I know Myles includes the Cubs, in part because they’re essentially a minor league team and in part because someone requested it. I’m not going to include them. It’s not because I have so much to say about the minor leagues. It’s because I just don’t want to write about them. Emilio Bonifacio? Seriously? No thanks.
Matt Szczur was the leadoff hitter and he was 2-3 with a double and a walk. The rest of the team went 0-26 with 4 walks and 7 strikeouts.
Javier Baez was 0-4 with two of those strikeouts. Josh Vitters was 0-4 and Brett Jackson struck out twice in three at-bats.
Baez also had another error.
Carlos Pimentel threw 5 innings and allowed 8 hits and 4 runs. He walked no one and struck out six. He allowed two home runs. Jonathan Sanchez threw .2 innings, allowed a hit and 3 hits and 5 runs. Good outing.
The Smokies won their first game to even up their record, but it wasn’t the offense that shines. The only run the Smokies managed was a home run hit by Kris Bryant, his second in the two games so far this season. Bryant was 1-4 with a couple strikeouts.
The Smokies only had 4 other hits. Zeke DeVoss was 1-4 with 2 strikeouts.
C.J. Edwards got the start and threw 4 innings, allowed only a hit and walked 1. He struck out 4. No word on exactly why he threw only 4 innings. At some point he’ll have to throw more than a middle reliever can if he wants to be a starter and so far he hasn’t. I find it odd he’s ranked as high by some prospects analysts, but that’s just me. He threw only 63 pitches. I know it’s his first start, but come on.
Armando Rivera struck out 4 in 2 innings.
Pin-Chieh Chen was 3-5 with a double and RBI. The right fielder was one of only a few bright spots in the lineup. DH Bijan Radenmacher was 2-4 with a double and Gioskar Amaya, batting 9th, was 1-3 with a walk and strikeout.
Jose Rosario threw 4 rather forgetful innings. He allowed 5 hits and walked 3 and allowed 3 runs. Michael Jensen struck out 3 in 2 innings of work. He gave up no hits and walked 1. Andrew McKirahan also threw 2 innings and walked a batter. He allowed 2 hits and struck out 1. Austin Reed got the loss in 2 innings of work. He allowed a hit and a walk and struck out 3.
Kane County Cougars – Postponed