Chicago Cubs Minor League Report: Hartshorn's Three-Hit, Three-RBI, Night Powers South Bend to Another Win

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Chicago Cubs Minor League Report - June 3

Affiliate Overview

Triple-A Iowa Cubs
Series vs. Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers): Mud Hens lead, 1-0
Season Record: 24–33

Double-A Knoxville Smokies
Series at Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox): Barons lead, 1-0
Season Record: 26–25

High-A South Bend Cubs
Series at Quad Cities River Bandits (Kansas City Royals): Cubs lead, 1-0
Season Record: 31–17

Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Series at Charleston RiverDogs (Tampa Bay Rays): RiverDogs lead, 1-0
Season Record: 21–29

Affiliate Highlights

Triple-A: Iowa Cubs

Season Record: 24–33
Series Opponent: Toledo Mud Hens (27–31)
Series Standing: Trail, 1-0

June 2: The Iowa Cubs were thumped in their series opener vs. the Toledo Mud Hens, dropping June’s curtain raiser 16-1. Two runs by the Mud Hens in the first put the visitors ahead for good and they would make it a 13-0 game with three in the third and eight in the fifth. The Cubs scored their only run of the ballgame in the seventh when BJ Murray (0-for-3) drew a walk with the bases loaded. Toledo would then plate one in the eighth and two more in the ninth to cruise to the victory. Ty Blach got the start for the I-Cubs and fell to 2-4 on the season. Blach allowed 10 runs, nine earned, on 10 hits over four innings of work, giving up three home runs. Ryan Jensen turned in 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, allowing one hit and whiffing two. The Iowa offense was limited to six hits in the contest, with James Triantos going 3-for-4 with a double and Scott Kingery going 2-for-2.

Double-A: Knoxville

Smokies Season Record: 26–25
Series Opponent: Birmingham Barons (20–31)
Series Standing: Trail, 1-0

June 2: The Knoxville Smokies’ late rally fell just short as they dropped their series opener to the Birmingham Barons, 7-6. The Barons jumped out to a 6-0 with two runs in the second and four in the third before the Smokies got on the board in the home half of the inning on Jefferson Rojas’ (1-for-4) RBI-single. Birmingham added a run in the fourth to make it 7-1 but three runs from Knoxville in the bottom of the fifth got them back into the game. Andy Garriola (1-for-5) drove in a pair with a single and Carter Trice (1-for-5) added another run with a single of his own. Alex Ramírez’ (2-for-4) collected a sacrifice fly in the sixth to make it 7-5. The Smokies were able to get back into the ballgame thanks to a pair of scoreless relief outings from Tyler Santana (3 IP) and Marino Santy (2 IP). The duo combined to allow six hits while striking out seven, with one walk issued. Rojas would score on a wild pitch in the ninth and Knoxville would get the tying run to second with two outs but were unable to come up with a big hit, ultimately falling 7-6.

High-A: South Bend Cubs

Season Record: 31–17
Series Opponent: Quad Cities River Bandits (22–27)
Series Standing: Lead, 1-0

June 2: The South Bend Cubs won for the 11th time in their last 13 games with an 8-4 victory over the Quad Cities River Bandits on Tuesday. The teams traded runs in the first, with Josiah Hartshorn’s (3-for-5) third homer of the season giving the Cubs a brief lead. The River Bandits went ahead with three runs in the third but South Bend responded with four in the fourth to take the lead for good. Miguel Useche (1-for-4) tallied an RBI-double and Justin Stranksy (0-for-3) picked up an RBI on a groundout. Drew Bowser’s (2-for-4) two-run double would turn out to be the decisive hit in the ballgame, putting the Cubs ahead 5-4. Jackson Brockett, who would go on to pick up the win in relief and improve to 3-1 on the season, fired four scoreless frames, allowing just two hits and striking out two, allowing South Bend to keep and maintain their lead. The Cubs added some insurance in the ninth, with Christian Olivo (2-for-4) bringing in a run with a single and Hartshorn driving in two more with his third hit of the night. Kenyi Perez earned his second save of the season with a two-inning scoreless effort, allowing no hits and striking out six while issuing just one walk. Hartshorn recorded his second three-hit game of his brief High-A career and has now hit safely in six of his first seven games with South Bend. The Cubs’ No. 8 prospect (MLB.com) is slashing .400/.469/.800 in those seven games with three home runs and 13 RBI.

Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Season Record: 21–29
Series Opponent: Charleston RiverDogs (27–25)
Series Standing: Trail, 1-0

June 2: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were walked off in extra innings by the Charleston RiverDogs, 4-3, in the series opener between the two teams on Tuesday night at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Ballpark. The RiverDogs opened the scoring in the ballgame with a run in their first trip to the plate and doubled their advantage with a run in the third, but two runs from the Pelicans in the fourth, thanks to RBI-singles from Yahil Melendez (1-for-3) and Jairo Diaz (1-for-4), tied the game at 2-2. Strong pitching efforts from Edwardo Melendez (3.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R/ER, 3 BB, 2 SO) and Daniel Avitia (3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R/ER, 4 BB, 2 SO) would help send the contest to extras. The Pelicans went ahead in the 10th on Edward Vargas’ (1-for-4) RBI-single but Charleston would score twice in the home-half of the inning to earn the 4-3 walk-off win.

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