Welcome to another year of the Minor League Wrap. Although for the first week, we’ll just be the Iowa Cubs wrap as they started the season this evening and the other three affiliates wait until next Friday.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs boarded and seized the Columbus Clippers (Guardians), 5-2.
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Javier Assad got the Opening Night start for Iowa and maybe he wasn’t as sharp as he has been, but he definitely was effective. Assad did not allow the Clippers a run over the first three innings. Assad allowed three hits and walked three, so there were a lot of baserunners, but striking out five helped keep any of them from scoring.
Charlie Barnes, who pitched the last four years with KBO’s Lotte Giants, threw the next three innings and was impressive. He got the win after giving up just one hit and no runs. He did walk three but he struck out seven.
The Clippers got two runs off of reliever Ryan Rollison in the seventh inning. But Collin Snider threw the final 1.2 innings, did not allow a baserunner and got the save. He struck out two.
The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when first baseman Jonathon Long singled, went to second on a ground out and scored after two wild pitches.
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The I-Cubs put this game out of reach with a four-run sixth inning. First up was an RBI single for center fielder Brett Bateman. It was Bateman’s first Triple-A hit.
Next up, left fielder Justin Dean tripled home two.
Long came up to bat again and singled home Dean.
Long was 2 for 3 tonight with two walks. The four Iowa pitchers combined to strike out 17.
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