Minor League Wrap: Simmons makes rehab start; Alcantara homers in Pelicans win

South Bend sweeps a doubleheader and the Pelicans just can’t lose behind Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kevin Alcantara.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were condemned by the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 9-2.

James Bourque was the “opener” for today’s game and he went 1.2 innings and gave up one run on one hit and three walks over 1.2 innings. Bourque also struck out three.

Eric Stout kept the game close over the next 2.1 innings by not allowing a run. He did allow just one hit and one walk while striking out three.

The rest of the I-Cubs bullpen wasn’t as good. Aneuris Rosario gave up a three-run home run in the sixth inning and took the loss. Rosario’s final line was three runs on four hits over 1.1 innings. He walked two and struck out two.

Andrelton Simmons played six innings at shortstop in a rehab assignment. He was 1 for 3.

DH Nelson Maldonado extended his hitting streak to seven games as he went 1 for 3 with an RBI double and a sacrifice fly.

Center fielder Nelson Velazquez went 2 for 4 in his Triple-A debut.

Ildemaro Vargas went 2 for 5. He scored on Maldonado’s double.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were vassalized by the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 6-2.

Smokies starter Anderson Espinoza gave up a two-run home run in the bottom of the first and the Barons never trailed after that. Espinoza’s final line was four runs on six hits over four innings. He struck out four and walked one.

The Smokies had four hits in this game and three of them were by left fielder Darius Hill. Hill was 3 for 4. He scored Tennessee’s first run in the fourth in drove in their other run in the ninth.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs swept a doubleheader from the Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals), 3-2 and 4-0.

Jordan Wicks started game one and he went four innings, allowing two runs on four hits. Both runs were unearned, but it was his own throwing error on a bunt that led to the two unearned runs. Wicks walked one and struck out two.

Chris Clarke pitched the final three innings and got the win as South Bend came back from that 2-0 deficit. Clarke allowed no runs on three hits. He struck out four and walked no one.

Shortstop Fabian Pertuz tied the game 2-2 with an RBI triple in the fourth inning and then scored on an error to give South Bend the lead. Pertuz was 1 for 3.

South Bend had just three hits in this seven-inning game.

In game two, Max Bain shut down the Chiefs for four scoreless innings, giving up just one hit. He struck out five and walked no one.

Riley Martin pitched the final three innings and got the win because Bain did not go five innings. Martin surrendered three hits. He struck out five and did not walk anyone.

Right fielder Edmond Americaan went 2 for 4 with a double and one run scored,

DH Jake Washer went 2 for 3 with one run batted in.

Second baseman Scott McKeon was 2 for 3. He drove home the first run of the game in the third inning and later scored that inning on a single by left fielder Yohendrick Pinango. Pinango went 2 for 3 and also scored one run himself.

Shortstop Ed Howard was 2 for 3 with a run scored.

Game 1 highlights:

Game 2 highlights:

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans ran the Salem Red Sox through the wringer, 9-6.

Porter Hodge started and allowed four runs on seven hits over 4.1 innings. Hodge struck out four and walked two.

The win went to Luis A. Rodriguez, who gave up just one run on four hits over 3.2 innings. Rodriguez struck out five and walked two.

The Pelicans scored six runs in the fifth inning. The biggest blow was a three-run home run by right fielder Kevin Alcantara, his second on the season. Alcantara also doubled in a 2 for 5 game.

Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong got his batting average up to .410 by going 3 for 5. He also stole a base. Crow-Armstrong drove in the Pelicans first run on a single in the fifth and scored on Alcantara’s home run.

DH B.J. Murray Jr. was 2 for 3 and was hit by a pitch. He scored twice.

Here’s Alcantara’s home run.