Cubs MiLB Midweek Report: Trice Powers South Bend, Ballesteros and Smokies Stay Hot

[Travis Klosinski]

Image courtesy of © Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cubs' farm system wrapped a strong showing across affiliates this week, with South Bend halting a long losing streak, the Smokies' offense continuing to click, and a few Iowa bats finally breaking through. Cristian Hernandez continued his surge, Carter Trice stayed scorching, and Tennessee used another late push to notch a comeback win.

Farm System at a Glance:

Iowa Cubs (AAA): 1–3 vs. Buffalo 

Knoxville Smokies (AA): 2–1 vs. Rocket City 

South Bend Cubs (High-A): 1–1 vs. Cedar 

Rapids Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Low-A): 0–2 vs. Carolina

Triple-A: Iowa Cubs (7–9) Opponent: Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays affiliate) Series Record: 1–3

April 29: Win, 9–1
The I-Cubs erupted for eight runs in the fifth inning and cruised to a much-needed win over Buffalo. Matt Shaw tallied three hits and scored twice, while Moisés Ballesteros homered and drove in three. Owen Caissie stayed hot with a triple and a double, and Jonathon Long added a two-run shot in the fifth to cap the rally. Iowa had five extra-base hits in the frame.

April 30: Loss, 10–8
Despite a furious comeback, Iowa fell short in a high-scoring matinee. Ballesteros homered in back-to-back innings, and Caissie and Long combined for three extra-base hits and four RBI, but the bullpen couldn’t contain Buffalo’s early outburst. Peter Solomon was tagged for five runs in 1 and 1/3 innings, and the I-Cubs never quite dug out.

Top Performers:

• Moisés Ballesteros (C): 3-for-5, 2 HR (4), 3 RBI, 2 R on Apr 30

• Owen Caissie (RF): 3 XBH, 3 RBI over two games

• Matt Shaw (3B): 4-for-7, 2B, 3 R

Double-A: Knoxville Smokies (11–8) Opponent: Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels affiliate) Series Record: 2–1

April 29: Win, 9–6
Jaylen Palmer and Hayden Cantrelle led a late-inning outburst as the Smokies pulled away in the eighth. BJ Murray Jr. launched his sixth homer of the season, and Cantrelle doubled twice and stole a base. Pablo Aliendo added an RBI double, and Knoxville plated four runs in the bottom of the eighth to break a tie.

April 30: Win, 5–3
Tennessee rallied late again, this time scoring four in the seventh to erase a 2–1 deficit. Aliendo tied it with a single, Cantrelle followed with another RBI knock, and a wild pitch and balk tacked on two more. Palmer reached twice and scored. Zac Leigh and A.J. Puckett combined to finish the final two innings.

Top Performers:

• Hayden Cantrelle (SS): 4-for-6, 2B (3), 3 RBI, 2 BB, SB

• Pablo Aliendo (C): 3-for-7, 2 RBI, R

• Jaylen Palmer (RF): 2-for-5, 2 BB, SB, 2 R

High-A: South Bend Cubs (7–17) Opponent: Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins affiliate) Series Record: 1–1

April 29: Loss, 10–4
The Cubs clawed back from a 4–0 hole with a four-run fourth, highlighted by Jefferson Rojas’s first homer of the season and Reggie Preciado’s two-run single. Preciado had three hits to extend his on-base streak to eight games. But the bullpen faltered late, allowing six runs between the fifth and seventh.

April 30: Win, 4–3
Carter Trice lifted South Bend with a solo homer in the eighth, his third of the season. Rojas and Garriola also drove in early runs as the Cubs took an early 2–0 lead. Evan Aschenbeck made his first Midwest League start and worked four scoreless innings before the game tightened late. Johzan Oquendo earned the win in relief.

Top Performers:

• Carter Trice (1B): HR (3), 2 BB, 2 R over two games

• Reggie Preciado (LF): 4-for-8, 2 RBI, SB

• Jefferson Rojas (2B): 2-for-6, HR (1), 3 RBI

Low-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans (8–16) Opponent: Carolina MudCats (Brewers affiliate) Series Record: 0–2

April 29: Loss, 8–6
The Pelicans jumped out to a 2–0 lead behind Angel Cepeda’s second homer of the year but couldn’t hold it. Hayden Frank allowed six earned over four innings, and Myrtle Beach trailed 7–2 entering the sixth. A three-run rally sparked by hits from Ayers, Lumpuy, and Olivo pulled them close, but they stranded two in the ninth.

April 30: Loss, 7–6 (11 innings)
Myrtle Beach took a 6–3 lead in the top of the 11th after Christian Olivo’s two-run double, but a meltdown in the bottom half cost them the game. Brayden Spears couldn’t record an out and allowed four runs (two earned). Will Frisch posted his best start of the season with 4 and 2/3 innings of one-run ball. Cepeda added his third homer.

Top Performers:

• Christian Olivo (CF): 3-for-9, 2B, 3 RBI, BB

• Angel Cepeda (SS): 3-for-9, 2B, HR (3), 3 R

• Will Frisch (SP): 4.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K

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