Wish I had better news to report tonight.

Iowa Cubs (66-65)

The Iowa Cubs were derailed by the New Orleans Zephyrs, 8-1.

J.R. Mathes took the loss, allowing five runs on eight hits over 4.1 innings. Mathes didn’t walk anyone and struck out two.

Catcher Steve Clevenger was 2 for 4.

Tennessee Smokies (31-28)

The Smokies fell out of first place tonight when they were beaten by the Carolina Mudcats, 7-6.

Hung-Wen Chen got the start and picked up the loss. He went six innings and allowed five runs on seven hits. Chen walked one and struck out four.

Catcher Welington Castillo was 3 for 4 with two doubles. He had one RBI and scored once. Center fielder James Adduci was 3 for 5 with a run scored. First baseman Blake Lalli was 2 for 5 with an RBI.

Daytona Cubs (25-31)

Figures that the teams who have already been mathematically-eliminated would be the teams that won. The Daytona Cubs aren’t just playing out the string though, as tonight they tamed the Lakeland Flying Tigers, 6-4.

Starter Craig Muschko got the win. He pitched five innings and he allowed two runs on four hits. He was great around the plate as he didn’t walk anyone and struck out eight.

Luke Sommer pitched the ninth to get his second save. Sommer allowed one hit but no runs. He didn’t walk anyone and he struck out one.

Second baseman Nate Samson hit a solo home run in the third inning. It was his second home run on the season. Samson was 1 for 4.

Third baseman Josh VItters hit home run number three (and his second in three games) back-to-back with Samson’s shot. Vitters was 2 for 4 with two RBI.

Left fielder Tony Campana was 3 for 5 with an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base. Shortstop Marwin Gonzalez had a double and a triple in a 2 for 4 game. Gonzalez scored once and had one RBI. First baseman Jake Opitz went 2 for 4 with two doubles.  Opitz had one RBI.

Peoria Chiefs (35-22)

The Chiefs were robbed by the Quad City River Bandits 9-6 in 12 innings.

Starter Jeffry Antigua pitched 5.2 innings and allowed two runs on four hits. He only walked one and struck out seven.

Erik Hamren got the loss in relief. Hamren went two innings and allowed three runs, two of which were earned. He allowed two hits and walked two while striking out two. He also balked with an inherited runner on third in the tenth inning.

It was home run number 20 tonight for second baseman Ryan Flaherty.  Flaherty’s home run was a solo homer in the bottom of the first. He went 3 for 6 with two runs scored.

Center fielder Brett Jackson also hit a solo home run tonight, his fifth for Peoria, in the fifth inning. Jackson went 1 for 5 with a walk and two runs scored.

First baseman Rebel Ridling was 3 for 4 with a run scored. Kyler Burke was 2 for 5 with an RBI.

Boise Hawks (30-33)

The Hawks were stopped by the Spokane Indians, 6-4.

Eduardo Figueroa started and took the loss. He allowed four runs over three innings, but only one of the runs was earned. He gave up six hits and didn’t walk anyone, although he did have two wild pitches. Figueroa struck out two.

Shortstop Hak-Ju Lee was 2 for 5 with two runs scored. However, he did have another one of those two error games. Lee does seem to make errors in bunches, although he does often go a while without making one.

First baseman Greg Rohan had two doubles in a 2 for 3 game. Rohand also walked once. He had two RBI.

AZL Cubs

Beat the Angels, 5-4.

Again, the mathematically-eliminated team wins.