Chicago Cubs Minor League Recap: Smokies Erupt For 16 Runs; Iowa Wins In Extras

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Iowa Doubles Its Way Past Toledo In Extra Innings

The Iowa Cubs beat the Toledo Mud Hens 5-4 in ten innings, scoring in five different innings. Iowa finished with nine hits, five of them doubles, five walks, and eight runners left on base.

Chas McCormick had three hits, two of them doubles, scored a run, and drove in a run. BJ Murray added two hits, including a double, with a run scored and a run batted in. Ben Cowles had a double and two walks with a run batted in, and James Triantos had a double, a walk, and a run batted in. 

Connor Noland worked 3 1/3 innings and allowed four hits and one run, walking two and striking out four. Shelby Miller struck out two over 2/3 of an inning, and Tyler Ferguson followed with a scoreless inning. Jayden Murray was charged with 1/3 of an inning, two hits, four walks, and three runs. Gabe Klobosits allowed one hit and three walks over 1 2/3 innings without a run, Eduarniel Núñez struck out three over two scoreless innings for the win, and Luis Peralta struck out one in a scoreless inning for the save.

The sixth inning turned the game. Toledo opened with a single, a walk, and a single, drew a bases-loaded walk to score one, walked again to score another, and added a third run on an infield groundout. That put Iowa behind 4-3.

Iowa answered in the ninth when Hayden Cantrelle walked and Triantos doubled him home to tie it. In the tenth, Owen Ayers began the inning as the zombie runner, moved to third on a BJ Murray single, and scored on a McCormick double play grounder for the go-ahead run.

Iowa Cubs Hitting

Iowa Cubs Pitching

Smokies Score Nine In The First To Bury Pensacola (Game 1 of 2)

The Knoxville Smokies took the doubleheader opener in Pensacola 16-5, batting around twice in the first inning and finishing with 14 hits, nine walks, two home runs, and four runners left on base.

Andy Garriola had two hits, including a three-run home run, and four runs batted in. Edgar Alvarez had three hits, two runs batted in, and a walk. Alex Ramírez had two hits, three runs batted in, and a walk, while Ariel Armas had two hits, a home run, and a run batted in.

Alex Madera had two hits, including a double, and Miguel Useche doubled in two runs and drew two walks. Leadoff man Kane Kepley had a hit, two walks, a hit by pitch, and three runs scored. 

Dawson Netz opened with one inning, one hit, and two strikeouts. Connor Schultz then worked four innings and allowed six hits, five runs, two walks, and one home run while striking out four, and he earned the win. Kenyi Perez allowed two hits and three walks over 1 1/3 innings without a run, Frankie Scalzo Jr. struck out two over 1 2/3 innings, and Marino Santy retired all three batters he faced.

The first inning did the damage. Kepley was hit by a pitch, Garriola singled, and Useche walked to load the bases. Ramírez singled home two runs, Armas singled, and Alvarez singled home two more. After a strikeout, Madera brought in a run on a groundout and Drew Bowser singled in another. Kepley then walked, and Garriola followed with a three-run home run for a 9-0 lead. Knoxville added five in the fifth on a bases-loaded walk, a sacrifice fly, a two-run double by Useche, and a run-scoring single by Ramírez.

Knoxville Smokies Hitting, Game One

Knoxville Smokies Pitching, Game One

Knoxville Held To Two Hits In The Nightcap (Game 2 of 2)

The Knoxville Smokies lost the second game of the doubleheader in Pensacola 6-1, managing two hits and two walks in the seven-inning game while striking out nine times.

Karson Simas accounted for the entire offense. He homered for his fifth of the season, drew a walk, and finished with the only run batted in.

Kane Kepley had the other hit and drew a walk. No other Smokies hitter reached safely.

Brody McCullough went 3 2/3 innings and gave up seven hits, five runs, three of them earned, and three walks while striking out one, and he took the loss. Tyler Schlaffer followed with 2 1/3 innings, two hits, one run, one home run, and three strikeouts without issuing a walk.

The third inning put Knoxville behind. Simas homered to open the top half for a 1-0 lead, then Pensacola answered with a walk and a single to put runners at first and second. A single tied the game, and a double put the home team ahead 2-1.

The fourth inning decided it. A two-out single, a walk, and another walk loaded the bases, and a single up the middle scored all three runners after a throwing error by McCullough allowed the play to continue. That made it 5-1, and a solo home run in the fifth against Schlaffer closed the scoring.

Knoxville left two runners on base for the game, and the two hits and two walks were the only baserunners the Smokies produced.

Knoxville Smokies Hitting, Game Two

Knoxville Smokies Pitching, Game Two

South Bend Loses The Lead In A Four-Run Ninth

The South Bend Cubs led into the ninth inning and lost 5-2 to the West Michigan Whitecaps, finishing with seven hits, three walks, eleven strikeouts, and eight runners left on base.

Josiah Hartshorn had two hits, one of them a double, and a walk. Justin Stransky had a hit, a walk, and a run batted in. Leonel Espinoza had a hit and a run batted in, and Alexey Lumpuy, Michael Hallquist, and Kade Snell each had a hit.

Nazier Mulé was the story on the mound. He worked 5 1/3 innings, allowed four hits and one run, walked two, and struck out six. Luis Rujano followed with 2 2/3 hitless innings and three strikeouts. Jose Romero recorded one out and allowed two hits, two walks, and four runs, taking the loss and blowing the save. Nate Williams finished with 2/3 of an inning and a strikeout.

In the fourth, Escobar and Stransky brought a twist to the strike out, throw out play that's well worth checking out. 

South Bend took the lead in the seventh. Lumpuy singled, Hallquist singled behind him, and Stransky lined a single to center to score Lumpuy. Espinoza then grounded out to third and Hallquist scored for a 2-1 lead.

The ninth undid it. A leadoff single, a walk, and a hit batter loaded the bases. A wild pitch scored the tying run during a popout, a second wild pitch scored the go-ahead run during a walk, a balk brought home a third, and a single to right added the fourth run of the inning. South Bend went down in order in the bottom half. 

South Bend Cubs Hitting

South Bend Cubs Pitching

Pelicans Waste Nine Strong Innings In A One-Run Loss

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans lost 1-0 to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, held to two hits while striking out twelve times. Myrtle Beach drew four walks and left five runners on base.

Darlyn De Leon had a hit and a walk out of the leadoff spot, and Derik Alcantara had the other hit, a double. Corey Nunez, Eli Lovich, and Jose Silva each drew a walk. Derniche Valdez struck out three times, and Fernando Cruz struck out twice.

Chase Meyer opened with four scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out four. Hayden Frank followed with four innings, three hits, one run, one walk, and four strikeouts, and he took the loss. John Alkire II struck out two in a scoreless inning to finish the game.

The eighth inning produced the only run. Fayetteville opened with a double to center, then made an out on a fly ball to left. A ground ball single to center brought the runner home for a 1-0 lead. Frank retired the next two hitters on a lineout and a groundout.

Myrtle Beach put a runner on in the bottom of the eighth when De Leon lined a single to right with two outs, and Alcantara grounded out to end the threat. The Pelicans went down in order in the ninth. Myrtle Beach left five runners on base for the game, and the pitching staff kept the deficit at one run the entire way.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Hitting

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Pitching

Top-20 Prospect Performance

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

Interested in learning more about the Chicago Cubs' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!

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