The system went 4 for 5 tonight.
Three teams started the second-half of the season on a positive note.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs rubbed the noses of the El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres), 6-2.
Tsuyoshi Wadagot his seventh win after he tossed 6.2 innings and allowed two runs on four hits, including a solo home run. Wada struck out seven and walked two.
Yoanner Negrin relieved Wada and went the rest of the way for his first save. He pitched 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing two hits. He struck out four and walked one.
With a man on in the seventh inning, third baseman Kris Bryant hit a 3-2 pitch over the right field wall for his first hit and first home run in Triple-A. Bryant was 1 for 4.
Let's go to the videotape.
Center fielder Arismendy Alcantara was 2 for 5 with a stolen base and one RBI.
First baseman Josh Vitters was 2 for 4 with an RBI and one run scored.
Welington Castillo was supposed to play in this game as he starts his rehab stint, but because of a long rain delay and a wet field, Iowa manager Marty Pevey decided not to play him.
Tennessee Smokies
The Smokies won their first game of the second-half in walk-off fashion, 4-3 over the Chattanooga Lookouts (Dodgers).
No complaints about Dae-Eun Rhee's start tonight. Rhee allowed a home run to the first batter of the game and not much after that. Rhee went six innings and allowed one run on four hits. He walked one and struck out one.
Hunter Cervenka started the top of the ninth with a 3-2 lead, but a double and an RBI single later and he was out of the game. Cervenka retired one batter. Newly-demoted Frank Batista took over for Cervenka and struck out both batters he faced and got the win when Tennessee pushed a run across in the bottom of the ninth.
Stephen Bruno singled with one out in the ninth and went to second base on an errant pickoff throw. Then the newly-demoted Christian Villanueva singled him home to win the game.
Bruno was 2 for 3 with a walk and an RBI in addition to that one run. Villanueva was 2 for 5.
Right fielder Rubi Silva hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning to give Tennessee a 3-1 lead at the time. It was his fifth home run this year. Silva was 3 for 4.
Catcher Charles Cutler was 2 for 4.
Former Smokies pitcher (and Cubs minor league pitcher of the year) Nick Struck started this game for Chattanooga.
Daytona Cubs
It was a miserable first half for the Daytona Cubs, who finished with a 26-42 record. But they are 1-0 in the second half after a 7-4 win over the Brevard County Manatees (Brewers).
It was the second straight tough start for Felix Peña, who allowed four runs on seven hits over 3.1 innings. He struck out four and walked three.
Starling Peralta took over for Pena and got the win when Daytona overcame a 4-3 deficit with three runs in the seventh inning. Peralta was brilliant as he faced 14 batters (4.2 innings) and retired all of them, four by a strikeout.
Andrew McKirahan picked up his sixth save with a scoreless ninth. He gave up a one-out double, but nothing else. He did not strike anyone out.
DH Dan Vogelbach gave Daytona an early 2-0 lead with a two-run home run in the top of the first inning. It was his sixth home run of the season. Vogelbach was 3 for 5 with a double and the home run. He scored two runs.
Center fielder Albert Almora was 2 for 5 with a double and a run scored.
Pin-Chieh Chen left this game in the third inning. I presume he was injured but I have no information on this at this time.
Kane County Cougars
The Cougars had a very successful first half, running away with the Western Division title. They picked up where they left off with a 7-0 boiling of the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins) in a game that ended in the bottom of the fifth because of rain.
It was a three-hit shut out for Daury Torrez, albeit of the five-inning variety. He gave up three hits. He struck out one and didn't walk anyone.
Kane County scored all seven runs in the third inning. Center fielder Jacob Hannemann hit a two-run inside-the-park home run in the third inning. It was his third home run of the season and he was 2 for 3 in this game.
Second baseman Danny Lockhart also had a two-run single in that inning. He was 1 for 2.
Left fielder Kyle Schwarber was 1 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored in the 3rd.
Boise Hawks
The Boise Hawks turned green against the Eugene Emeralds (Padres), 8-7 in eleven innings.
Tyler Ihrig started and allowed four runs on six hits over six innings. But mostly it was on a three-run home run in the first inning. Ihrig did strike out seven and he only walked one.
Alberto Diaz took the loss. He allowed one run on three hits over 1.1 innings. He struck out two and walked one.
Catcher Justin Marra hit a two-run home run in the top of the third inning, his third of the season. Marra also had a double in a 2 for 6 night. He scored three runs and had three RBI.
Left fielder Kevin Brown was 3 for 5 with two doubles and a walk. He scored three runs.
The Hawks failed to take advantage of the five errors committed by Eugene.