Cubs MiLB Midweek Report: Smokies Split, Pelicans Bounce Back, South Bend Falters in Peoria

[Travis Klosinski]

Image courtesy of © Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Farm System at a Glance

• Iowa: 1–1 at Las Vegas, 59–63 overall, 9.5 GB IL West

• Tennessee: 1–1 at Birmingham, 55–58 overall, 7.0 GB SL North

• South Bend: 0–2 at Peoria, 30–25 second half (61–60 overall), T-1st MWL West

• Myrtle Beach: 1–1 at Fayetteville, 64–55 overall, 1st CL South (39–16 second half, magic #3)

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Triple-A Iowa Cubs

August 26 – Las Vegas 10, Iowa 0
The I-Cubs were blanked in the series opener, shut down after four innings by a six-run rally from the Aviators. Antonio Santos worked into the fourth before Las Vegas capitalized with a pair of hit batters, a walk, and a bases-clearing home run from Max Schuemann. Iowa was held to just four hits, all singles, and struck out 11 times.

August 27 – Iowa 11, Las Vegas 9
The bats answered back a night later with a back-and-forth slugfest. Carlos Pérez launched two home runs, including a decisive solo shot in the ninth, and Parker Chavers added a two-run double as part of Iowa’s eight-run outburst through the third inning. Forrest Wall doubled home a run, and James Triantos delivered a two-run single in the rally.

Las Vegas chipped away with three runs in the third and tied the game at 8–8 by the end of the inning, but Iowa’s bullpen steadied late. Ethan Roberts and Riley Martin closed the door after Pérez’s go-ahead blast.

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Double-A Knoxville Smokies

August 26 – Knoxville 6, Birmingham 2
The Smokies took the opener behind a balanced lineup. Pablo Aliendo’s three-run homer in the second set the tone, while Andy Garriola followed with a two-run shot in the fourth. Jefferson Rojas and Pedro Ramirez each singled to extend innings and add pressure, while starter Tommy Romero allowed just two runs across four innings. Evan Taylor and Chase Watkins combined for three scoreless frames in relief.

August 27 – Birmingham 6, Knoxville 2
A night later, the tables turned. Pedro Ramirez homered to tie the game in the sixth, and Andy Garriola’s sacrifice fly briefly put Tennessee ahead in the seventh. But Birmingham stormed back with a five-run eighth, capped by Wilfred Veras’s bases-clearing triple. The Smokies managed eight hits but went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

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High-A South Bend Cubs

August 26 – Peoria 12, South Bend 1
South Bend’s road trip opened with a rough defeat. Recently promoted right-hander Dawson Netz made his High-A debut, striking out six in five innings, but the Chiefs piled on late with a nine-run eighth inning. Alexis Hernandez provided the lone highlight with his first Midwest League homer, a solo shot in the seventh.

August 27 – Peoria 10, South Bend 2
The struggles continued a night later as the Cubs allowed double-digit runs for the second straight game. Kevin Valdez labored through three innings before Jack Neely yielded a solo homer in relief. Brian Kalmer belted his eighth home run in the seventh, extending Edgar Alvarez’s hitting streak to 10 games, but Peoria’s offense was relentless.

Despite the two losses, South Bend remained tied for first in the West Division thanks to consecutive Beloit defeats. Quad Cities crept closer, trimming the gap to 1.5 games.

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Low-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans

August 26 – Fayetteville 1, Myrtle Beach 0
The Pelicans dropped a narrow opener, undone by a solo homer from Arturo Flores in the fifth. Ty Southisene collected two of the team’s four hits and swiped two bases, while Alfredo Romero held Fayetteville to just three hits over five innings. The Pelicans stranded six runners and went hitless with runners in scoring position.

August 27 – Myrtle Beach 5, Fayetteville 3
Myrtle Beach evened the series the following night with timely hitting. Eli Lovich grounded out to score the first run, and Christian Olivo and Southisene followed with RBI knocks in the second. Halbach and Kepley each homered to stretch the lead, while Thomas Mangus tossed three scoreless innings for the win.

Fayetteville clawed back with two runs in the seventh, but Mathew Peters secured the save. Jose Escobar collected two hits, and the Pelicans trimmed their magic number to clinch the Carolina League South second-half title.

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South Bend has dropped the first two in Peoria but remains tied for first thanks to Beloit’s struggles. With Quad Cities closing the gap, which club do you see finishing strongest down the stretch in the Midwest League West?

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