorrow night at 7:05 Central time. RH Alberto Cabrera (1- 2, 10.13) will start for the Cubs against RH Ian Snell (0-0, 9.00) for the Isotopes. The game will be broadcast live on AM 940 with the Safeco On-Deck Circle Pre-Game Show starting at 6:45.

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Knoxville News Sentinel No heroics for Smokies, 5-3 Chattanooga evens series with 3-2 victory By: Adam Greene

SEVIERVILLE - Rebel Ridling was the hero for the Tennessee Smokies just two days before, hitting a walk-off to clinch the first-half Southern League North title.

Saturday night at Smokies Park, Ridling again had his chance, but hit into a double play, securing a 5-3 win for the Chattanooga Lookouts.

Twice the Smokies had promising innings ended on double plays.

"We couldn't come up with the big hit," Smokies manager Brian Harper said. "Their starter (Nathan Eoavaldi) threw really well. We could have ended the game a couple of different times. We do it (get the hit) so often so when we don't, it's pretty shocking."

The Chattanooga win evens the series 2-2. The Smokies (43-26) and Lookouts (34-35) play the final game before the All-Star break today in Smokies Park at 5 p.m.

Dallas Beeler's last start in Smokies Park was a shutout. The 21-year-old right-hander would not be so fortunate Saturday.

Beeler gave up three hits in the opening inning, though Chattanooga was only able to take a 1-0 lead on a Kyle Russell RBI single.

The second inning didn't get any better for Beeler. Lookouts second baseman Jaime Pedroza led off the inning with a double. Two batters later Alfredo Silverio sent a two-run shot over the left-field fence for a 3-0 Chattanooga lead.

A Josh Vitters RBI double gave Tennessee its first run in the bottom of the second.

After his rocky start, Beeler kept the Lookouts scoreless over the next three innings, giving up just two hits along the way. In the sixth, Chattanooga's Corey Smith caught Beeler again for another home run, this time over the center-field wall.

"He (Beeler) made a couple of mistakes, but other than that he threw pretty well," Harper said. "He kept us in the ballgame. In the sixth inning he hung a breaking ball. He probably wanted that pitch back."

Beeler pitched six innings, giving up eight hits, four runs and no walks with eight strikeouts.

Fresh off the plane from High-A Daytona, new Smokies addition Juan Serrano got no chance to rest Saturday and pitched the rest of the game, going three innings with two hits, one run, one walk and three strikeouts.

"We're in a situation where we're a little short in the bullpen," Harper said. "He (Serrano) throws strikes and has good stuff."

A Blake Lalli RBI double put Tennessee within a run in the sixth, trailing 4-3. Chattanooga again stretched its lead to two with a Kyle Russell RBI.

Notebook: In a corresponding roster move to the addition of Serrano, right-handed pitcher Ty'Relle Harris was put on the disabled list Saturday. Harris, a former Tennessee Vol, was the victim of a hit-and-run incident early Friday morning. The team gave no details on the status of Harris' injuries or when he might return.

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Daytona Beach New Journal Mixed bag for Cubs in All-Star victory By: Staff Report

CLEARWATER -- Daytona third baseman Matthew Cerda hit a go-ahead RBI double in the fifth inning, driving in Cubs teammate Mike Brenly to lead the North All-Stars to a 5-3 win over the South at the Florida State League All-Star Game at Bright House Field.

Six players represented the D-Cubs in Saturday's games, with three finding success and three struggling.

Cerda went 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI, designated hitter Justin Bour went 1-for-4 after winning the pre-game and Brenly, a catcher, went 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI.

Brenly's father, broadcaster and former World Series-winning manager Bob Brenly, was on hand to watch his son. The elder Brenly was able to attend because he didn't have to broadcast Saturday's Yankees-Cubs game, which Fox picked up to televise nationally.

"I got lucky," he told minorleaguebaseball.com. "I wouldn't have wanted to miss this."

The results weren't so good for the other three D-Cubs, as center fielder Evan Crawford went 0-for-4 and the two Daytona pitchers allowed all of the South's three runs.

With the North leading 2-0 entering the fourth inning, Cubs reliever Aaron Kurcz entered the game and allowed a leadoff single to Bradenton's Ramon Cabrera. Marauders teammate Aaron Baker followed by hitting the first pitch he saw from Kurcz over the right-center field wall to tie the game.

"It was a changeup," Baker told minorleaguebaseball.com. "I don't think it was where he wanted it."

Baker was presented with the Top Star Award after the game. He went 1-for-2 with two RBIs, a run and two walks.

Daytona closer Frank Batista took the mound in the top of the ninth with the North leading 5-2, but allowed singles to Palm Beach's Edgar Lara and Charlotte's Greg Sexton and a sacrifice fly by the Stone Crabs' Brett Nommensen to make it 5-3 before being replaced by Dunedin's Wes Etheridge.

Etheridge induced a groundout by Charlotte's Tyler Bortnick for the final out and the save.

BOUR WINS HR DERBY:

Down to his last out Saturday, Daytona's Justin Bour made his swing count, hitting a towering drive over the right-field foul pole to win the six-player Home Run Derby.

"I was sure that it was a home run," Bour told minorleaguebaseball.com. "I knew it wasn't going to hook foul."

"I wanted the ball up and in, and that's what I got," he added.

In the final, Bour beat Dunedin's Brad Glenn, nine home runs to eight. Bour also had nine in the first round to six for Glenn.

"He's one of the best power guys around and he showed it on a big stage," Glenn told minorleaguebaseball.com. "He made it look easy. He hit some bombs."

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Peoria Journal Star Chiefs skidding to finish with sixth loss in a row By: Kevin Capie

DAVENPORT, IOWA — The Peoria Chiefs continued to limp towards the finish line of the Midwest League’s first half.

The Chiefs dropped their sixth straight game, losing to the Quad Cities River Bandits 6-1 and ensuring the team will finsh the half below .500.

Quad Cities scored all six of tis runs in the third inning with seven hits, highlighted by a pair of two-run singles by Ronny Gil and Nick Longmire.

The Chiefs scored their only run in the sixth inning on Matt Szczur’s solo homer.

Quad Cities starter Boone Whiting held the Chiefs in check. The right-hander allowed just four hits in seven innings.

For the record

Winning pitcher — Whiting (1-0), 7 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts.

Losing pitcher — Austin Kirk (4-3), 5 innings, 8 hits, 6 runs, 3 strikeouts

Chiefs — fall to 33-36.

Big sticks

Chiefs — None.

River Bandits — Longmire 2-for-4, 2 RBIs; Geoffrey Klein 2-for-4, double, RBI.

Notable

The Chiefs had just two at-bats with a runner in scoring position, going 0-for-2. … RHP Matt Loosen, who came down from high-A Daytona on Thursday when Robinson Lopez went on the disabled list, pitched two innings and struck out four in his first appearance with the Chiefs. … The game was the first of the season with all seven of the Chiefs all-stars in the lineup. … The six-game losing streak is the Chiefs’ longest since a seven-game losing streak in June of 2009.

Sunday

Peoria (LHP Graham Hicks 1-2, 3.59) at Quad Cities (TBA), 2 p.m., Modern Woodmen Park, Davenport, Iowa.

Internet — www.peoriachiefs.com/listenlive

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Idaho Statesman Boise Hawks record first win of season By: Staff Report

Boise erupted for eight runs in the fifth inning and rolled to a 10-2 win Saturday at Eugene.

Reggie Golden had a pair of hits and scored twice for the Hawks, who got two-run doubles from catcher Chad Noble and shortstop Wes Darvill. Noble was added to the roster earlier Saturday.

Ping-Chieh Chen also had two hits for Boise to back the pitching of Yao-Lin Wang, who allowed two hits in five innings.

Hawks add catcher to roster

Chad Noble is in his second season with the Chicago Cubs organization and is this will be his second stint in Boise.

Noble was selected by the Cubs in the 37th round of the 2010 draft and attended Northwestern. He was playing for the Cubs’ minor league team in Daytona.

Boise played its second game of the season Saturday. The game was in progress at press time.

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