Chicago Cubs Minor League Report: Rojas Homers Again for Knoxville, Coppola Whiffs Five for Myrtle Beach

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report - June 8

Affiliate Overview

Triple-A Iowa Cubs
Series vs. Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers): Mud Hens win, 4-1
Season Record: 25–36

Double-A Knoxville Smokies
Series at Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox): Smokies win, 4-2
Season Record: 30–26

High-A South Bend Cubs
Series at Quad Cities River Bandits (Kansas City Royals): Cubs win, 4-2
Season Record: 34–19

Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Series at Charleston RiverDogs (Tampa Bay Rays): RiverDogs win, 6-0
Season Record: 21–34

Affiliate Highlights

Triple-A: Iowa Cubs
Season Record: 25–36
Series Opponent: Toledo Mud Hens (30–32)
Series Standing: Lose, 4-1

June 7: The Iowa Cubs had their series finale with the Toledo Mud Hens on Sunday canceled due to inclement weather. The Cubs will be back in action on Tuesday at Louisville.

Double-A: Knoxville Smokies
Season Record: 30–26
Series Opponent: Birmingham Barons (21–35)
Series Standing: Win, 4-2

June 7: The Knoxville Smokies earned a series win with a 7-4 victory over the Birmingham Barons on Sunday, extending their winning streak to four games. Hayden Cantrelle’s (1-for-3) two-run double in the second got the Smokies on the board first but the Barons responded with three in the third to take the lead. Jefferson Rojas (2-for-4) put Knoxville back in front with a two-run shot, his third homer in his last two games. The Smokies added two more in the sixth through an RBI-single from Carter Trice (1-for-3) and an RBI-groundout from Karson Simas (0-for-4) to make it 6-3. The two sides traded their final runs of the contest in the seventh, with the Smokies earning their tally on an Owen Ayers (2-for-4) RBI-single. Brooks Caple earned the win in the start to improve to 2-0 on the season. Caple tossed five innings of three-run ball, allowing five hits to go along with seven strikeouts with no walks issued. Vince Reilly converted his fifth save of the campaign with two shutout frames to close the ballgame, allowing just one hit to go along with one strikeout and one walk.

High-A: South Bend Cubs
Season Record: 34–19
Series Opponent: Quad Cities River Bandits (24–30)
Series Standing: Win, 4-2

June 7: The South Bend Cubs had their series finale at the Quad Cities River Bandits canceled due to rain. The Cubs will be back in action on Tuesday when they host the Peoria Chiefs.

Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Season Record: 21–34
Series Opponent: Charleston RiverDogs (32–25)
Series Standing: Lose, 6-0

June 7: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans dropped their seventh-straight contest as they were swept by the Charleston RiverDogs following a 5-4 defeat on Sunday. Both teams went scoreless through the first five innings, with Pelicans starter Pierce Coppola working all five of those frames. Coppola, who took no decision on the mound, allowed just one hit and whiffed five batters while allowing just one walk. The RiverDogs would break the deadlock in the sixth with a pair of runs but Myrtle Beach stormed back to take the lead with three runs in the seventh. The Pelicans tallied their first run of the frame on an error before Eli Lovich (1-for-4) drove in a pair with a double. Charleston would go back in front after the stretch with two runs to make it 4-3. Jairo Diaz (2-for-4) knotted the contest at 4-4 but Myrtle Beach again could not turn in a shutdown inning as the RiverDogs went back in front with a run in the home half of the frame. The Pelicans would put runners on first and second in their final chance of the game but could not push the tying run across.

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