Iowa's offense got on track today but for the most part the bats continued to struggle. The pitching has picked them up, including strong performances from Jen Ho Tsen, Thomas Hatch, Tyson Miller, Duncan Robinson, and the South Bend bullpen.

Iowa 7 - OKC 5

We got a glimpse of Eddie Butler yesterday and today it was another part of the potential depth equation, Alec Mills . It was a bit of an uneven performance as MIlls threw strikes but sometimes made them too hittable He gave up 6 hits with 4 ofthem being for extra bases. The result was 4 runs in 6 innings. Mills walked just one and struck out 4. He has good stuff (low 90s FB, good CH), it's just a matter of location.

. It was a bit of an uneven performance as MIlls threw strikes but sometimes made them too hittable He gave up 6 hits with 4 ofthem being for extra bases. The result was 4 runs in 6 innings. Mills walked just one and struck out 4. He has good stuff (low 90s FB, good CH), it's just a matter of location. Rob Zastryzny came in and mowed down the first 8 hitters he faced, 3 via strikeout, before giving up a 2 out solo HR in the 9th to account for the only blemish against him. It was a harmless HR as the I-Cubs were up 3.

came in and mowed down the first 8 hitters he faced, 3 via strikeout, before giving up a 2 out solo HR in the 9th to account for the only blemish against him. It was a harmless HR as the I-Cubs were up 3. Jeimer Candelario (2 for 5) put the I-Cubs up for good in the very first inning with a grand slam, his first HR of the season. He would later triple and drive in another run. The switch-hitting 3B probably doesn't have a lot to prove in AAA, so he'll have to bide his time and wait for an opportunity.

(2 for 5) put the I-Cubs up for good in the very first inning with a grand slam, his first HR of the season. He would later triple and drive in another run. The switch-hitting 3B probably doesn't have a lot to prove in AAA, so he'll have to bide his time and wait for an opportunity. Ian Happ hit a timely solo HR in the 5th inning to give the team some breathing room after OKC rallied to pull within one in the previous half inning. It was his only hit of the game.

hit a timely solo HR in the 5th inning to give the team some breathing room after OKC rallied to pull within one in the previous half inning. It was his only hit of the game. Victor Caratini tripled and scored on a single by Taylor Davis to account for Iowa's other run. It was the only hit of the game for each player.

Tennessee 2 - Pensacola 1

Jen Ho Tseng never took that big step forward in terms of stuff as some had expected, he'll generally pitch in the low 90s and adds a solid CB and CH to the mix. He's an average stuff across the board pitcher with average to above average command, but what he has lacked in terms of upgrading his stuff, he has made up for with his experience and knowledge of how to pitch. Tseng did not walk a batter and struck out 7, allowing just one run on a solo shot over 5 innings. Unfortunately he left with the game knotted at 1.

never took that big step forward in terms of stuff as some had expected, he'll generally pitch in the low 90s and adds a solid CB and CH to the mix. He's an average stuff across the board pitcher with average to above average command, but what he has lacked in terms of upgrading his stuff, he has made up for with his experience and knowledge of how to pitch. Tseng did not walk a batter and struck out 7, allowing just one run on a solo shot over 5 innings. Unfortunately he left with the game knotted at 1. That game was tied up in the bottom half of the fifth when Trey Martin HR'd to CF. Martin also singled and went 2 for 4 overall. Martin is one of the better CF defenders in the organization and if his bat can come around it would be a huge boost to his chances.

HR'd to CF. Martin also singled and went 2 for 4 overall. Martin is one of the better CF defenders in the organization and if his bat can come around it would be a huge boost to his chances. The game remained deadlocked at 1 until the 8th, when the Smokies mounted a rally to get that go-ahead run. It began on a one out Cael Brockmeyer HBP then followed by a Charcer Burks single. It would be Burks' 3rd hit of the game (3 for 5, double) to set up the game winning hit by David Bote, who seems ready to pick up where he left off last year when he surprised everyone with a big offensive year at Myrtle Beach. Bote also walked in this game.

Myrtle Beach 2 - Lynchburg 1

Thomas Hatch built on a strong spring that saw him successfull leap past South Bend and make the Pelicans rptation as their #2 starter. He'll start at 94-95 early on and then settles in at 92-93 as the game goes on. His lower arm slot has helped him develop an effective slider and he's woring on a change as his 3rd pitch. The control was a bit more off than usual (3 walks) but Hatch didn't seem to give up any hard contact, similar to what we saw this spring. He struck out just 2 but got a whopping 11 GB out over 5 innings. He also allowed just one hit. The lone run came in his final frame when an error and a wild pitch and then that sngle with 2 outs -- the first Hatch had given up all game, led to the only run off Hatch. It was a solid professional debust to say the least.

built on a strong spring that saw him successfull leap past South Bend and make the Pelicans rptation as their #2 starter. He'll start at 94-95 early on and then settles in at 92-93 as the game goes on. His lower arm slot has helped him develop an effective slider and he's woring on a change as his 3rd pitch. The control was a bit more off than usual (3 walks) but Hatch didn't seem to give up any hard contact, similar to what we saw this spring. He struck out just 2 but got a whopping 11 GB out over 5 innings. He also allowed just one hit. The lone run came in his final frame when an error and a wild pitch and then that sngle with 2 outs -- the first Hatch had given up all game, led to the only run off Hatch. It was a solid professional debust to say the least. Craig Brooks had a pretty good spring after an uneven season. He throws hard, generally 93-95 mph, works in a hard slider, and works very quickly and aggressively to try to keep hitters on their heels. It continued to be a successful formula for him today as he pitched 2 scoreless innings with 3 Ks.

had a pretty good spring after an uneven season. He throws hard, generally 93-95 mph, works in a hard slider, and works very quickly and aggressively to try to keep hitters on their heels. It continued to be a successful formula for him today as he pitched 2 scoreless innings with 3 Ks. I didn't see much of James Norwood for whatever reason this spring but in the past I have seen him pitch in the mid 90s, touching 97 or so and adding a high 80s cutter. He is unquestionably a power pitcher but he was more about GB contact (4 GB outs) then missing bats (no strikeouts). It was effective as Norwood pitched 2 scoreless innings to pick up the win.

for whatever reason this spring but in the past I have seen him pitch in the mid 90s, touching 97 or so and adding a high 80s cutter. He is unquestionably a power pitcher but he was more about GB contact (4 GB outs) then missing bats (no strikeouts). It was effective as Norwood pitched 2 scoreless innings to pick up the win. It was a good thing the Pelicans got great pitching because their bats were asleep for 7 innings and it was beginning to look like the strong debut by Hatch would go to waste. But one thing these Pelicans do is grind out ABs and while they lack the firepower of the parent team, it is a lineup that looks to wear down pitchers gradually. The 8th inning started with a pair of walks by Jessee Hodges and Robert Garcia sandwiched around an ill-fated sac attempt. A force out by Carlos Sepulveda (1 for 3, walk) moved Hodges to 3B where he would score on a wild pitch to tie the game at 1.

and sandwiched around an ill-fated sac attempt. A force out by (1 for 3, walk) moved Hodges to 3B where he would score on a wild pitch to tie the game at 1. The 9th inning began witha single by PJ Higgins (1 for 3, walk) and a walk by Eddy Julio Martinez. A force out would leave runners at first and third for Matt Rose, who drove Higgins home with a groundout for the game winner.

West Michigan 2 - South Bend 0

Duncan Robinson got the Opening Day nod after a good spring. He's a big pitcher at 6'6", 220 lbs but he isn't a guy who works to overpower hitters and miss bats. He does have a solid FB that I last saw at 90-91 mph but it isn't so much the velocity that makes it effective as it is for it's sinking action and, when combined with the good location,plus the natural downward plane his height provides, makes for a "heavy" pitch for hitters. As you would expect from Robinson, he threw strikes low in the zone (no walks) hitters beat the ball into the ground (10 GBs), but errors by ZAck Short and Wladimir Galindo with two outs came back to haunt Robinson and South Bend. It was followed by a two run triple, one of only 2 hits for WM all game, to account for all the scoring. Tough loss.

got the Opening Day nod after a good spring. He's a big pitcher at 6'6", 220 lbs but he isn't a guy who works to overpower hitters and miss bats. He does have a solid FB that I last saw at 90-91 mph but it isn't so much the velocity that makes it effective as it is for it's sinking action and, when combined with the good location,plus the natural downward plane his height provides, makes for a "heavy" pitch for hitters. As you would expect from Robinson, he threw strikes low in the zone (no walks) hitters beat the ball into the ground (10 GBs), but errors by ZAck Short and Wladimir Galindo with two outs came back to haunt Robinson and South Bend. It was followed by a two run triple, one of only 2 hits for WM all game, to account for all the scoring. Tough loss. Marc Huberman pitched a scoreless inning while Luis Ayala and Yeiler Peguero both singled for South Bend's only 2 hits.

West Michigan 1 - South Bend 0 (16 innings)

The South Bend bats were dormant. 23 innings and no runs on a grand total of 8 hits, 6 of them in this game. They did have excellent pitching starting with Tyson Miller who had a good spring and seemed to get better with each start. He was dominant for 4.2 innings today, retiring 13 of the first 14 batters, 7 via strikeout and with the only hit being a bunt single. He just couldn't quite get out of that 5th inning, however. He gave up a walk and then two singles to load the bases before getting lifted in favor of Dakota Mekkes.

who had a good spring and seemed to get better with each start. He was dominant for 4.2 innings today, retiring 13 of the first 14 batters, 7 via strikeout and with the only hit being a bunt single. He just couldn't quite get out of that 5th inning, however. He gave up a walk and then two singles to load the bases before getting lifted in favor of Dakota Mekkes. Dakota Mekkes is enormous and by looking at him you'd think he could throw baseballs through brick walls. He doe throw hard, but it is low 90s most of the time. What makes Mekkes effective is a deceptive delivery. At 6'7", you'd think he'd come down on you with tremendous plane but instead Mekkes drops down low, both with his body and with his arm slot, making the baseball come from an angle you'd probably least expected to see from a guy that big. Add in that he has a good slider and he has a chance to be an effective reliever in the Cubs system. He got Miller out of the bases loaded jam in the 5th then pitched two hitless, scoreless innings of his own.

is enormous and by looking at him you'd think he could throw baseballs through brick walls. He doe throw hard, but it is low 90s most of the time. What makes Mekkes effective is a deceptive delivery. At 6'7", you'd think he'd come down on you with tremendous plane but instead Mekkes drops down low, both with his body and with his arm slot, making the baseball come from an angle you'd probably least expected to see from a guy that big. Add in that he has a good slider and he has a chance to be an effective reliever in the Cubs system. He got Miller out of the bases loaded jam in the 5th then pitched two hitless, scoreless innings of his own. The Mekkes outing was a sign of things to come, the South Bend bullpen would combine to pitch what would amount to 11 hitless innings with just one walk and 17 Ks, including utility infielder Vimael Machin retiring 5 of the first 6 batters he faced (an error was the only blemish). But WM would finally get to Machin with two outs in in the 16th, stringing togehter a single, walk, and then a walk off single to end the marathon. It was a valiant effort by Machin and the entire bullpen.

Sandwiched between Mekkes and Machin were three outstanding relief performances. After Mekkes retired the last 3 batters in th 7th, Pedro Silverio a former swingman with a solid FB I have seen anywhere from 91-95 mph and a good cuve pitched 3 perfect innings with 6 strikeouts. Michael Rucker was a guy I saw at 92-93 this spring and he pitched 2 more perfect innings, striking out 3. Chad Hockin would continue the run, retiring the first 8 batters to make it 26 hitters in a row -- nearly a perfect game within a game by the bullpen. The streak ended on a Zack Short error. It was a tough day for the versatile infielder. He had 3 errors in this game and one in the previous. Hockin, though, would get out of the inning, though he did hit one batter after the error. Hockin has one of the better sliders out of the bullpen for the Cubs to go with a solid 92-94 mph FB.

a former swingman with a solid FB I have seen anywhere from 91-95 mph and a good cuve pitched 3 perfect innings with 6 strikeouts. was a guy I saw at 92-93 this spring and he pitched 2 more perfect innings, striking out 3. would continue the run, retiring the first 8 batters to make it 26 hitters in a row -- nearly a perfect game within a game by the bullpen. The streak ended on a Zack Short error. It was a tough day for the versatile infielder. He had 3 errors in this game and one in the previous. Hockin, though, would get out of the inning, though he did hit one batter after the error. Hockin has one of the better sliders out of the bullpen for the Cubs to go with a solid 92-94 mph FB. As mentioned, the offense did not do much but Isaac Paredes did get two hits on the day