Chicago Cubs Minor League Report: South Bend Buries Wisconsin

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Late Push Falls Short In Iowa Cubs' 6-5 Loss At Nashville

The Iowa Cubs jumped on top in Nashville before the Sounds chipped back inning by inning, eventually taking the lead late and holding on for a 6-5 win.

Pedro Ramírez had the standout day at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a stolen base. BJ Murray added three hits in four at-bats with a double, an RBI, and a walk. Jonathon Long collected two hits, leadoff hitter James Triantos doubled and drove in a run, and Christian Bethancourt added two hits.

Iowa took the lead in the third. Triantos doubled to left, scoring Justin Dean. Murray followed with a single to center to plate Triantos, putting the Cubs ahead 2-1.

The fifth produced two more runs. Cleanup hitter Kevin Alcántara grounded out to score Murray, then Scott Kingery drew a bases-loaded walk to score Ramírez, pushing the lead to 4-2.

Starter Doug Nikhazy worked 3 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits while walking seven and striking out four. Iowa pitching issued 11 walks in all. Nashville scored single runs in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth, with one run unearned after a Bethancourt throwing error.

Justin Dean's ninth-inning sacrifice fly scored Long to cut the deficit to 6-5, but the Cubs could not pull even. Iowa stranded 12 baserunners.

Three Home Runs Power Smokies Past Columbus 5-1

The Knoxville Smokies hit three home runs and got nine scoreless innings of relief on the way to a 5-1 win in Columbus.

Right fielder Alex Ramírez had the biggest day, going 2-for-5 with a two-run home run and an RBI single for three runs batted in. Carter Trice and Ethan Hearn each added solo home runs. Leadoff man Karson Simas reached three times on a single and two walks, scored twice, and stole two bases. Cleanup hitter Jefferson Rojas added a hit and a walk, and Hearn finished 2-for-4.

Trice opened the scoring in the first with a solo shot to right. Hearn went deep to right in the second, putting Knoxville ahead 2-0.

The fifth was the biggest inning. Simas singled to right and stole second, then Ramírez launched a two-run home run to right that opened the game up at 4-0. Knoxville added another in the seventh when Simas walked and came home on a Ramírez single to center.

Right-hander Jake Knapp started and worked 2 2/3 hitless innings with one walk and five strikeouts. Jace Beck followed with three innings, surrendering one unearned run on two hits with a walk and three strikeouts to pick up the win. Frankie Scalzo Jr. held the lead with 2 1/3 scoreless innings and three more strikeouts, and Evan Taylor finished with a scoreless ninth. Knoxville pitching combined for 13 strikeouts.

Columbus scored its only run in the sixth, an unearned run set up by a throwing error.

South Bend Cubs Erupt For 25 Runs In Rout Of Wisconsin

After falling behind 3-0 in the first, the South Bend Cubs answered with a 19-run flurry over the final three innings to bury the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 25-6.

Matt Halbach led the way with a 5-for-5 night that included a three-run home run, six runs batted in, five runs scored, and two walks. Leadoff hitter Kane Kepley reached six times with four hits, two walks, five runs scored, two RBI, and four stolen bases. Justin Stransky drove in five runs on a grand slam and a sacrifice fly. Alex Madera reached five times and drove in three. Cleanup hitter Kade Snell scored four times with two hits and two walks. Christian Olivo tripled and drove in two from the bottom of the order, and Leonel Espinoza added two hits and two RBI.

South Bend trailed 6-4 heading to the seventh before the offense broke open. Kepley scored on a Snell forceout, and Halbach launched a three-run shot to left to make it 10-6.

The eighth produced the biggest haul. Olivo and Kepley singled to start the inning, with Olivo scoring on Kepley's hit. After back-to-back walks, bases-loaded passes to Snell and Halbach forced in two more runs. A wild pitch scored Cole Mathis, Espinoza added a sacrifice fly, Madera doubled in another, Olivo tripled in two, and Kepley capped it with a second RBI single. Nine runs in all.

Stransky's grand slam highlighted a six-run ninth.

Starter Ethan Flanagan worked four innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Kevin Valdez followed with three innings, two runs, one earned, two hits, and seven strikeouts to earn the win.

Here's a recap of the wild last two innings of the game. You'll want to take a minute and check this out:

Hartshorn's Four RBI And Reid's Quality Start Lift Pelicans Past Augusta

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans cruised to a 6-1 win over the Augusta GreenJackets behind a four-RBI day from Josiah Hartshorn and six strong innings from right-hander Dominick Reid.

Hartshorn went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, four runs batted in, and a run scored. Leadoff hitter Alexis Hernandez reached three times with two hits, a double, a walk, and two runs scored. Geuri Lubo went deep for two more RBI, Yahil Melendez singled, walked, and stole a base, and Darlyn De Leon chipped in a hit and a run.

Myrtle Beach broke through in the second when Lubo launched a two-run home run to left center to score Melendez, putting the Pelicans up 2-0.

The third doubled the advantage. After Hernandez and De Leon reached, Hartshorn ripped a two-run double to left that plated both runners for a 4-0 lead.

Hartshorn closed the scoring in the seventh, lining a two-run home run to right center that brought home Hernandez and pushed the lead to 6-0. 

Reid turned in a quality start, throwing six innings of one-hit ball with no runs, no walks, and four strikeouts to earn the win. Aiden Moffett followed with two scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit and a walk while striking out three. Daniel Avitia closed out the ninth and surrendered an unearned run on two hits.

Top-20 Prospect Performance

1. Jefferson Rojas: 1-for-4, BB
2. Jaxon Wiggins: DNP
3. Pedro Ramirez: 4-for-5, R, SB
4. Kevin Alcantara: 0-for-4, RBI, BB, 2 K
5. Josiah Hartshorn: 2-for-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI
6. Ethan Conrad: DNP
7. Kane Kepley: 4-for-5, 5 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 4 SB
8. Jonathon Long: 2-for-5, 2 K
9. James Triantos: 1-for-5, 2B, RBI
10. Cole Mathis: 1-for-5, RBI, BB, K
11. Owen Ayers: DNP
12. Brooks Caple: DNP
13. Juan Cabada: DNP
14. Kaleb Wing: DNP
15. Angel Cepeda: DNP
16. Dominick Reid: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, W
17. Jostin Florentino: DNP
18. Ty Southisene: 1-for-5, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K
19. Will Sanders: DNP
20. Brandon Birdsell: DNP

Interested in learning more about the Chicago Cubs' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!