The Smokies finished out their first half with a comeback win and the Cougars closed out theirs by blowing to late leads. The Hawks are 3-0. And that Baez fellow hit the ball a long way.
And a happy Father's Day to everyone who is or has a father.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs beat the Sacramento River Cats (Atlhetics), 4-3, snapping a five game losing streak.
Kyle Hendricks allowed two runs in the first inning and then shut Sacramento down the rest of the way. He improved his record to 7-5 after allowing two runs on four hits over seven innings. He struck out six and walked two.
Marcus Hatley got the save after pitching a scoreless ninth. He allowed a bunt single to lead off the inning, but that was it. He struck out two--one on a bunted third strike.
The I-Cubs took the lead in the top of the eighth inning when shortstop Javier Baez crushed a pitch from the rehabbing Eric O'Flaherty over the wall in dead center field. He hit it with a man on and it was his tenth home run this season. Baez went 2 for 4 with two steals.
Second baseman Arismendy Alcantara went 2 for 4 with a double. He scored twice.
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth and one more in the eleventh to stun the Mississippi Braves, 7-6.
Corey Black made his first start in two weeks and allowed one unearned run over three innings. He gave up two hits and issued one walk while striking out five.
The Smokies fell behind when Eduardo Figueroa started the seventh inning and all five batters he faced reached base and eventually scored.
Armando Rivero threw the final two innings and got his second win. Rivero allowed only one hit and one walk while striking out three.
The Smokies staged a comeback trailing 6-2 in the bottom of the ninth. They got two runs on a Kris Bryant sacrifice fly and a Rubi Silva single, but all looked lost when with two outs and the bases loaded, Jae-Hoon Ha hit a come backer to the mound. But Braves pitcher John Cornely lobbed a rainbow over the first baseman's head and two runs scored, tying the game.
The Smokies would go on to win in the eleventh when Elliot Sotosingled home Taylor Davis from second base.
Left fielder Anthony Giansanti went 3 for 6 with one RBI and one run scored. Second baseman Stephen Bruno was 3 for 6 and scored two runs. Right fielder Silva was 3 for 6 with two RBI and one run scored.
Bryant was 1 for 4 with a walk, extending his hit streak to ten games.
The Smokies finished the first half of the season at 33-36. That was good enough for second place, but it was 12.5 games behind Huntsville.
Daytona Cubs
Off for the All-Star Break. They'll play the Yankees at home tomorrow.
Kane County Cougars
The Kane County Cougars were bitten by the Beloit Snappers (Athletics), 5-4 in 12 innings.
Duane Underwood made his first start since June 2 and pitched just two scoreless innings. He allowed one hit and one walk while striking out one.
Michael Wagner pitched the next three innings and allowed one run on a solo home run in the third and three overall hits. He walked three and struck out three.
James Pugliese entered the ninth inning with a 3-1 lead, but an error by right field Yasiel Balaguert opened the gates to two unearned runs and sent the game into extra innings. Pugliese pitched four innings and allowed two unearned runs on two hits. He struck out four and didn't walk anyone.
After the Cougars took the lead in the top of the 12th on a Jacob Rogers home run, Zak Hermans entered the game to try to get this save. He faced two batters. He gave up a single and a walk-off home run.
Rogers' home run in the top of the 12th was his sixth of the season. He was 2 for 5.
In face, all four runs the Cougars had scored on a home run. Balaguert hit a two-run shot in the fourth inning, his fifth this season. Balaguert also doubled in a 3 for 5 day at the plate.
Third baseman Jordan Hankins hit hit third home run of the year with the bases empty in the sixth inning. Hankins was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
The Cougars finished the first half at 45-25, 6.5 games ahead of second place Burlington.
Boise Hawks
The Boise Hawks hung on to beat the Tri-City Dust Devils (Rockies), 11-9.
Trevor Clifton pitched the first 4.1 innings and allowed four runs on five hits. Clifton walked four and struck out five.
Yomar Morel pitched the final 2.2 innings and got the win, although other than that he probably won't be proud of his effort. Morel surrendered four runs, three earned, on six hits, including a three-run home run in the seventh inning. Morel struck out two and didn't walk anyone.
DH Kyle Schwarber hit his second home run of the season with the bases empty in the third inning. He also clobbered a sacrifice fly to left field in the eighth inning. I was told by Hawks broadcaster Mike Safford that it would have been a grand slam except that an approaching storm had shifted the wind and it was blowing in at about 20 mph by the eighth inning.
Schwarver was 1 for 2 with a walk. He scored twice.
Catcher Justin Marra hit his first home run of the year before the winds came, hitting a three-run shot in the sixth. Marra went 2 for 4.
Center fielder Rashad Crawford went 2 for 4 with a stolen base. He scored two runs and had one RBI.