Chicago Cubs Minor League Report: Garriola’s Grand Slam Powers Knoxville, South Bend Holds On

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Garriola's Grand Slam Powers Smokies Past Barons

The Knoxville Smokies jumped on the Birmingham Barons early and never trailed in a 6-2 win. Knoxville scored five times in the bottom of the first. Andy Garriola provided the blow, a grand slam to left field that drove in four runs and scored Alex Ramirez, Jefferson Rojas, and Owen Ayers. 

Ed Howard added a sacrifice fly later in the inning to score Carter Trice. Knoxville tacked on in the third when Howard doubled to left to bring home Trice again.

Connor Schultz turned in the start, working four innings and allowing one run on three hits with no walks and seven strikeouts. Evan Taylor followed with two scoreless innings, allowing no hits with one walk and three strikeouts to pick up the win and improve to 2-0. Jefferson Rojas collected two hits and stole two bases, and Carter Trice added two hits and scored twice along with a key defensive play in the 7th: 

South Bend Lets Lead Slip Away in Loss to River Bandits

The South Bend Cubs took an early lead but could not hold it in a 4-3 loss at Quad Cities. After falling behind 2-0 in the second, South Bend answered in the third. Christian Olivo doubled to left to score Alex Madera, and Ty Southisene followed by grounding into a force out that brought home Olivo, with a throwing error on the play keeping the inning alive. South Bend took the lead in the fourth when Madera singled to score Jose Escobar. The River Bandits rallied back, tying the game in the sixth and pushing across the go-ahead run in the seventh.

Cole Reynolds worked four innings in the start, allowing two runs, both earned, on three hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Ben Johnson followed with three innings, charged with two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out one, and took the loss to fall to 1-1. Kenten Egbert closed with a scoreless inning. Madera and Olivo each had multi-hit days, and Olivo drove in the lone South Bend RBI. South Bend left three runners on base.

Escobar made an impressive fielding playing in the 4th to add some positivity toe the recap. 

Melendez Drives In Three, but Pelicans Fall at Charleston

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans collected 11 hits but could not overcome Charleston in a 9-5 loss. Myrtle Beach led early, scoring in the first when Yahil Melendez walked with the bases loaded to bring home Eli Lovich, and again in the third when Melendez doubled to left to score Logan Poteet. The RiverDogs answered with a three-run third and a four-run sixth to pull away. Myrtle Beach kept battling, adding a run in the seventh on Poteet's double and two more in the ninth on Michael Carico's home run and another Melendez double.

Hayden Frank made the start and took the loss, dropping to 2-3 after allowing three runs on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts over three innings. David Bracho was tagged for five runs, two earned, on five hits across two innings. Poteet had three hits, and Melendez added two hits and three RBI. Myrtle Beach left 11 runners on base.

Top-20 Prospect Performance

1. Jefferson Rojas: 2-for-4, 2 SB
2. Jaxon Wiggins: DNP
3. Pedro Ramirez: DNP
4. Kevin Alcantara: DNP
5. Josiah Hartshorn: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 K
6. Ethan Conrad: DNP
7. Kane Kepley: 0-for-2, 2 BB, K
8. Jonathon Long: DNP
9. James Triantos: DNP
10. Cole Mathis: DNP
11. Owen Ayers: 1-for-3, BB, K
12. Brooks Caple: DNP
13. Juan Cabada: DNP
14. Kaleb Wing: DNP
15. Angel Cepeda: DNP
16. Dominick Reid: DNP
17. Jostin Florentino: DNP
18. Ty Southisene: 0-for-4
19. Will Sanders: DNP
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!