Chicago Cubs Minor League Report: Ayers Posts Three-Hit Night in Triple-A Debut

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Chicago Cubs Minor League Report

Affiliate Overview

Triple-A Iowa Cubs
Series at Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals): Redbirds lead, 1-0
Season Record: 39–52-1

Double-A Knoxville Smokies
Series at Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays): Biscuits lead, 1-0
Season Record: 49–39

High-A South Bend Cubs
Series vs. Peoria Chiefs (St. Louis Cardinals): Chiefs lead, 1-0
Season Record: 49–35

Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Series at Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (Chicago White Sox): Tied, 3-3
Season Record: 36–50

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Triple-A: Iowa Cubs

Season Record: 39–52-1
Series Opponent: Memphis Redbirds (55-39)
Series Standing: Lead, 1-0

July 17: The Iowa Cubs were walked off by the Memphis Redbirds, 10-9, on Friday Night at AutoZone Park. Jonathan Long’s (1-for-4) two-run single in the first opened the scoring in the ballgame but the Redbirds would eventually hit back with five runs in the third to go in front. A pair of two-run singles from Brett Bateman (2-for-6) and Owen Miller (2-for-5) in the fourth would put Iowa up 6-5. The I-Cubs made it 8-5 in the fifth when BJ Murray (1-for-4) drew a walk with the bases loaded and Hayden Cantrelle (0-for-2) scored on a wild pitch. Memphis cut the lead to one with two runs in the bottom of the sixth but Bateman made it 9-7 with an RBI-single in the seventh. The Redbirds would score one run each in both the seventh and eighth innings and would eventually score the winning run in the ninth to walk-off the I-Cubs, 10-9. Jaxon Wiggins got the start in the mound for the Cubs and took no decision. Wiggins allowed five runs on two hits over 21/3 innings of work, issuing five walks to go along with three strikeouts. Owen Ayer’s, the Cubs’ No. 8 prospect (North Side Baseball), went 3-for-4 in his Triple-A debut, while also drawing a walk.

Double-A: Knoxville Smokies

Season Record: 49–39
Series Opponent: Montgomery Biscuits (42–45)
Series Standing: Trail, 1-0

July 17: The Knoxville Smokies opened their series at the Montgomery Biscuits with a 5-1 defeat on Friday night at DABOS Park. Andy Garriola’s (1-for-2) in the fourth opened the scoring in the ballgame but the Biscuits would even the contest in the bottom of the inning and would later take the lead with a run in the fifth. Montgomery then put the game away with three runs in the eighth to go up 5-1. Knoxville was held to just three hits on the night, with just one going for extra bases. The Smokies offense would also go 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, leaving three runners on base. Luis Martinez-Gomez got the start on the mound for Knoxville and took no decision. Martinez-Gomez allowed one run on two hits over four innings of work, walking two and striking out two.

High-A: South Bend Cubs

Season Record: 49–35
Series Opponent: Peoria Chiefs (41–46)
Series Standing: Trail, 1-0

July 17: The South Bend Cubs fell in their series opener vs. the Peoria Chiefs, 9-3, on Friday night at Four Winds Field. The Chiefs took a 2-0 lead after scoring a run in each the first and second innings but the Cubs went in front after a three-spot in the third. Kane Kepley (0-for-2) got South Bend on the board with a sacrifice fly and Josh Hartshorn’s (2-for-3) RBI-single knotted the game. Jose Escobar (1-for-4) put the Cubs in front with a single but the lead was short lived as Peoria rallied for six in the fourth, taking an 8-3 lead. The Chiefs would eventually tack on a run in the eighth and cruise to the 9-3 win. Ethan Flanagan got the start on the mound for South Bend and did not factor into the decision. Flanagan allowed two runs on two hits over 3 1/3 innings of work, whiffing five batters.

Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Season Record: 36–50
Series Opponent: Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (45–43)
Series Standing: Trail, 1-0

July 17: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans dropped Friday night’s series opener to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, 9-1, at Atrium Health Ballpark. The Cannon Ballers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second and later made it 6-0 with a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth. Kannapolis added three more in the eighth before Eli Lovich (1-for-4) got the Pelicans finally on the board with an RBI-single in the ninth to make it 9-1. Emilio Ramos got the start on the mound for Myrtle Beach and took the loss, falling to 1-3 on the year. Ramos allowed three runs on four hits over two innings of work, walking three and striking out one.

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