Chicago Cubs Minor League Recap: Netz, Schlaffer Combine On Two-Hit Shutout

[Travis Klosinski]

Chicago Cubs Transactions

• Chicago Cubs recalled RHP Javier Assad from Iowa Cubs.
• Chicago Cubs optioned RHP Tyler Ferguson to Iowa Cubs.

Iowa Cubs Fall In Columbus After Seven-Run Sixth

Iowa lost 10-5 at Columbus, undone by one long inning after playing even for five.

Chas McCormick had the best day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a home run, an RBI, and a hit by pitch. Justin Dean added two hits, a walk, and two runs scored, Owen Miller went 2-for-5 with an RBI, and Jordan Nwogu doubled and drove in a run off the bench. Iowa collected 10 hits and five walks, but stranded 10 runners.

Andrew Wantz worked four innings, allowing three hits and one run, walking one, and striking out four. Gavin Hollowell followed with an inning, giving up two hits, two walks, and a run. Shelby Miller took the loss after recording two outs in the sixth, charged with four runs on two hits and two walks. Miller struck out the first and third batters he faced, then allowed a single, a walk, an RBI single, and a run-scoring walk that came with a wild pitch.

Tyler Santana entered with two on and issued a walk that forced in a run, then served up a grand slam that pushed the deficit to 9-2. Santana finished 1 1/3 innings, allowing three hits, four runs, two walks, and two home runs. Doug Nikhazy closed with an inning, allowing one hit and striking out one.

Iowa answered in the ninth. Dean singled and Ben Cowles walked, Miller forced Cowles at second, and Owen Ayers lifted a sacrifice fly to score Dean. Nwogu doubled home Miller, and Kevin Alcantara singled in Nwogu to close the gap to 10-5.

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K
Ben Cowles	4	0	0	0	1	2
Owen Miller	5	1	2	1	0	0
Owen Ayers	4	0	0	1	0	1
Chas McCormick	3	1	3	1	0	0
Jordan Nwogu	1	1	1	1	0	0
Kevin Alcantara	4	0	1	1	1	1
Greg Jones	4	0	1	0	1	2
Jackson Cluff	3	0	0	0	1	1
Austin Wynns	3	0	0	0	0	0
Justin Dean	3	2	2	0	1	0
Totals	34	5	10	5	5	7

Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR
Andrew Wantz	4	3	1	1	1	4	1
Gavin Hollowell	1	2	1	1	2	0	0
Shelby Miller	2/3	2	4	4	2	2	0
Tyler Santana	1 1/3	3	4	4	2	0	2
Doug Nikhazy	1	1	0	0	0	1	0

Knoxville Smokies Blank Chattanooga Behind Sixteen Strikeouts

Knoxville won 4-0, holding Chattanooga to three hits and no runs.

Dawson Netz was the story. He gave Knoxville five innings, allowing two hits and no runs, walking two, and striking out nine.

 

Tyler Schlaffer matched him over the last four innings, allowing one hit and no runs, walking two, and striking out seven. The two combined for 16 strikeouts.

Leadoff man Alex Ramirez went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Miguel Useche added two hits, Kane Kepley singled, and Edgar Alvarez drew three walks. Knoxville totaled nine hits, two doubles, and four walks, and left eight runners on base.

The Smokies broke through in the fourth. Alvarez walked, Carter Trice popped out, and Alex Madera singled Alvarez to second. After a fly out, Ramirez doubled to right field to score both runners for a 2-0 lead.

Knoxville added two more in the eighth. Ariel Armas walked and stole second, Alvarez struck out, and Trice doubled to center field to bring Armas home. Trice then stole third and scored on a throwing error during the next at bat, which ended in a strikeout and closed the inning at 4-0.

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K
Alex Ramirez	4	0	3	2	0	0
Andy Garriola	4	0	0	0	0	2
Kane Kepley	3	0	1	0	0	0
Miguel Useche	4	0	2	0	0	1
Ariel Armas	3	1	1	0	1	0
Edgar Alvarez	1	1	0	0	3	1
Carter Trice	4	1	1	1	0	1
Alex Madera	4	1	1	0	0	1
Drew Bowser	4	0	0	0	0	2
Totals	31	4	9	3	4	8

Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR
Dawson Netz	5	2	0	0	2	9	0
Tyler Schlaffer	4	1	0	0	2	7	0

South Bend Cubs Break Through With Three-Run Seventh

South Bend beat Cedar Rapids 7-4, pulling away late after the lead had been trimmed to one.

Alexey Lumpuy went 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored. Angel Cepeda had two hits, a walk, and an RBI, Michael Gupton went 2-for-4 with a triple and scored a run, and Jose Escobar doubled and drove in two. South Bend finished with 11 hits and four walks, and left six runners on base.

 

Dominick Reid started and gave the club four innings, allowing two hits and no runs without a walk while striking out four.

Yoendris Gonzalez followed with an inning, allowing three hits and two runs. Pierce Coppola picked up the win over 3 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits, two runs, and a home run, and striking out two without a walk. JP Wheat recorded the final out for the save, striking out the only batter he faced.

South Bend built the early lead in the third. Justin Stransky singled, Gupton popped out, Josiah Hartshorn walked, and Kade Snell singled to score Stransky. Cepeda then singled to left field to bring in Hartshorn for a 3-0 lead.

The decisive inning came in the seventh with the lead down to 4-2. Gupton singled, Hartshorn struck out, and Snell and Cepeda walked to load the bases. Lumpuy walked to force in Gupton, Matt Halbach singled to center field to score Snell, and Escobar hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Cepeda and make it 7-2.

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K
Josiah Hartshorn	4	1	0	0	1	1
Kade Snell	3	1	1	1	1	1
Angel Cepeda	3	1	2	1	1	0
Alexey Lumpuy	3	2	2	1	1	0
Matt Halbach	4	0	1	1	0	3
Jose Escobar	3	0	1	2	0	1
Logan Poteet	4	0	1	1	0	1
Justin Stransky	4	1	1	0	0	0
Michael Gupton	4	1	2	0	0	1
Totals	32	7	11	7	4	8

Player	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR
Dominick Reid	4	2	0	0	0	4	0
Yoendris Gonzalez	1	3	2	2	0	1	0
Pierce Coppola	3 2/3	7	2	2	0	2	1
JP Wheat	1/3	0	0	0	0	1	0

Notable Defense

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Game Cancelled

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans did not play. The game was cancelled.

Top-20 Prospect Performance 

1. Josiah Hartshorn: 0-for-4, BB, K
2. Cade Townsend: DNP
3. Jaxon Wiggins: DNP
4. Owen Ayers: 0-for-4, RBI, K
5. Kane Kepley: 1-for-3
6. Ethan Conrad: DNP
7. Caden Sorrell: DNP
8. Kaleb Wing: DNP
9. Myles Bailey: DNP
10. Brooks Caple: DNP
11. James Triantos: DNP
12. Will Sanders: DNP
13. Juan Cabada: DNP
14. Jostin Florentino: DNP
15. Derniche Valdez: DNP
16. Grant Kipp: DNP
17. Jose Escobar: 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, K
18. Ariel Armas: 1-for-3, BB
19. Fernando Cruz: DNP
20. Brandon Birdsell: DNP

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