Chicago Cubs Minor League Report: Alcántara, Caissie Continue Power Surge in Iowa

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Image courtesy of © Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cubs Affiliate Overview (July 3–4)

• Triple-A Iowa Cubs
Series vs. Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals): Cubs lead 3-1
Season Record: 44–40

• Double-A Tennessee Smokies
Series vs. Rocket City Trash Pandas (Los Angeles Angels): Tied 2-2
Season Record: 37-41

• High-A South Bend Cubs
Series vs. Peoria Chiefs (St. Louis Cardinals): Chiefs lead 4-0
Season Record: 28–51

• Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Series vs. Charleston RiverDogs (Tampa Bay Rays): Pelicans lead 4-0
Season Record: 36–41

Triple-A: Iowa Cubs
Season Record: 44–40
Series Opponent: Omaha Storm Chasers (34–50)
Series Standing: Lead 3-1

July 3: The Iowa Cubs put up double-digit runs for the second straight contest, defeating the Omaha Storm Chasers 12-3, earning a win in the home series of their six-game split series. Owen Caissie broke out of a 1-for-20 stretch by going 2-for-4 with three runs scored, two home runs, four RBIs and a walk. Carlos Pérez (1-for-4) slugged his 19th home run of the season and Jonathan Long (2-for-5) and Kevin Alcántara (3-for-5) each blasted their 11th home run of the campaign. Connor Noland started and picked up the win, allowing two runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings of work, striking out eight.

July 4: The I-Cubs pushed their winning streak to three games, and secured at least a series split, with a 7-2 victory over the Storm Chasers. Owen Caissie (3-for-4) and Jonathan Long (2-for-4) put together multi-hit efforts at the dish, with Long driving in four runs in the contest. Chris Kachmar picked up his first-career Triple-A win in his Iowa season debut, allowing just one run on four hits over five innings of work, striking out nine. Ethan Roberts tossed two perfect innings in relief, striking out four, including whiffing the side in order in the eighth.

Double-A: Knoxville Smokies
Season Record: 37–41
Series Opponent: Rocket City Trash Pandas (26–52)
Series Standing: Tied 2-2

July 3: The Knoxville Smokies let an 8-6 lead slip late, and the Rocket City Trash Pandas scored four times in the eighth to hand the Smokies a 10-8 loss. Knoxville tallied 10 hits in the contest, all singles, with Corey Joyce (2-for-3), BJ Murray Jr. (2-for-4) and Jordan Nwogu (2-for-3) all tallying multi-hit efforts.

July 4: The Smokies opened the home half of their split series against the Trash Pandas with an 8-3 victory. Casey Opitz (2-for-4) and Jaylen Palmer (2-for-3) posted multi-hit performances with BJ Murray Jr. (1-for-2) and Jordan Nwogu (1-for-4) each driving in three runs. It was the second-straight three-RBI game for Nwogu, who has now collected at least one RBI in four straight games, a season-long streak. Murray Jr. is now up to 51 RBIs in 75 games this season. Tyler Schlaffer earned the win with his fourth-straight quality start, allowing just two runs, one earned, on five hits over six innings of work, to go along with four strikeouts. Tyler Santana earned a three-inning save, allowing one run on three hits to go along with five strikeouts.

High-A: South Bend Cubs
Season Record: 28–51
Series Opponent: Peoria Chiefs (34–44)
Series Standing: Trail 4–0

July 3: The South Bend Cubs were walked off by the Peoria Chiefs, 3-2, in 10 innings on Thursday. Cristian Hernandez (1-for-3) and Brian Kalmer (1-for-4) each had an RBI, with Hernandez tallying a double. Brandon Birdsell, making his first rehab appearance at South Bend, worked four innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits, striking out five. Evan Aschenbeck turned in four scoreless innings in relief, allowing five hits and whiffing four.

July 4: The Cubs dropped their fifth straight contest, falling to the Chiefs 9-4 on Friday, to open the home half of their split series. Jefferson Rojas (2-for-4) hit a two-run homer in the fifth and also drew one walk.

Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Season Record: 36–41
Series Opponent: Charleston RiverDogs (41–38)
Series Standing: Lead 4-0

July 3: Myrtle Beach earned a sweep of the road series in its split series at Charleston with a 3-1 victory to push its winning streak to four games. Owen Ayers’ (1-for-3) two-run blast in the first proved to be the decisive swing in the game. Eli Lovich (1-for-4) added an RBI-single in the fourth. Yenrri Rojas improved to 2-2 on the season by tossing five innings of one-run ball, striking out three. Landon Ginn and Cole Reynolds each turned in two shutout innings in relief, combining for four strikeouts.

July 4: The Pelicans extended their winning streak to five games with an 8-6 win over the RiverDogs to clinch at least a series win of this split series. Jose Escobar (3-for-4) and Matt Halbach (1-for-3) each homered in the third inning to put Myrtle Beach up 5-0 in the ballgame. After Charleston rallied to take a 6-5 lead by scoring five in the fifth, Myrtle Beach took the lead right back with two runs in the home half of the frame through a two-run single from Owen Ayers (1-for-4). Jostin Florentino took a no-decision in the start, allowing just one run on seven hits over five innings of work, striking out six. Brayden Spears earned his first win of the season by working the final 2 2/3 of the contests, allowing no runs on one hit, striking out two.

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