Chicago Cubs Minor League Report: Ramírez Goes Yard Twice in Knoxville's Series-Opening Win to Help Snap Five-Game Skid

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report

Affiliate Overview

Triple-A Iowa Cubs
Series at Gwinnett Stripers (Atlanta Braves): Cubs lead, 1-0
Season Record: 42–52-1

Double-A Knoxville Smokies
Series at Rocket City Trash Pandas (Los Angeles Angels): Smokies lead, 1-0
Season Record: 50–41

High-A South Bend Cubs
Series vs. Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Milwaukee Brewers): Cubs lead, 1-0
Season Record: 52–35

Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Series at Hickory Crawdads (Texas Rangers): Crawdads lead, 1-0
Season Record: 36–53

Triple-A: Iowa Cubs

Season Record: 42–52-1
Series Opponent: Gwinnett Stripers (48-47)
Series Standing: Lead, 1-0

July 21: The Iowa Cubs opened their series at the Gwinnett Stripers with a 7-4 victory on Tuesday night at Gwinnett Field. Owen Miller (2-for-5) gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the first with an RBI-single but Stripers went ahead in the bottom of the inning by scoring twice. Gwinnett made it 3-1 with a run in the second but an Owen Ayers (0-for-3) walk with the bases loaded brought Iowa within a run. The I-Cubs went in front in the fourth thanks to an RBI-double from Ben Cowles (3-for-5) and an RBI-single from Moisés Ballesteros (1-for-3), which put the visitors in front 4-3. The Stripers tied it in the fifth on a solo home run but a three-run sixth from the Cubs put them in front for good. Miller’s 20th double of the season brought in a pair and Ayers drew his second bases-loaded walk of the night to bring home another. Josh Fleming picked up the win in relief to improve to 4-5 on the year. Fleming tossed five innings of one-run ball, giving up just two hits to go along with two strikeouts. Grant Kipp got the start on the mound for Iowa, taking no decision. Kipp allowed three runs, two earned, over 3 2/3 innings of work, walked one and struck out five.

Double-A: Knoxville Smokies

Season Record: 50–41
Series Opponent: Rocket City Trash Pandas (45–45)
Series Standing: Lead, 1-0

July 21: The Knoxville Smokies snapped their five-game losing skid with a 4-3 series-opening victory over the Rocket City Trash Pandas at Toyota Field on Tuesday night. Alex Ramírez (3-for-4) started the ballgame with a homer, his 11th of the season, to give the Smokies the 1-0 lead. The Trash Pandas took the lead in the fourth by scoring twice but Ramírez launched a three-run blast in the fifth to put Knoxville immediately back in front. This is the second time this campaign that Ramírez has posted a multi-HR effort, with the first coming on June 12 at Montgomery. Rocket City would score one more in the sixth to make it 4-3 but Cole Ras turned in two scoreless frames to end the game and earn his third save of the season. Connor Schultz got the start on the mound for the Smokies and picked up the win, improving to 3-3 on the season. Schultz allowed two runs on three hits over five innings of work, walked three and whiffed five batters.

High-A: South Bend Cubs

Season Record: 52–35
Series Opponent: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (48–38)
Series Standing: Lead, 1-0

July 21: The South Bend Cubs won their third-straight game with a 5-2 series-opening victory vs. the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Tuesday night at Four Winds Field. The Cubs scored twice in their first trip to the plate, with Jose Escobar (0-for-3) picking up an RBI on a fielder’s choice and Kane Kepley (2-for-3) stealing home. The Timber Rattlers made it 2-2 with two runs in the third but Escobar’s sacrifice fly in the home half of the frame put South Bend back in front. The Cubs gave themselves some breathing room with two more runs in the fifth, with Kepley doubling home a run, his 18th two-bagger of the season, and Escobar picking up his third RBI of the night on a groundout. After JP Wheat turned in a scoreless inning of relief in the sixth, Jackson Brockett turned in three shutout innings to end the game and earned his third save of the season. Brockett retired all nine of the batters that he faced, three of which came via the strikeout. Jostin Florentino took no decision in the start for South Bend, allowing two runs on three hits over four innings of work to go along with one walk and seven strikeouts. Florentino has picked up six punchouts or more in five-straight starts.

Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Season Record: 36–53
Series Opponent: Hickory Crawdads (52–36)
Series Standing: Trail, 0-1

July 21: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were blanked in Tuesday night’s series opener at the Hickory Crawdads, 1-0, at L.P. Frans Stadium. The Pelicans were held to just one hit in the contest, Jose Silva’s (1-for-3) one-out single in the fifth, and no opportunities with runners in scoring position. Jordan Henriquez got the start on the mound for Myrtle Beach and took no decision. Henriquez tossed three scoreless frames, allowing just two hits to go along with two walks and three strikeouts. Hayden Frank suffered the loss in relief, falling to 3-6 on the season. Frank allowed one run, unearned, over three innings, giving up four hits with one walk and four punchouts. Hickory scored their lone run of the ballgame in the fifth and would allow just one Pelican batter to reach over the final four innings of the ballgame. Anhuar Garcia worked two scoreless frames in relief, allowing no hits while issuing two walks and striking out two.

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