Chicago Cubs Minor League Report: Imanaga Fans Eight in Rehab Start with Iowa

Cubs Affiliate Overview (June 19–20)

• Triple-A Iowa Cubs
Series at Nashville Sounds (Milwaukee Brewers): Tied 2-2
Season Record: 39–33

• Double-A Tennessee Smokies
Series at Biloxi Shuckers (Milwaukee Brewers): Shuckers lead 3–1
Season Record: 31-35

• High-A South Bend Cubs
Series vs. Lake County Captains (Cleveland Guardians): Tied 2-2
Season Record: 24–43

• Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Series vs. Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Houston Astros): Tied 2-2
Season Record: 26–39

Triple-A: Iowa Cubs
Season Record: 39–33
Series Opponent: Nashville Sounds (42–29)
Series Standing: Tied 2-2

June 19: The Iowa Cubs took a 2-1 series lead over the Nashville Sounds with a 6-1 victory on Wednesday at First Horizon Park. Moisés Ballesteros (3-for-5) and Carlos Pérez (2-for-5) each launched solo homers in the first inning while Owen Caissie also chipped in with a 2-for-4 effort, scoring one two runs, doubling, and drawing a walk. Jordan Wicks, who was activated off the 7-day IL, made his first appearance since May 24 and worked three scoreless frames, allowing just one hit and striking out four. Jake Woodford turned in the final six innings on the mound, allowing one run on four hits to go along with seven strikeouts.

June 20: The Cubs had their brief two-game winning streak snapped with an 8-5 defeat to the Sounds on Thursday. Shota Imanaga, making his first rehab appearance at the Triple-A level on his current IL stint, looks set to return to the big leagues after turning in 4 1/3 shutout innings, allowing two hits and whiffing eight. Jonathan Long (4-for-4) posted his second four-hit game of the season, while Christian Franklin (3-for-5) also had a big night at the plate. While Imanaga looked stellar in his rehab outing, Porter Hodge didn’t fare as well, getting roughed up for seven runs, six earned, on four hits, to go along with two walks, in just 1/3 of an inning.

Double-A: Knoxville Smokies
Season Record: 31–35
Series Opponent: Biloxi Shuckers (41–26)
Series Standing: Trail 3-1

June 19: The Knoxville Smokies were walked off by the Biloxi Shuckers on Thursday, 5-4, dropping their third-straight contest. Corey Joyce went 3-for-5 at the dish with a run, double, and an RBI, and Pablo Aliendo went 1-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Nick Dean turned in a solid start, allowing three runs on five hits over five innings of work, striking out seven.

June 20: The Smokies used a five-run 10th to power past the Shuckers, 10-6, on Friday to snap their three-game losing skid. BJ Murray’s (3-for-6) grand slam in extras was the decisive blow after Jordan Nwogu (2-for-4) gave Knoxville the lead with a sacrifice fly earlier in the frame. Pedro Ramirez (3-for-5) crushed a three-run homer in the third and drove in four total runs in the ballgame. Six total Smokie batters would tally multi-hit efforts in the contest, with three posting three-hit games. Jaxon Wiggins took no decision in the start, allowing two runs on two hits in four innings of work, striking out four and walking four.

High-A: South Bend Cubs
Season Record: 24–43
Series Opponent: Lake County Captains (35–32)
Series Standing: Tied 2–2

June 19: The South Bend Cubs fell behind 5-2 after four and were unable to mount a rally, ultimately falling, 6-2, to the Lake County Captains on Thursday. The Cubs' offense, which was held to just four hits on the night, was led by James Triantos, who went 2-for-5 with a run. Evan Aschenbeck had his run of five-straight quality starts snapped, allowing five runs on eight hits over four innings of work, striking out just three batters. Connor Schultz turned in two scoreless innings in relief, whiffing two.

June 20: The Cubs evened their series with the Captains with a 5-4 walk-off victory in 10 innings on Friday. Drew Bowser (2-for-5) capped a three-RBI night with a walk-off single in the 10th to deliver the win. Jefferson Rojas went 1-for-4 with a run, home run, two RBI, and a walk, and Edgar Alvarez also posted a multi-hit performance, going 2-for-5. Erian Rodriguez turned in his second-straight quality start, allowing three runs on seven hits over six innings of work, picking up five strikeouts.

Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Season Record: 26–39
Series Opponent: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (36–31)
Series Standing: Tied 2-2

June 19: Myrtle Beach let an early 4-0 lead slip late, falling to Fayetteville, 5-4, on Thursday. Yahil Melendez turned in his third-straight multi-hit effort, going 3-for-5 with a run and a double. Matt Halbach (2-for-3) and Christian Olivo (2-for-4) also turned in multi-hit games for the Pelicans. Eight of the nine Myrtle Beach batters hit safely in the contest. Ethan Flanagan took no decision in the start, allowing just one run on three hits over five innings, striking out six.

June 20: The Pelicans evened the series against the Woodpeckers with a 5-3 victory on Friday. Myrtle Beach scored all of its runs in the fourth through an Owen Ayers (0-for-4) RBI-groundout, a two-run homer from Matt Halbach (1-for-4), and a two-run single from Alexey Lumpuy (1-for-4). Charlie Hurley picked up the win in relief, allowing one run, unearned, over three innings of work, yielding two hits and striking out one.

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