Cubs Farm System Recap: Rojas Leads Back-to-Back-to-Back Blast, Pelicans Launch Eight Homers

Let's check in on everything that happened down on the Chicago Cubs' farm yesterday.

Iowa's Late Power Surge Falls Short in 11-8 Loss to Indianapolis

Iowa hit four home runs but could not overcome a rough middle stretch, falling to the Indianapolis Indians 11-8. Will Sanders set the tone early, working five innings and allowing one run on three hits with one walk and six strikeouts, earning him the Player of The Game. 

Jonathon Long gave Iowa a brief 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the second, and he finished 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, and two runs scored.

The game turned in the sixth, when Indianapolis pushed across seven runs to open an 8-1 lead. Iowa answered in the bottom half with three home runs of its own.

Chas McCormick hit a two-run shot that scored BJ Murray, Christian Bethancourt followed with a two-run home run that brought home Long, and Casey Opitz capped the rally with a solo home run to pull Iowa within 8-7.

Indianapolis pulled away again with runs in the seventh and eighth, and Iowa's ninth-inning sacrifice fly from James Triantos, scoring Owen Miller, was not enough. McCormick and Bethancourt each drove in two runs, and Iowa left nine runners on base.

The bullpen could not hold the deficit, as Yosver Zulueta and Christian Roa combined to allow nine runs across the middle innings.

Three Straight Homers Lift Knoxville Over Chattanooga 4-1

Knoxville rode a single explosive inning and a strong start from Dawson Netz to defeat the Chattanooga Lookouts 4-1. Netz worked five innings, allowing one run on six hits with three walks and seven strikeouts. Erian Rodriguez and Marino Santy combined for four scoreless relief innings to close it out, with Santy earning the save.

The fourth inning decided the game. With the score tied 1-1, Jefferson Rojas, Owen Ayers, and Andy Garriola hit consecutive home runs to give Knoxville a 3-1 lead.

Rojas added an insurance run in the seventh, drawing a bases-loaded walk that scored Edgar Alvarez. Rojas finished with two runs batted in, and Ayers and Garriola each drove in one. Knoxville managed just three hits but made them count, all leaving the yard, and stranded five runners on the night.

Halbach Homers but South Bend Drops Both Ends at Fort Wayne

South Bend dropped the opener to the Fort Wayne TinCaps 4-3 despite solid pitching across the staff. Mason McGwire opened with three innings, allowing one run on two hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Cole Reynolds followed with four innings, giving up one run on one hit with two walks and three strikeouts. South Bend's lone offensive push came in the sixth. Trailing, the team got a two-run single from Justin Stransky on a soft fly to left, scoring Jose Escobar and Miguel Useche to make it a one-run game. Stransky drove in both of South Bend's runs on the play and finished with two runs batted in. The offense managed just three hits, drew eight walks, and left nine runners on base, unable to find the tying run. Adam Stone struggled in a brief relief outing, recording one out while allowing two runs to score and taking the loss.

In the nightcap, South Bend fell 5-2 despite a strong outing from Jostin Florentino, who worked four innings and allowed one run on one hit with two walks and six strikeouts. The game stayed close until the bottom of the sixth, when Brayden Spears ran into trouble and allowed four runs on three hits and two walks across two innings, taking the loss.

South Bend built an early lead with single runs in the third and fourth. In the third, Kane Kepley singled, moved into scoring position, and came around to tie the game at 1-1. Matt Halbach put South Bend ahead in the fourth with a solo home run to left center, making it 2-1.

The offense went quiet after that, managing just three hits, and Fort Wayne answered with a four-run sixth to pull away. Kepley reached base twice and stole two bases, while Miguel Useche added a double.

Myrtle Beach Erupts for Eight Homers in 21-10 Rout of Delmarva

Myrtle Beach overcame an early five-run deficit and exploded for a 21-10 win over the Delmarva Shorebirds. The pitching was uneven early, as Hayden Frank issued five walks across three innings while allowing five runs, three earned, on three hits with three strikeouts.

The bullpen settled things down, with Yoendris Gonzalez tossing 2 2/3 scoreless innings and earning the win, and Jordan Henriquez adding a scoreless frame with two strikeouts.

The offense did the heavy lifting in two enormous innings. Trailing 5-0, Myrtle Beach scored four in the fifth, highlighted by an Alexis Hernandez run-scoring double and a Michael Carico sacrifice fly.

The eighth inning blew the game open with an 11-run outburst. Derniche Valdez, Henniel Alcala, Alexey Lumpuy, Michael Carico, and Geuri Lubo all homered in the frame.

Alcala, Carico, and Lubo each delivering multi-run shots. Carico drove in four runs on the day, while Valdez, Lubo, Alcala, and Darlyn De Leon each knocked in three.

Yahil Melendez reached base in all four trips and scored four times. Myrtle Beach pounded out 17 hits and left 11 runners on base.

Top-20 Prospect Performance

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

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