Chicago Cubs Minor League Report: Murray's Three-Hit Night Powers I-Cubs, Wiggins' Rehab Start Cut Short by Rain

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report

Affiliate Overview

Triple-A Iowa Cubs
Series at Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers): Tied, 2-2
Season Record: 35–47-1

Double-A Knoxville Smokies
Series vs. Columbus Clingstones (Atlanta Braves): Tied, 2-2
Season Record: 45–34

High-A South Bend Cubs
Series at Beloit Sky Carp (Miami Marlins): Sky Carp lead, 3-0
Season Record: 44–30

Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Series vs. Hickory Crawdads (Texas Rangers): Tied, 2-2
Season Record: 33–44

Affiliate Highlights

Triple-A: Iowa Cubs

Season Record: 35–47-1
Series Opponent: Toledo Mud Hens (40-44)
Series Standing: Tied, 2-2

July 3: The Iowa Cubs evened their series at the Toledo Mud Hens with a 5-4 victory on Friday night at Fifth Third Field. BJ Murray’s (3-for-4) RBI-single in the first gave the Cubs an early lead before the Mud Hens made it 1-1 with a run in the third. Murray’s solo blast, his 11th of the season, restored Iowa’s lead but Toledo answered with two runs in the home half of the frame to go up 3-2. Owen Miller (1-for-4) and James Triantos (2-for-4) picked up run-scoring singles in the sixth that put the I-Cubs ahead 4-3 and Brett Bateman’s (2-for-4) solo shot in the ninth gave Iowa an important insurance run. The Mud Hens would push a run across in their last trip to the plate in the ninth but Luis Peralta was able to leave the tying run on the basepaths to earn his second save of the season. Ty Blach got the start for the Cubs and got the win to improve to 4-4. Blach allowed three runs on six hits over five innings of work to go along with four walks and six strikeouts. Vince Reilly (2.0 IP) and Jayden Murray (1.0 IP) both made scoreless relief appearances, combining to allow just one hit and whiff five batters.

Double-A: Knoxville Smokies

Season Record: 45–34
Series Opponent: Columbus Clingstones (34–40)
Series Standing: Tied, 2-2

July 3: The Knoxville Smokies were held to just six hits as they fell to the Columbus Clingstones, 9-1, on Friday night at Covenant Health Park. The Clingstones scored once in both the third and fourth innings and pushed two more across in the sixth to make it 4-0. Columbus broke the game open with five runs in the eighth before the Smokies grabbed their lone tally of the contest in the ninth on Ariel Armas’ (1-for-4) RBI-triple. Dawson Netz got the start for Knoxville and was handed the loss, falling to 5-2 on the season. Netz allowed two runs on four hits over five innings of work, whiffing four batters without issuing a walk. Owen Ayers snapped his brief 0-for-7 skid by going 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.

High-A: South Bend Cubs

Season Record: 44–30
Series Opponent: Beloit Sky Carp (35–41)
Series Standing: Trail, 3-0

July 3: The South Bend Cubs had their contest at the Beloit Sky Carp suspended in the top of the second, trailing 1-0. Jaxon Wiggins, who was making his second rehab appearance with the Cubs, allowed a run on two hits in his inning of work, including one home run.

Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Season Record: 33–44
Series Opponent: Hickory Crawdads (44–33)
Series Standing: Tied, 2-2

July 3: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans evened their series vs. the Hickory Crawdads with a 4-2 victory on Friday night at Pelicans Ballpark. The Pelicans jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third thanks to Alexey Lumpuy’s (1-for-3) three-run blast, his fifth homer of the season. Alexis Hernandez (3-for-4) made it 4-0 with an RBI-double in the fifth before the Crawdads got on the board with a run in the sixth. Myrtle Beach starter Daniel Avitia picked up the win to improve to 2-1 on the season, tossing five innings of scoreless ball, allowing just four hits to go along with one walk and four strikeouts. Hickory picked up a run in the ninth but Sam Mettert was able to close out the game to earn his first save of the season and give the Pelicans the win.

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