Chicago Cubs Minor League Recap: South Bend Slam Sets Another Record, Knoxville Powers Past Chattanooga

[Travis Klosinski]

Chicago Cubs Transactions

• None

Iowa Falls To Indianapolis After Late Collapse

The Iowa Cubs lost 14-5 to the Indianapolis Indians, undone by a string of big innings allowed by the bullpen.

Iowa had taken a 5-2 lead, building it on RBI from Scott Kingery, Brett Bateman, BJ Murray, and a pair of run-scoring singles from Chas McCormick, who finished 2-for-5 with two RBI. Ben Cowles added two hits, and Owen Miller scored twice with two stolen bases.

The game turned in the fifth inning, when Indianapolis scored five runs to take the lead for good, then added three in the sixth and four in the eighth.

Christian Roa was charged with four runs, three walks, and a home run while recording two outs. Zac Leigh took the loss after allowing five runs, four walks, and a home run while retiring one batter.

The lone bright spot on the mound was Connor Noland, who allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits over four innings, walking one and striking out six.

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K
Brett Bateman	3	0	1	1	1	0
Justin Dean	3	1	0	0	1	2
BJ Murray	4	0	0	1	1	1
Owen Miller	4	2	1	0	0	1
Chas McCormick	5	0	2	2	0	2
Ben Cowles	5	1	2	0	0	2
James Triantos	4	1	1	0	0	0
Eric Yang	1	0	0	0	3	1
Scott Kingery	3	0	1	1	0	2

Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR
Ryan Jensen	1/3	0	0	0	2	0	0
Christian Roa	2/3	1	4	4	3	1	1
Collin Snider	1 2/3	5	3	3	0	1	0
Zac Leigh	1/3	1	5	5	4	0	1
Gavin Hollowell	1	0	0	0	0	2	0
Connor Noland	4	3	2	1	1	6	0

Knoxville Powers Past Chattanooga With Four Homers

The Knoxville Smokies hit four home runs to beat the Chattanooga Lookouts 7-5. Owen Ayers, batting second, finished 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI, and Jefferson Rojas, Ethan Hearn, and Edgar Alvarez each added a homer.

Alex Madera went 2-for-2 with a double, an RBI, and a run, and Hayden Cantrelle reached base twice with two hits. Knoxville scored three times in the third inning, the most decisive frame of the game. Ethan Hearn led off the second with a solo home run, then in the third Alex Madera doubled home Hayden Cantrelle before Owen Ayers homered to bring in Madera, putting Knoxville ahead 4-1.

Edgar Alvarez added a two-run homer in the sixth, and Jefferson Rojas homered in the seventh to provide the final margin. Starter Dawson Netz allowed one run on two hits over 3 1/3 innings, walking one and striking out two, to earn the win.

Evan Taylor surrendered three runs in one inning of relief, and Jake Knapp settled things down with 2 2/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits with two strikeouts.

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K
Alex Ramírez	4	0	0	0	0	1
Owen Ayers	4	1	1	2	0	0
Jefferson Rojas	4	1	1	1	0	1
Andy Garriola	4	0	2	0	0	1
Ethan Hearn	4	1	1	1	0	1
Carter Trice	2	1	0	0	1	1
Edgar Alvarez	3	1	1	2	0	0
Hayden Cantrelle	3	1	2	0	0	0
Alex Madera	3	1	2	1	0	0

Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR
Dawson Netz	3 1/3	2	1	1	1	2	1
Evan Taylor	1	4	3	3	2	1	0
Jake Knapp	2 2/3	3	1	1	1	2	0

South Bend Shuts Out Fort Wayne Behind Bowser's Grand Slam

The South Bend Cubs blanked the Fort Wayne TinCaps 7-0 on the strength of a combined three-pitcher shutout and a four-run sixth inning.

Drew Bowser drove in all four runs with a grand slam to left field, scoring Josiah Hartshorn, Matt Halbach, and Justin Stransky to break the game open.

It was South Bend’s second grand slam of May, a new single-month record for the affiliate.

South Bend had built its lead earlier with two runs in the second, when Jose Escobar and Justin Stransky hit back-to-back doubles, the first scoring Matt Halbach and the second scoring Escobar. Halbach added an RBI single in the third to bring home Ty Southisene.

Bowser finished 1-for-4 with the grand slam and four RBI, and Escobar, Stransky, Halbach, and Southisene each collected a hit. Starter Eli Jerzembeck worked two scoreless innings, walking two and striking out two, to earn the win.

Mason McGwire was dominant in relief, striking out six over three hitless and scoreless innings while earning a save. Koen Moreno closed it out with four scoreless innings, allowing two hits and four walks with four strikeouts.

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K
Kane Kepley	5	0	0	0	0	1
Ty Southisene	4	1	1	0	0	1
Josiah Hartshorn	3	1	1	0	1	1
Matt Halbach	1	2	1	1	2	0
Miguel Useche	3	0	0	0	1	3
Jose Escobar	4	1	1	1	0	0
Justin Stransky	3	1	1	1	1	1
Drew Bowser	4	1	1	4	0	2
Christian Olivo	4	0	0	0	0	1

Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR
Eli Jerzembeck	2	0	0	0	2	2	0
Mason McGwire	3	1	0	0	0	6	0
Koen Moreno	4	2	0	0	4	4	0

Lubo And Melendez Homer As Myrtle Beach Holds Off Wilson

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans beat the Wilson Warbirds 7-5, pulling away with a three-run eighth inning. Geuri Lubo led the offense, going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, and three RBI, and his three-run homer in the eighth, which scored Eli Lovich and Jairo Diaz, provided the winning margin.

Yahil Melendez went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in the fifth, and Alexey Lumpuy reached base twice with two hits, a run, and two stolen bases out of the leadoff spot.

Myrtle Beach also scratched out runs early, taking a sacrifice fly from Henniel Alcala in the second that scored Derniche Valdez and a run in the third when Lovich scored on a wild pitch. Noah Edders gave up four runs on five hits over 3 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out three. Braylon Myers picked up the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings, and Riely Hunsaker worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K
Alexey Lumpuy	4	1	2	0	0	1
Alexis Hernandez	4	0	1	0	0	2
Eli Lovich	3	2	0	0	1	2
Yahil Melendez	4	1	1	2	0	1
Derniche Valdez	4	1	0	0	0	0
Jairo Diaz	2	1	0	0	1	0
Geuri Lubo	4	1	2	3	0	0
Henniel Alcala	3	0	0	1	0	2
Edward Vargas	3	0	0	0	0	1

Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR
Noah Edders	3 1/3	5	4	4	2	3	0
Braylon Myers	1 1/3	1	0	0	0	1	0
Riely Hunsaker	4 1/3	3	1	1	3	2	0

Cubs Transactions

• No Roster Moves

Top-20 Prospect Performance

1. Jefferson Rojas: 1-for-4, HR, RBI, K
2. Jaxon Wiggins: DNP
3. Pedro Ramirez: DNP
4. Kevin Alcantara: DNP
5. Josiah Hartshorn: 1-for-3, BB, R, K
6. Ethan Conrad: DNP
7. Kane Kepley: 0-for-5, K
8. Jonathon Long: DNP
9. James Triantos: 1-for-4, R, SB
10. Cole Mathis: DNP
11. Owen Ayers: 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, R
12. Brooks Caple: DNP
13. Juan Cabada: DNP
14. Kaleb Wing: DNP
15. Angel Cepeda: DNP
16. Dominick Reid: DNP
17. Jostin Florentino: DNP
18. Ty Southisene: 1-for-4, R, K
19. Will Sanders: DNP
20. Brandon Birdsell: DNP

View full article