Chicago Cubs Minor League Recap: Nick Dean Deals, Owen Miller Leads Winning Night on the Farm

Chicago Cubs Transactions

• Chicago Cubs signed free agent SS Luis Abreu to a minor league contract.
• RHP Jacob Wallace roster status changed by Chicago Cubs.
• Chicago Cubs signed free agent RHP Jacob Wallace to a minor league contract.
• Chicago Cubs optioned LHP Jordan Wicks to Iowa Cubs.

Iowa Rallies In The Fifth To Down Toledo 6-4

Iowa erased an early deficit to beat the Toledo Mud Hens 6-4. Trailing 3-1 entering the fifth inning, the Cubs pushed across three runs to grab the lead.

Owen Miller singled home BJ Murray and Moises Ballesteros to tie the game, and Ben Cowles followed with a sacrifice fly to score Miller for a 4-3 edge. Miller finished 3-for-3 with two walks and two RBIs, reaching base all five times he came to the plate.

Murray went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, and Brett Bateman added a double and a triple. James Triantos delivered a sacrifice fly in the seventh to score Murray, and Jonathon Long provided insurance with a solo home run, his eighth, in the eighth inning. Long finished 2-for-5 with a double, a homer, and a run batted in.

Starter Andrew Wantz labored through 3 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on three hits while walking five and striking out three. The bullpen settled things down from there. Iowa surrendered just one more run the rest of the way, and Eduarniel Nunez closed the door with two scoreless innings and three strikeouts. Iowa left 11 runners on base but did enough damage with runners in scoring position to secure the win.

Owen Miller also made an impressive catch in the 8th to protect the lead for all those fans of good defense.

Nick Dean And A Ninth-Inning Single Lift Knoxville 1-0

The Knoxville Smokies won a taut pitcher's duel 1-0 over the Columbus Clingstones on a walk-off in the bottom of the ninth.

With the game scoreless entering the final frame, Alex Ramirez singled home Alex Madera to end it. Ramirez drove in the game's only run, and Jefferson Rojas contributed a double in an otherwise quiet offensive night that produced just four hits.

Karson Simas added a single and a stolen base, while Carter Trice and Owen Ayers each drew a walk. The Smokies were patient but could not string much together until the decisive rally in the ninth.

The story was the pitching. Nick Dean was outstanding, throwing six scoreless innings and allowing four hits with one walk and seven strikeouts, a quality start that set the tone. Erian Rodriguez followed with two scoreless innings and three strikeouts, and Evan Taylor worked a scoreless ninth with two strikeouts to earn the win. Knoxville's staff combined for 12 strikeouts and did not allow a run all afternoon.

The Smokies stranded just five runners and made the lone run they scratched across stand up, capitalizing in the ninth after eight frames without a run to walk off with the victory. It was a complete effort on the mound, with all three pitchers contributing to the shutout.

South Bend's Early Lead Slips Away In 13-5 Loss At Beloit

South Bend led briefly but was overwhelmed in a 13-5 loss at the Beloit Sky Carp. Beloit jumped ahead 4-1 through two innings, but the Cubs answered with four runs in the top of the third to take a 5-4 lead. Angel Cepeda singled to start the scoring, Matt Halbach singled home another run, Miguel Useche laced a ground-rule double to plate a third, and Mike Hallquist grounded out to bring in the go-ahead run. Halbach finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a walk, and Jose Escobar went 2-for-5 with a stolen base. Kane Kepley, batting leadoff, singled, stole a base, and scored a run, while Josiah Hartshorn reached three times on walks.

The lead did not last. Starter Nazier Mule was charged with four runs on five hits over three innings, walking three and striking out four while surrendering a home run. Beloit tied the game in the sixth, took the lead in the seventh, and broke it open with five runs in the eighth to pull away. South Bend's staff issued eight walks on the night, and the Cubs left eight runners on base. The offense went quiet after the third-inning rally, and Beloit's late outburst turned a one-run game into a lopsided final.

Late Rally And Melendez's Relief Carry Myrtle Beach 5-2

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans rallied late to defeat the Hickory Crawdads 5-2. Myrtle Beach scored first in the second inning when Jose Silva drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home Eli Lovich. After Hickory took a 2-1 lead in the fourth, the Pelicans surged ahead in the sixth. Derniche Valdez tripled to score Lovich and tie the game, then Yahil Melendez singled to put Myrtle Beach on top 3-2.

Lovich led the offense, going 3-for-3 with a double, a walk, a stolen base, and two runs scored. Valdez added two hits, including the triple, and Melendez reached base four times with a single and three walks.

The Pelicans tacked on two more in the eighth on sacrifice flies from Geuri Lubo and Darlyn De Leon.

Starter Pierce Coppola turned in a solid four innings, allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts. The bullpen was dominant behind him. Edwardo Melendez was terrific, tossing three and two-thirds hitless, scoreless innings with four strikeouts, and Jordan Henriquez finished with a scoreless 1 1/3. Myrtle Beach drew nine walks on the night and left nine runners on base, but timely hitting and shutdown relief carried the Pelicans to the win.

Top-20 Prospect Performance

1. Jefferson Rojas: 1-for-4, 2B, K
2. Pedro Ramirez: DNP
3. Jaxon Wiggins: DNP
4. Josiah Hartshorn: 0-for-2, 3 BB, 2 K
5. Kevin Alcantara: DNP
6. Ethan Conrad: DNP
7. Kane Kepley: 1-for-5, 2 K
8. Owen Ayers: 0-for-3, BB
9. Jonathon Long: 2-for-5, 2B, HR, RBI, K
10. Kaleb Wing: DNP
11. James Triantos: 1-for-3, RBI, BB, K
12. Brooks Caple: DNP
13. Mason McGwire: DNP
14. Ty Southisene: DNP
15. Will Sanders: DNP
16. Juan Cabada: DNP
17. Eli Lovich: 3-for-3, 2B, BB
18. Ariel Armas: DNP
19. Jostin Florentino: DNP
20. Grant Kipp: DNP

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