Chicago Cubs Minor League Report: Ayers Goes Yard for Knoxville, Taillon Makes Rehab Start for South Bend

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report

Affiliate Overview

Triple-A Iowa Cubs
Series at Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers): Tied, 3-3
Season Record: 35–49-1

Double-A Knoxville Smokies
Series vs. Columbus Clingstones (Atlanta Braves): Tied, 3-3
Season Record: 46–35

High-A South Bend Cubs
Series at Beloit Sky Carp (Miami Marlins): Sky Carp win, 5-1
Season Record: 45–32

Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Series vs. Hickory Crawdads (Texas Rangers): Crawdads win, 4-2
Season Record: 33–46

Triple-A: Iowa Cubs

Season Record: 35–49-1
Series Opponent: Toledo Mud Hens (42-44)
Series Standing: Tied, 3-3

July 5: The Iowa Cubs dropped Sunday’s series finale, 6-2, to the Toledo Mud Hens to split the six-game set. The Mud Hens jumped out to the lead thanks to a three-run first inning and later made it 4-0 with a run in the third. The Cubs wouldn’t get on the board until the sixth when Jonathan Long (1-for-4) doubled home a run. Toledo would plate two in the eighth to make it 6-1 before Iowa scratched one more across in the ninth on an Owen Miller (1-for-4) RBI-groundout. Will Sanders got the start on the mound for the I-Cubs and was handed the loss, falling to 5-1 on the season. Sanders allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits over four innings of work to go along with one walk and five strikeouts. Antoine Kelly worked two perfect frames in relief, whiffing two batters. Kelly extends his scoreless streak to 11 1/3 innings, spanning seven games.

Double-A: Knoxville Smokies

Season Record: 46–35
Series Opponent: Columbus Clingstones (35–41)
Series Standing: Tied, 3-3

July 5: The Knoxville Smokies earned a series split with the Columbus Clingstones following a 5-4 victory on Sunday at Covenant Health Park. The Clingstones plated two runs in their first trip to the plate but the Smokies were able to respond with a run in the home half of the frame, thanks to an Owen Ayers (2-for-4) solo blast, his 15th of the season. The teams traded runs in the fourth, with Andy Garriola (1-for-4) singling home Knoxville’s run to make it 3-2. Jefferson Rojas (1-for-3) gave the Smokies their first lead of the ballgame when he brought home a pair of runs to make it 4-3. The Clingstones would tie the contest in the seventh but Edgar Alvarez’ (1-for-3) RBI-double in the eighth brought home the go-ahead run. Luke Little tossed two scoreless innings to close the game, stranding the tying and go-ahead runs in the ninth to earn the win, improving to 2-0 on the season. Evan Taylor got the start for Knoxville and took no decision. Taylor allowed two runs, one earned, on no hits over two innings of work, walking three and striking out five. The Smokies pitching staff allowed just one hit on the day but walked eight batters and hit one.

High-A: South Bend Cubs

Season Record: 45–32
Series Opponent: Beloit Sky Carp (37–42)
Series Standing: Lose, 5-1

July 5: The South Bend Cubs were swept in a doubleheader on Sunday by the Beloit Sky Carp, dropping game 1, 1-0, and game 2, 2-0.

Game 1: The Cubs were blanked by the Sky Carp, 1-0, in Sunday’s doubleheader opener while being held to just three hits in the ballgame. The Sky Carp scored in their first trip to the plate and that lead would hold throughout as South Bend would record only four baserunners, going 0-for-1 with runners in scoring position. South Bend starter Jameson Taillon, made his first rehab appearance since hitting the IL on June 9 and allowed one run on four hits over 3 1/3 innings of work, picking up two strikeouts without issuing a walk. Kevin Valdez turned in 2 2/3 scoreless frames in relief, retiring all eight batters he faced, including four via strikeout.

Game 2: South Bend was held scoreless by Beloit for a second-straight contest, falling 2-0 in Sunday’s doubleheader finale at ABC Supply Stadium. The Sky Carp pushed a run across in the first and would later double their lead with a run in the fifth. The Cubs offense would record five hits in the ballgame, with Jose Escobar going 3-for-5, but like the first game, none of the hits would go for extra bases and South Bend would go 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, stranding 11 baserunners. Alfredo Romero got the start on the mound for the Cubs and was handed the loss, falling to 2-3 on the season. Romero allowed one run on two hits over four innings of work to go along with one walk and four strikeouts.

Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Season Record: 33–46
Series Opponent: Hickory Crawdads (46–33)
Series Standing: Lose, 4-2

July 5: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans dropped their series to the Hickory Crawdads following Sunday’s 3-2 defeat at Pelicans Ballpark. The Crawdads took a 3-0 lead after three thanks to two runs in the second before adding another in the third. Darlyn De Leon (0-for-3) brought home the Pelicans’ first run of the contest with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Yoendris Gonzalez (2.0 IP), Jordan Henriquez (1.1 IP) and Anhuar Garcia (1.2 IP) kept Myrtle Beach in the game by combining for four scoreless innings in relief, yielding just one hit and striking out six. Geuri Lubo’s (1-for-3) RBI-double in the ninth would cut the lead to one but he would be left 90 feet away from tying the game as the Pelicans were unable to complete the comeback. Noah Edders got the start for Myrtle Beach and took the loss, falling to 0-3 on the season. Edders allowed three runs on two hits over four innings of work and issued two walks.

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