Bees Whitewash South Bend & Mr Rogers Bashes the 66ers

Jacob Rogers blasted a grand slam home run (off the roof of the Angels clubhouse) and a triple, Billy McKinney belted a solo HR, singled twice, and scored two runs, Mark Zagunis singled twice, walked, and scored a run, and Paul Blackburn threw 5.2 IP of two-hit shutout ball (no-hitter thru 4.2 IP), leading the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs Hi-A affiliate) to a 7-1 victory over the Inland Empire 66ers (Los Angeles Angels Hi-A affiliate) on Field #7, and Mike Bolaski (ex-3B) and four relievers combined to toss a six-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts, as the Burlington Bees (Angels Lo-A affiliate) blanked the South Bend Cubs (Lo-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) 5-0 on Field #4, in Cactus League Minor League game action this morning at Diablo Park in Tempe, AZ.   

Somewhat appropriately, the Burlington Bees - South Bend Cubs game on Field #4 was delayed for several minutes while a swarm of bees hovered overhead, apparently looking for a landing spot. The players who were on the field at the time hit the ground the way soldiers do when a hand grenade is thrown into their vicinity. This is the second time in two years that bees have descended upon Diablo Park when I've been there (a hive had to be removed from a tractor that was situated in the bullpen at Field #7 last year). Naturally, the Angels have not one but two affiliates (Lo-A Burlington and AAA Salt Lake City) with the "Bees" nickname.  

The game on Field #7 was pre-planned as a ten-inning affair so that all of the pitchers scheduled to throw today could get their scheduled work. 

Here are the abridged box scores from the two games (Cubs players only):

FIELD #4 

SOUTH BEND LINEUP: 
1a. Charcer Burks, LF: 1-1 (1B, BB, BB) 
1b. Kevin Brown, LF: 0-1 (K) 
2a. Chesny Young, 2B: 1-3 (6-4-3 DP, 1B, 6-4 FC) 
2b. Frandy de la Rosa, 2B: 0-1 (F-7) 
3. Jeffrey Baez, RF: 2-4 (1B, P-4, 1B, 6-3) 
4a. Jesse Hodges, 3B: 0-2 (K, K, BB) 
4b. Adonis Paula, 3B: 1-1 (1B)
5. Justin Marra, DH-C: 0-4 (1-3, K, K, K)
6a. Gleyber Torres, SS: 0-3 (1-3, K, L-5 DP)
6b. David Bote, SS: 0-1 (5-3)
7a. Cael Brockmeyer, C-DH: 0-2 (4-3, L-6)
7b. Ho-Young Son, PH-DH: 0-2 (K, K)
8. Jason Vosler, 1B: 0-3 (L-4, F-7, 4-3)
9. Rashad Crawford, CF: 1-3 (1B, 4-3, K) 

SOUTH BEND PITCHERS: 
1. Erick Leal: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R (5 ER), 0 BB, 7 K, 1 HBP,  6/2 GO/FO, 82 pitches (55 strikes) 
2. James Norwood: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 2/1 GO/FO, 23 pitches (12 strikes) 
3. Jasvir Rakkar: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 3/0 GO/FO, 8 pitches (6 strikes) 
4. Francisco Carrillo: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/1 GO/FO, 6 pitches (6 strikes)

SOUTH BEND ERRORS: 2
1. SS Gleyber Torres - E-6 (fielding error allowed batter reach base safely)
2. 3B Jesse Hodges - E-5 (throwing error allowed batter to reach base safely)

SOUTH BEND CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Cael Brockmeyer: 0-1 CS

FIELD #7

MYRTLE BEACH LINEUP:
1. Jake Hannemann, CF-DH: 1-3 (1B, F-9, BB, F-9, R)
2. Mark Zagunis, LF-CF: 2-3 (BB, F-8, 1B, 1B,  R)  
3. Billy McKinney, RF: 3-4 (1B, HR, 6-3, 1B, 2 R, RBI)
4. Jacob Rogers, 1B-DH: 2-4 (HR, 3B, F-7, K, R, 4 RBI)
5. Jeimer Candelario, 3B: 1-4 (F-7, F-7, K, 1B)
6. Victor Caratini, DH-1B: 2-4 (2B, 4-3, P-3, 1B, R)
7. Danny Lockhart, SS: 0-4 (6-3, 4-3, 4-6-3 DP, 3-U) 
8a. Andrew Ely, 2B: 1-2 (1B, F-7, R, RBI)
8b. Miguel Rico, LF: 0-2 (F-9, L-7)
9a. Carlos Penalver, DH #2: 1-1 (3B, RBI)
9b. Wes Darvill, PH-2B: 1-2 (1B, K)
9c. SLOT WAS SKIPPED 4th TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
10. Ben Carhart, C: 0-4 (K, F-7, 5-3, K) 

MYRTLE BEACH PITCHERS: 
1. Paul Blackburn: 5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K, 3/10 GO/FO, 89 pitches (55 strikes) 
2. Josh Conway: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 0/3 GO/FO, 23 pitches (16 strikes) 
3. Juan Carlos Paniagua: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 0/3 GO/FO, 18 pitches (8 strikes) 
4. James Pugliese: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 1/2 GO/FO, 15 pitches (9 strikes) 
5. Matt Brazis: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 16 pitches (12 strikes) 

MYRTLE BEACH ERRORS: NONE 

ATTENDANCE: 35 

WEATHER: Sunny & breezy with temperatures in the 90's