Chicago Cubs Minor League Report: Boyd Makes Rehab Appearance at Iowa, Rojas, Smokies, Stay Hot with 10th Win in Last 12

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report - May 31

Affiliate Overview

Triple-A Iowa Cubs
Series at Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh Pirates): Tied, 3-3
Season Record: 24–32

Double-A Knoxville Smokies
Series at Chattanooga Lookouts (Cincinnati Reds): Smokies win, 4-2
Season Record: 26–24

High-A South Bend Cubs
Series vs. Fort Wayne TinCaps (San Diego Padres): Cubs win, 5-1
Season Record: 30–17

Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Series vs. Wilson Warbirds (Milwaukee Brewers): Tied, 3-3
Season Record: 21–28

Affiliate Highlights

Triple-A: Iowa Cubs
Season Record: 24–32
Series Opponent: Indianapolis Indians (23–33)
Series Standing: Tied, 3-3

May 31: The Iowa Cubs split their series with the Indianapolis Indians following an 8-1 defeat on Sunday at Victory Field. The Indians went ahead in the second with a run and later made it 3-0 with two more in the fifth. Runs in the sixth and seventh made it 5-0 Indianapolis before the Cubs got their lone run of the ballgame in the eighth on Brett Bateman’s (1-for-3) RBI-double. The hosts plated three more in the bottom of the frame to coast to the 8-1 win. Matthew Boyd, making the first appearance of his rehab assignment, allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits over four innings of work, striking out two and walking one. The Iowa offense was limited to just four hits in the contest, with Bateman’s double the lone extra-base tally.

Double-A: Knoxville Smokies
Season Record: 26–24
Series Opponent: Chattanooga Lookouts (27–24)
Series Standing: Win, 4-2

May 31: The Knoxville Smokies claimed a series win with a 4-2 triumph over the Chattanooga Lookouts on Sunday. The victory extends the Smokies winning streak to three games and also moves the club just a half game behind the Lookouts for first place in the Southern League North Division. Chattanooga took the lead with a run in its first trip to the plate but Knoxville starter Brooks Caple would put up four-straight zeroes on the board to keep his team in the ballgame. Caple would not factor into the decision, allowing just one run on four hits over five innings of work, striking out seven and walking one. His work would be rewarded in the sixth when Jefferson Rojas (2-for-4) tied the game with an RBI-single. Rojas would then put the Smokies in front with another RBI-single in the eighth. Later in the frame, Carter Trice (1-for-4) and Edgar Alvarez (1-for-4) would also tally run-scoring singles to make it a 4-1 game. The Lookouts would add a run in the bottom of the inning but Vince Reilly was able to shut the door in the ninth to record his fourth save of the season, a two-inning effort. Jace Beck picked up the win in relief to improve to 4-2 on the year. Beck posted two shutout innings, allowing no hits and whiffing three to go along with one walk.

High-A: South Bend Cubs
Season Record: 30–17
Series Opponent: Fort Wayne TinCaps (23–28)
Series Standing: Win, 5-1

May 31: The South Bend Cubs won for the 10th time in their last 12 games with their 7-5 victory over the Fort Wayne TinCaps on Sunday. The Cubs now have a four-and-a-half game lead in the Midwest League West Division. Fort Wayne took a 3-0 lead in the first and kept South Bend off the board until the fourth, when Miguel Useche (3-for-4) launched a solo shot, his fourth home run of the season. The Cubs kept the TinCaps off the board until the ninth inning, thanks in large part to a three-inning scoreless outing in relief from Nazier Mulé. Mulé allowed just one hit and struck out five, with two walks issued. South Bend went ahead in the game with a four-spot in seventh, with Matt Halbach (1-for-5) driving in one with a single, with a second run scoring on an error on the play. Back-to-back bases-loaded walks from Justin Stransky (2-for-3) and Drew Bowser (0-for-3) gave the Cubs a 5-3 lead. Useche came up big in the eighth for the hosts, driving in two more on a single to make it 7-3. Fort Wayne would score twice in the ninth and load the bases with two outs but Kenten Egbert was able to retire the only batter he faced to earn his first save of the season.

Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Season Record: 21–28
Series Opponent: Wilson Warbirds (26–25)
Series Standing: Tied, 3-3

May 31: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans split their series with the Wilson Warbirds following Sunday’s 10-1 defeat at Pelicans Ballpark. The Pelicans were held to just four hits in the ballgame and would go 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, leaving nine runners on base. The Warbirds took the lead in the third with a run and later added three in the fourth to make it 4-0. Another run in the fifth and three more in the sixth from Wilson made it 8-0 before Myrtle Beach got on the board in the bottom-half of the inning on Derniche Valdez’ (0-for-4) RBI-groundout. The Warbirds would then add on runs in the seventh and the ninth to hand the Pelicans the 10-1 defeat. Pierce Coppola took the loss in the start for Myrtle Beach, falling to 0-4 on the season. Coppola allowed just one run on one hit over three innings of work, striking out four but walking five.

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