Chicago Cubs Minor League Report: Sanders Spins Five Scoreless for Iowa, Rojas Remains Red Hot with Second-Straight Three Hit Game

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report - June 13

Affiliate Overview

Triple-A Iowa Cubs
Series at Louisville Bats (Cincinnati Reds): Tied, 2-2
Season Record: 27–38

Double-A Knoxville Smokies
Series at Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays): Smokies lead, 3-2
Season Record: 33–28

High-A South Bend Cubs
Series vs. Peoria Chiefs (St. Louis Cardinals): Tied, 2-2
Season Record: 36–21

Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Series vs. Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves): Tied, 2-2
Season Record: 23–36

Affiliate Highlights

Triple-A: Iowa Cubs

Season Record: 27–38
Series Opponent: Louisville Bats (35–31)
Series Standing: Tied, 2-2

June 12: The Iowa Cubs evened their series at the Louisville Bats with a 6-4 win on Friday night at Louisville Slugger Field. BJ Murray’s (2-for-3) RBI-triple in the first put the Cubs in front and the visitors doubled their lead on Scott Kingery’s (1-for-4) RBI-groundout in the second. The Bats pulled one back in the third but Iowa got that run back in the fourth when Murray drew a bases-loaded walk. Will Sanders delivered a much-needed good start for the I-Cubs, allowing just one run on three hits over five innings of work, striking out eight batters to improve to 3-0 on the season. The Cubs made it 6-1 in the sixth when Jonathan Long (1-for-3) doubled home a pair and Murray followed with an RBI-double of his own. Louisville pulled three runs back in the eighth to make it 6-4 but Gavin Hollowell worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his second save of the campaign.

Double-A: Knoxville Smokies

Season Record: 33–28
Series Opponent: Montgomery Biscuits (32–28)
Series Standing: Lead, 3-2

June 12: The Knoxville Smokies won their third-straight game and took a 3-2 series lead with their 9-3 victory over the Montgomery Biscuits on Friday night at DABOS Park. Andy Garriola (1-for-4) broke the deadlock in the fourth with a solo shot, his 12th of the year. Owen Ayers’ (2-for-5) RBI-double in the sixth made it a 2-0 game but the Biscuits evened the contest with a pair of runs in the home half of the frame. Alex Ramírez (2-for-5) put Knoxville back in front with a two-run blast in the seventh and the visitors broke the game open with four in the eighth. Carter Trice (2-for-4) brought in a run with a single and Ramírez left the yard for a second time with a three-run homer to make it 8-2. Montgomery plated one in the eighth but Jefferson Rojas (3-for-5) got that run back with a single in the ninth to make it 9-3, which would be the final score of the ballgame. Jace Beck got the start on the mound for the Smokies and took no decision. Beck tossed four scoreless frames, allowing just two hits, to go along with seven strikeouts and two walks. Rojas turned in a three-hit performance for the second-straight game and for the third time this month. It was also his sixth multi-hit effort in June in 11 games. Rojas is now slashing .378/.420/.667 during that span with two doubles, a triple, three home runs and 12 RBI.

High-A: South Bend Cubs

Season Record: 36–21
Series Opponent: Peoria Chiefs (32–29)
Series Standing: Tied, 2-2

June 12: The South Bend Cubs had their bats go quiet in a 3-1 defeat to the Peoria Chiefs on Friday night at Four Winds Field. The Chiefs scored twice in their first trip to the plate before the Cubs were able to get on the board in the fifth when Josiah Hartshorn (1-for-3) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Peoria restored their two-run advantage with a run in the seventh and would shut down South Bend’s offense the rest of the way to draw the series even at 2-2. Jostin Florentino got the start on the mound for the Cubs and took the loss, falling to 0-3 on the season. Florentino allowed two runs on two hits over three innings of work, striking out four and walking three. Adam Stone worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, allowing just two hits to go along with two strikeouts and a walk. The South Bend offense was held to just five hits on the night, with none going for extra bases, going 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position, leaving 10 on base.

Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Season Record: 23–36
Series Opponent: Augusta GreenJackets (32–29)
Series Standing: Tied, 2-2

June 12: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were routed by the August GreenJackets, 13-3, on Friday night at Pelicans Ballpark. Both teams put crooked numbers up on the board in the first, with the GreenJackets scoring three times and the Pelicans twice through a two-run shot from Logan Poteet (1-for-3). The Myrtle Beach offense was unable to keep up with their Augusta counterparts, who made it a 9-1 game after scoring four in the second and two more in the sixth. In the home half of the sixth, the Pelicans would get their final tally of the ballgame on a sacrifice fly from Geuri Lubo (0-for-3). The visitors would add one more in the seventh and three more in the ninth to cruise to the 13-3 win. Dominick Reid started on the mound for Myrtle Beach and suffered the loss, falling to 2-4 on the season. Reid allowed five runs on three hits over 1 1/3 innings of work, walking four and striking out one.

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