Travis Klosinski

Chicago Cubs Transactions Chicago Cubs sent RHP Andrew Wantz outright to Iowa Cubs. Iowa Cubs Build Early Lead, Then Fall 7-4 To Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Iowa scored in each of the first two innings and led 4-1 through four, but the offense stopped there in a 7-4 loss to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Brett Bateman singled to open the first, and Moisés Ballesteros singled him home two batters later. Kevin Alcántara drew a walk to start the second, Owen Miller reached on a force out, and Chas McCormick doubled Miller in. The fourth was the biggest inning. BJ Murray doubled to lead off, Miller singled him to third, and McCormick walked to load the bases. Ben Cowles then lined a single to center that scored Murray and Miller for a 4-1 lead. Bateman walked to reload the bases, but Owen Ayers struck out to end the inning. Grant Kipp allowed four runs on two hits over 4 2/3 innings, walking three and striking out three. He left with two runners on and two outs in the fifth, and both scored on a three-run homer charged to Eduarniel Núñez, who allowed two runs on three hits over 1 1/3 innings with a walk and a strikeout. Hoby Milner gave up a home run and one run on two hits in 1 1/3 innings. Gabe Klobosits recorded two outs with a strikeout, and Ethan Roberts worked one scoreless inning with a strikeout. Iowa finished with 10 hits and five walks, and left seven runners on base. Cowles went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a walk, Ballesteros went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Bateman went 2-for-4 with a walk. Player AB R H RBI BB K Brett Bateman, RF 4 1 2 0 1 1 Owen Ayers, DH 4 0 0 0 1 1 Moisés Ballesteros, C 4 0 2 1 0 1 Jonathon Long, 1B 4 0 0 0 0 1 BJ Murray, 3B 4 1 1 0 0 0 Kevin Alcántara, LF 3 0 1 0 1 1 Owen Miller, SS 4 2 1 0 0 1 Chas McCormick, CF 3 0 1 1 1 1 Ben Cowles, 2B 3 0 2 2 1 0 Totals 33 4 10 4 5 7 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Grant Kipp 4 2/3 2 4 4 3 3 1 Eduarniel Núñez (L, 0-2) 1 1/3 3 2 2 1 1 1 Hoby Milner 1 1/3 2 1 1 0 1 1 Gabe Klobosits 2/3 1 0 0 0 1 0 Ethan Roberts 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 9 8 7 7 4 7 3 Ariel Armas Homers, But Knoxville Smokies Fall 3-2 In Ten Innings Ariel Armas tied the game with a two-run homer in the fourth, and Knoxville held Pensacola even until the tenth in a 3-2 loss. https://x.com/smokiesbaseball/status/2083708314211274803 Pensacola scored first in the third on a single and a two-run homer. Knoxville answered in the fourth. Alex Ramírez opened with a single to center, Andy Garriola flied out, and Miguel Useche struck out. Armas then drove a two-run homer to left center to make it 2-2. Alex Madera walked behind him, but Ed Howard struck out to strand the runner. The score held there for five more innings. Knoxville put two runners on with one out in the ninth on walks by Useche and Armas, and did not score. In the tenth, the visiting zombie runner moved to third on a single and scored on a double play grounder, and Knoxville trailed 3-2. In the bottom half, zombie runner Ed Howard reached third on a leadoff single by Drew Bowser, but the Smokies stranded both runners on a strikeout, a pop out, and a force out. Brooks Caple allowed two runs on five hits over five innings, walking two and striking out four. Evan Taylor followed with two scoreless innings, walking two and striking out one. Tyler Schlaffer worked three innings and allowed one unearned run on four hits with three strikeouts and no walks. Knoxville managed five hits, drew four walks, struck out 11 times, and left eight runners on base. Armas went 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBI, and Madera went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carter Trice, LF 5 0 1 0 0 3 Jefferson Rojas, 3B 4 0 0 0 1 0 Alex Ramírez, CF 5 1 1 0 0 0 Andy Garriola, RF 4 0 0 0 0 2 Miguel Useche, DH 3 0 0 0 1 1 Karson Simas, DH 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ariel Armas, C 3 1 1 2 1 0 Alex Madera, 2B 3 0 1 0 1 1 Ed Howard, SS 4 0 0 0 0 3 Drew Bowser, 1B 4 0 1 0 0 1 Totals 35 2 5 2 4 11 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Brooks Caple 5 5 2 2 2 4 1 Evan Taylor 2 0 0 0 2 1 0 Tyler Schlaffer (L, 1-7) 3 4 1 0 0 3 0 Totals 10 9 3 2 4 8 1 Michael Hallquist Homers Twice As South Bend Cubs Rout Lake County 10-3 South Bend collected 17 hits and 11 walks in a 10-3 win at Lake County, and Michael Hallquist hit two home runs. The second inning put South Bend in front for good. Michael Carico doubled to open it, Geuri Lubo struck out, and Hallquist drove a two-run homer to left center for a 3-1 lead. Hallquist added a solo homer in the fifth. The sixth produced four runs. Matt Halbach walked, Kade Snell grounded out to move him up, and Logan Poteet walked. Carico doubled to center to score Halbach and send Poteet to third. Lubo then singled to second and both Poteet and Carico scored on the play, with a throwing error allowing Lubo to reach second. Hallquist lined out, Kane Kepley walked, and Angel Cepeda doubled to right to score Lubo for a 9-3 lead. Lubo added an RBI single in the seventh that scored Snell. Alfredo Romero allowed two runs on two hits over 3 2/3 innings, walking five and striking out three. Adam Stone allowed one run on one hit in 1 1/3 innings with a walk and a strikeout. Jackson Brockett threw three hitless innings with five strikeouts and two walks. Luis Rujano finished with one scoreless inning, allowing one hit with two strikeouts. Cepeda went 3-for-6 with a double and an RBI, Jose Escobar went 3-for-4 with a walk, and Snell went 3-for-5 with two runs. Carico went 2-for-5 with two doubles. South Bend left 18 runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Kane Kepley, DH 5 0 0 1 2 4 Angel Cepeda, SS 6 1 3 1 0 1 Jose Escobar, LF 4 0 3 0 1 0 Matt Halbach, 3B 5 1 2 1 1 1 Kade Snell, CF 5 2 3 0 1 0 Logan Poteet, C 3 1 0 0 3 2 Michael Carico, 1B 5 2 2 1 1 2 Geuri Lubo, RF 6 1 2 2 0 2 Michael Hallquist, 2B 4 2 2 3 2 1 Totals 43 10 17 9 11 13 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Alfredo Romero 3 2/3 2 2 2 5 3 1 Adam Stone 1 1/3 1 1 1 1 1 0 Jackson Brockett (W, 7-2) 3 0 0 0 2 5 0 Luis Rujano 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 Totals 9 4 3 3 9 11 1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans Blank Charleston 6-0 Behind Noah Edders And Alexey Lumpuy Myrtle Beach allowed two hits and struck out 13 in a 6-0 win over Charleston, and Alexey Lumpuy drove in three runs. The second inning decided it. Eli Lovich led off with a walk, and Jose Silva doubled him home. Corey Nunez walked, and Dom Krupinski lined a single to right that scored Silva. Jhoander Irigoyen walked to load the bases, and Jan Luis Reyes struck out. Lumpuy then tripled to left, clearing the bases and scoring Nunez, Krupinski, and Irigoyen for a 5-0 lead. Myrtle Beach added a run in the sixth. Krupinski walked with two outs, Irigoyen singled to right, and Reyes brought Krupinski home with a ground ball single to third. Noah Edders allowed one hit over five scoreless innings, walking one and striking out seven. Edwardo Melendez followed with three scoreless innings, allowing one hit with a walk and five strikeouts. Sam Mettert closed it with a scoreless inning and a strikeout. Irigoyen went 3-for-3 with a walk and a run, and Lumpuy went 2-for-4 with a triple, a walk, and three RBI. Silva went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, and an RBI. Krupinski scored twice and drove in a run. The Pelicans finished with eight hits and seven walks, and left eight runners on base. They committed no errors. Player AB R H RBI BB K Alexey Lumpuy, CF 4 0 2 3 1 0 Alexis Hernandez, SS 5 0 0 0 0 4 Ethan Conrad, RF 4 0 0 0 0 0 Eli Lovich, LF 2 1 0 0 2 2 Jose Silva, C 3 1 1 1 1 1 Corey Nunez, 3B 3 1 0 0 1 1 Dom Krupinski, 2B 3 2 1 1 1 1 Jhoander Irigoyen, DH 3 1 3 0 1 0 Jan Luis Reyes, 1B 4 0 1 1 0 2 Totals 31 6 8 6 7 11 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Noah Edders (W, 1-4) 5 1 0 0 1 7 0 Edwardo Melendez (H, 1) 3 1 0 0 1 5 0 Sam Mettert 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 9 2 0 0 2 13 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jefferson Rojas: 0-for-4, BB Pedro Ramirez: DNP Jaxon Wiggins: DNP Josiah Hartshorn: DNP Kevin Alcantara: 1-for-3, BB, K Ethan Conrad: 0-for-4 Kane Kepley: 0-for-5, RBI, 2 BB, 4 K Owen Ayers: 0-for-4, BB, K Jonathon Long: 0-for-4, K Kaleb Wing: DNP James Triantos: DNP Brooks Caple: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K Mason McGwire: DNP Ty Southisene: DNP Will Sanders: DNP Juan Cabada: DNP Eli Lovich: 0-for-2, 2 BB, 2 K Ariel Armas: 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB Jostin Florentino: DNP Grant Kipp: 4 2/3 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K View full article

Chicago Cubs Transactions No Roster Moves Iowa Cubs Held Scoreless In 11-0 Loss To Scranton/Wilkes-Barre The Iowa Cubs were shut out at home, dropping an 11-0 decision to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Iowa managed six hits, drew three walks, struck out nine times, and left six runners on base. Jordan Wicks worked five innings and gave up six hits, five runs, two of them earned, with two walks and one strikeout. The third inning turned the game. A fielder's choice brought home the first run after a throwing error by Owen Miller, a second fielder's choice plated another after a fielding error by Ben Cowles, a single to left made it 3-0, and a groundout to first capped a four-run inning. Wicks also gave up a solo home run in the fourth. Vince Reilly followed with two innings, three hits, one run, one walk, and two strikeouts, with the run crossing on a wild pitch. Collin Snider allowed no hits over an inning but walked two. Luis Peralta recorded two outs and was charged with four hits, five runs, one walk, and one strikeout, surrendering a three-run homer and a solo shot in a five-run ninth. Ethan Hearn retired the only batter he faced. Greg Jones led Iowa with two hits in three at-bats. Jonathon Long, Owen Miller, Kevin Alcántara, and Owen Ayers each had one hit, and Ayers added a walk. Brett Bateman and Hayden Cantrelle also walked. Iowa's best look came in the fifth, when Ayers walked and moved to third on a Jones single, but a strikeout and a groundout ended the inning. Player AB R H RBI BB K Brett Bateman 3 0 0 0 1 1 Jonathon Long 4 0 1 0 0 0 BJ Murray 4 0 0 0 0 0 Owen Miller 4 0 1 0 0 0 Kevin Alcántara 4 0 1 0 0 2 Owen Ayers 3 0 1 0 1 2 Ben Cowles 3 0 0 0 0 1 Greg Jones 3 0 2 0 0 1 Hayden Cantrelle 2 0 0 0 1 2 Totals 30 0 6 0 3 9 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jordan Wicks 5 6 5 2 2 1 1 Vince Reilly 2 3 1 1 1 2 0 Collin Snider 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 Luis Peralta 2/3 4 5 5 1 1 2 Ethan Hearn 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 9 13 11 8 6 4 3 Brody McCullough Strikes Out Five In Knoxville's 5-1 Loss The Knoxville Smokies lost 5-1 at home to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, finishing with six hits, five walks, 14 strikeouts, and nine runners left on base. Brody McCullough gave Knoxville five innings, allowing two hits, one run, one walk, and five strikeouts. The only damage against him was a solo home run in the fourth. Luke Little followed with an inning, two hits, two runs, one of them earned, one walk, and one strikeout. Pensacola's sixth began with a fielding error by Jefferson Rojas that let a run score, and a double to left brought in another for a 3-0 lead. Erian Rodriguez worked two innings and gave up two hits and one run without a walk, striking out one, with the run scoring on a groundout. Grayson Moore closed with an inning, one hit, one run, no walks, and two strikeouts, giving up a solo home run. Knoxville got on the board in the eighth. Jefferson Rojas doubled with two outs, then scored on a passed ball during Andy Garriola's at-bat. Garriola singled, Miguel Useche followed with a single, and Carter Trice walked to load the bases, but a strikeout ended the inning. Rojas finished 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and two strikeouts. Useche went 2-for-3 with a walk. Alex Ramírez had one hit and one walk out of the leadoff spot, and Trice drew two walks. The Smokies struck out 14 times, with Edgar Alvarez, Colin Hynek, and Karson Simas combining for eight of them. Player AB R H RBI BB K Alex Ramírez 4 0 1 0 1 0 Jefferson Rojas 4 1 2 0 0 2 Andy Garriola 4 0 1 0 0 2 Miguel Useche 3 0 2 0 1 0 Carter Trice 2 0 0 0 2 0 Edgar Alvarez 4 0 0 0 0 3 Colin Hynek 4 0 0 0 0 3 Karson Simas 4 0 0 0 0 2 Alex Madera 3 0 0 0 1 2 Totals 32 1 6 0 5 14 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Brody McCullough 5 2 1 1 1 5 1 Luke Little 1 2 2 1 1 1 0 Erian Rodriguez 2 2 1 1 0 1 0 Grayson Moore 1 1 1 1 0 2 1 Totals 9 7 5 4 2 9 2 Five Home Runs Push South Bend Past Lake County 11-8 The South Bend Cubs hit five home runs and collected 17 hits in an 11-8 win at Lake County. South Bend also drew five walks and left 10 runners on base. Nazier Mulé struck out eight over 3 1/3 innings, allowing four hits, three runs, and one walk. Brayden Spears picked up the win with three innings, three hits, three runs, two walks, and five strikeouts, giving up two home runs. Yoendris Gonzalez worked 1 2/3 innings with two hits, two runs, one walk, and three strikeouts. Ethan Bell struck out three in a hitless, walkless inning for his seventh save. South Bend pitchers struck out 19. Kade Snell and Logan Poteet each homered twice. Snell went 2-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Poteet finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, two runs scored, and a walk. Matt Halbach added a home run and went 2-for-5 with two RBI. The sixth inning broke the game open. With South Bend ahead 5-4, Josiah Hartshorn tripled to center to score Michael Hallquist and Kane Kepley, and Halbach singled to center to bring Hartshorn home for an 8-4 lead. Hartshorn doubled to right in the seventh to score Kepley and Ty Southisene, and Poteet homered again in the eighth. Hartshorn finished 2-for-5 with a triple, a double, four RBI, and a walk. Southisene went 3-for-6. Kepley had one hit and three walks out of the leadoff spot, and he scored twice. Jose Escobar and Geuri Lubo each had two hits. Player AB R H RBI BB K Kane Kepley 3 2 1 0 3 0 Ty Southisene 6 1 3 0 0 2 Josiah Hartshorn 5 1 2 4 1 0 Jose Escobar 4 1 2 0 0 0 Matt Halbach 5 1 2 2 0 1 Kade Snell 5 2 2 3 0 0 Logan Poteet 4 2 2 2 1 1 Geuri Lubo 5 0 2 0 0 2 Michael Hallquist 5 1 1 0 0 3 Totals 42 11 17 11 5 9 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Nazier Mulé 3 1/3 4 3 3 1 8 0 Brayden Spears 3 3 3 3 2 5 2 Yoendris Gonzalez 1 2/3 2 2 2 1 3 0 Ethan Bell 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 Totals 9 9 8 8 4 19 2 Late Charleston Surge Ends Myrtle Beach Comeback In 9-6 Loss The Myrtle Beach Pelicans led through six innings before losing 9-6 at home to the Charleston RiverDogs. Myrtle Beach had nine hits, five walks, 10 strikeouts, two errors, and seven runners left on base. Braylon Myers gave up no runs across five innings, scattering five hits without a walk and striking out eight. David Bracho followed with two innings and was charged with three hits, five runs, two walks, and four strikeouts, taking the loss and a blown save. Charleston's seventh produced five runs, opening with a single that scored a run, a force out with a throwing error by Fernando Cruz that scored another, and a three-run home run to left. Jordan Henriquez worked two innings and allowed four hits, four runs, and one walk with one strikeout, giving up a grand slam that made it 9-3. Jose Silva homered to left center in the second for the game's first run. In the fifth, Corey Nunez walked, Jan Luis Reyes doubled to left, and Ethan Conrad doubled to right to score both for a 3-0 lead. Myrtle Beach answered in the eighth. Silva and Derik Alcantara walked, Nunez singled to left to score Silva, and Reyes tripled to right to bring in Alcantara and Nunez, cutting the deficit to 9-6. Silva finished 2-for-2 with a home run, two walks, one RBI, and two runs scored. Reyes went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, and two RBI. Nunez had two hits and a walk with one RBI, and Conrad drove in two. Player AB R H RBI BB K Alexey Lumpuy 5 0 1 0 0 2 Alexis Hernandez 4 0 1 0 1 2 Ethan Conrad 5 0 1 2 0 0 Eli Lovich 5 0 0 0 0 2 Jose Silva 2 2 2 1 2 0 Derik Alcantara 3 1 0 0 1 1 Fernando Cruz 3 0 0 0 0 2 Ivan Cespedes 1 0 0 0 0 1 Corey Nunez 3 2 2 1 1 0 Jan Luis Reyes 4 1 2 2 0 0 Totals 35 6 9 6 5 10 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Braylon Myers 5 5 0 0 0 8 0 David Bracho 2 3 5 5 2 4 1 Jordan Henriquez 2 4 4 4 1 1 1 Totals 9 12 9 9 3 13 2 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jefferson Rojas: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 K Pedro Ramirez: DNP Jaxon Wiggins: DNP Josiah Hartshorn: 2-for-5, 3B, 2B, 4 RBI, BB Kevin Alcántara: 1-for-4, 2 K Ethan Conrad: 1-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI Kane Kepley: 1-for-3, 3 BB Owen Ayers: 1-for-3, BB, 2 K Jonathon Long: 1-for-4 Kaleb Wing: DNP James Triantos: DNP Brooks Caple: DNP Mason McGwire: DNP Ty Southisene: 3-for-6, 2 K Will Sanders: DNP Juan Cabada: DNP Eli Lovich: 0-for-5, 2 K Ariel Armas: DNP Jostin Florentino: DNP Grant Kipp: DNP View full article

Five games, five losses, and 22 hits across the system. It was not a pretty night for Chicago Cubs affiliates. Brooks Caple threw a quality start and lost, Chas McCormick doubled twice in the nightcap, Michael Carico drove in three of South Bend's four runs, and Myrtle Beach's 10th-inning lead vanished on a throwing error. Chicago Cubs Transactions No Roster Moves Five-Run Second Sinks Iowa In 8-0 Game One Loss At Gwinnett: Game 1 Iowa managed four hits and no runs in the opener of a doubleheader at Gwinnett, dropping an 8-0 decision in seven innings. Owen Ayers had the only multi-hit game of the night, going 2-for-3. Moisés Ballesteros and Ben Cowles each doubled, accounting for Iowa's two extra-base hits. Jonathon Long and Chas McCormick drew the team's only walks. Iowa struck out seven times and left six runners on base. Jordan Wicks did not get out of the second. He allowed four hits, five runs, and three walks while striking out one over 1 2/3 innings, and he took the loss to fall to 0-8. The second inning turned on a two-out stretch that Wicks could not close. Gwinnett opened with a single and a walk, then a two-run double put Iowa behind. A walk followed, and after a strikeout, another two-run double made it 4-0. A two-out single brought home the fifth run of the frame. Jake Woodford followed with 2 1/3 scoreless innings on three hits, no walks, and one strikeout. Ethan Roberts gave up a hit, a walk, and two runs over an inning, with both runs scoring on a double. Corbin Martin allowed an unearned run on one hit and one walk with a strikeout over an inning, with the run crossing on a double play. Iowa did not put a runner across in any inning. Player AB R H RBI BB K BJ Murray, 3B 3 0 0 0 0 1 Jonathon Long, 1B 2 0 0 0 1 1 Moisés Ballesteros, DH 3 0 1 0 0 1 Owen Miller, SS 3 0 0 0 0 0 Owen Ayers, C 3 0 2 0 0 0 Chas McCormick, LF 2 0 0 0 1 0 Greg Jones, CF 3 0 0 0 0 1 Ben Cowles, 2B 3 0 1 0 0 1 Hayden Cantrelle, RF 3 0 0 0 0 2 Totals 25 0 4 0 2 7 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jordan Wicks (L, 0-8) 1 2/3 4 5 5 3 1 0 Jake Woodford 2 1/3 3 0 0 0 1 0 Ethan Roberts 1 1 2 2 1 1 0 Corbin Martin 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 Totals 6 9 8 7 5 4 0 Four Runs Before The First Out Bury Iowa In 5-3 Game Two Loss: Game 2 Iowa fell behind by four runs before it recorded an out on defense and lost the nightcap 5-3 in seven innings, completing a doubleheader sweep for Gwinnett. Chas McCormick doubled twice, going 2-for-3 and accounting for both of Iowa's extra-base hits out of a three-hit night. Leadoff man Brett Bateman was 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI. Jonathon Long, Ben Cowles, and Casey Opitz each drew a walk, and Cowles and Opitz both came around to score. BJ Murray drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Greg Jones struck out three times, and Moisés Ballesteros struck out twice. Iowa left three runners on base. The third inning produced all of Iowa's offense. Cowles and Opitz opened with walks, Bateman singled to left to bring Cowles home, and Long walked to load the bases. A wild pitch during Murray's at-bat scored Opitz, and Murray then lifted a sacrifice fly to right that brought in Bateman. Iowa did not score again. Ty Blach gave Iowa three innings, allowing six hits, four runs, and one walk while striking out three. Gwinnett got to him immediately, opening with a double and a walk, then scoring twice on a double and twice more on a home run before Blach recorded an out. Antoine Kelly followed with two innings on one hit, one run, one walk, and three strikeouts, with the run coming on a solo home run. Eduarniel Núñez finished with a scoreless inning, walking two and striking out one without allowing a hit. Blach took the loss and fell to 5-5. Player AB R H RBI BB K Brett Bateman, CF 2 1 1 1 0 0 Jonathon Long, 1B 2 0 0 0 1 0 BJ Murray, 3B 2 0 0 1 0 1 Moisés Ballesteros, DH 3 0 0 0 0 2 Owen Miller, 2B 3 0 0 0 0 0 Chas McCormick, LF 3 0 2 0 0 0 Greg Jones, RF 3 0 0 0 0 3 Ben Cowles, SS 2 1 0 0 1 0 Casey Opitz, C 2 1 0 0 1 0 Totals 22 3 3 2 3 6 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ty Blach (L, 5-5) 3 6 4 4 1 3 1 Antoine Kelly 2 1 1 1 1 3 1 Eduarniel Núñez 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 Totals 6 7 5 5 4 7 2 Knoxville Piles Up 10 Hits, Strands 10, And Loses 5-0 Knoxville put 10 hits and a walk on the board at Rocket City and never scored, falling 5-0. Andy Garriola went 2-for-4 with a double, Alex Madera went 2-for-4 with a double, and Ethan Hearn went 2-for-4. Carter Trice added the third double of the night, going 1-for-4. Ariel Armas was 1-for-4, Karson Simas was 1-for-3 with a walk, and Alex Ramírez was 1-for-5. Jefferson Rojas and Ed Howard were each hitless in four at-bats. The Smokies struck out 10 times and left 10 runners on base, and the seventh inning was typical of the night, with Madera leading off with a double and being stranded there. Brooks Caple gave Knoxville six innings, allowing six hits, three runs, and no walks while striking out four. Two of the hits left the yard, and that was the difference in his quality start. He took the loss and fell to 3-3. Rocket City broke through in the third on a sacrifice fly, added a solo home run in the fourth, and got another solo home run in the fifth. Erian Rodriguez could not find the plate, giving up two hits, two walks, and two runs over an inning. Both of those runs walked home with one out. Evan Taylor followed with a scoreless inning on one hit. Knoxville's pitching allowed nine hits and two walks over eight innings. Player AB R H RBI BB K Alex Ramírez, CF 5 0 1 0 0 1 Jefferson Rojas, DH 4 0 0 0 0 0 Andy Garriola, LF 4 0 2 0 0 2 Carter Trice, RF 4 0 1 0 0 2 Ariel Armas, C 4 0 1 0 0 0 Ethan Hearn, 1B 4 0 2 0 0 2 Karson Simas, SS 3 0 1 0 1 1 Ed Howard, 2B 4 0 0 0 0 2 Alex Madera, 3B 4 0 2 0 0 0 Totals 36 0 10 0 1 10 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Brooks Caple (L, 3-3) 6 6 3 3 0 4 2 Erian Rodriguez 1 2 2 2 2 0 0 Evan Taylor 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 8 9 5 5 2 4 2 South Bend Leads Into The Seventh, Then Falls 6-4 To Wisconsin South Bend built a lead on five hits and six walks, then gave it back over the last three innings in a 6-4 loss to Wisconsin. Michael Carico drove in three of the four runs, going 1-for-3 with a walk. Matt Halbach was 1-for-3 with a walk and scored twice while also providing some flashy defense. . Logan Poteet was 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, and a run. Michael Hallquist added a double and a walk, and Jose Escobar was 1-for-3 with a walk. Leadoff man Kane Kepley walked, scored a run, and went hitless in four at-bats. The second inning put South Bend in front. Halbach singled with one out, Poteet doubled him to third, and after a groundout, Carico singled to center to score both. The fourth was all walks. Halbach, Poteet, and Hallquist worked free passes to load the bases, and Carico walked to force in the third run. Kohl Franklin allowed five hits, one run, and one walk with one strikeout over 4 1/3 innings. Grayson Moore followed with 1 2/3 hitless innings and two strikeouts. Eli Jerzembeck could not hold the lead, giving up three hits, three walks, and two runs while recording two outs and taking a blown save. Ethan Bell allowed three hits and two runs over 1 1/3 innings and took the loss to fall to 3-2. Jose Romero allowed an unearned run on one hit and one walk with two strikeouts over an inning. South Bend answered in the seventh on a wild pitch that scored Kepley, but left six on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Kane Kepley, CF 4 1 0 0 1 0 Josiah Hartshorn, RF 4 0 0 0 0 0 Jose Escobar, DH 3 0 1 0 1 1 Angel Cepeda, SS 4 0 0 0 0 2 Kade Snell, LF 4 0 0 0 0 1 Matt Halbach, 3B 3 2 1 0 1 0 Logan Poteet, C 3 1 1 0 1 2 Michael Hallquist, 2B 3 0 1 0 1 1 Michael Carico, 1B 3 0 1 3 1 0 Totals 31 4 5 3 6 7 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Kohl Franklin 4 1/3 5 1 1 1 1 0 Grayson Moore 1 2/3 0 0 0 0 2 0 Eli Jerzembeck (BS, 2) 2/3 3 2 2 3 0 0 Ethan Bell (L, 3-2) 1 1/3 3 2 2 0 1 0 Jose Romero 1 1 1 0 1 2 0 Totals 9 12 6 5 5 6 0 Myrtle Beach Strikes Out 17 Times, Loses 4-3 In 10 Innings Myrtle Beach took a lead into the bottom of the 10th and lost 4-3 at Hickory, striking out 17 times along the way. Alexey Lumpuy carried the offense from the leadoff spot, going 2-for-4 with a home run, a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored. Ethan Conrad was 1-for-5, Edward Vargas was 1-for-4 with a run, and Derik Alcantara was 1-for-4. Alexis Hernandez was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Eli Lovich drove in a run and struck out three times in four at-bats, and Fernando Cruz struck out four times. The Pelicans finished with six hits, four walks, and nine runners left on base. Lumpuy provided the only lead the Pelicans held for long, homering to right center in the third for a 2-1 edge. The 10th looked like it would hold up. Vargas started as the zombie runner at second, Lumpuy singled him to third, and Hernandez lifted a sacrifice fly to right for a 3-2 lead. Lovich and Derniche Valdez then struck out to end the inning. Noah Edders worked four innings on four hits, one run, and no walks with four strikeouts. Emilio Ramos followed with three innings, four hits, one run, one walk, and five strikeouts, with the run coming on a home run in the fifth. Edwardo Melendez took the loss and fell to 4-3, allowing two hits, two unearned runs, and one walk with three strikeouts over 2 1/3 innings. The tying run came home on a double, and the winning run scored on a groundout aided by a throwing error. Player AB R H RBI BB K Alexey Lumpuy, RF 4 2 2 1 1 1 Alexis Hernandez, SS 3 0 1 1 0 1 Ethan Conrad, CF 5 0 1 0 0 1 Eli Lovich, LF 4 0 0 1 0 3 Derniche Valdez, 3B 3 0 0 0 2 2 Derik Alcantara, DH 4 0 1 0 0 2 Fernando Cruz, 2B 4 0 0 0 0 4 Jose Silva, C 3 0 0 0 1 1 Edward Vargas, 1B 4 1 1 0 0 2 Totals 34 3 6 3 4 17 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Noah Edders 4 4 1 1 0 4 0 Emilio Ramos 3 4 1 1 1 5 1 Edwardo Melendez (L, 4-3) 2 1/3 2 2 0 1 3 0 Totals 9 1/3 10 4 2 2 12 1 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jefferson Rojas: 0-for-4 Pedro Ramirez: DNP Jaxon Wiggins: DNP Josiah Hartshorn: 0-for-4 Kevin Alcantara: DNP Ethan Conrad: 1-for-5, 1 K Kane Kepley: 0-for-4, BB, R Owen Ayers: 2-for-3 (Game One), DNP (Game Two) Jonathon Long: 0-for-2, BB, 1 K (Game One), 0-for-2, BB (Game Two) Kaleb Wing: DNP James Triantos: DNP Brooks Caple: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 2 HR Mason McGwire: DNP Ty Southisene: DNP Will Sanders: DNP Juan Cabada: DNP Eli Lovich: 0-for-4, RBI, 3 K Ariel Armas: 1-for-4 Jostin Florentino: DNP Grant Kipp: DNP View full article

South Bend rode Josiah Hartshorn's home run and Ethan Flanagan's five strong innings to a 4-2 win over Wisconsin, with Ethan Bell closing it out. Iowa fell 4-2 in a rain-shortened game as Jaxon Wiggins struggled early, though reliever Antoine Kelly struck out three. Brody McCullough was dominant for Knoxville, but Andy Garriola's three-run homer and Ethan Hearn's solo shot were not enough as the Smokies dropped a 5-4 walk-off. Myrtle Beach was postponed. Cubs Transactions No Roster Moves Rain Shortens Iowa's Loss In Gwinnett The Iowa Cubs fell 4-2 to the Gwinnett Stripers in a game shortened to five innings by rain. Iowa scored single runs in the first and fifth innings, and Brett Bateman was the engine at the top of the order, going 2 for 2 with a double, a stolen base, and both of Iowa's runs scored. Behind him, the offense managed only one more hit, a run-scoring single from BJ Murray, who also stole a base. Outside of Bateman and Murray, the Iowa hitters were held without a hit, and the visitors could not sustain any pressure after the opening inning. Starter Jaxon Wiggins struggled through a short outing, charged with three runs on five hits and three walks over two and two-thirds innings, striking out two, and he took the loss. The damage came in the second inning, when Gwinnett pushed across all three of its early runs against him. Collin Snider entered to record the final out of the third inning, and Antoine Kelly followed with two steady innings of relief, allowing two hits and a single run while striking out three. Trailing 4-2 after the bottom of the fifth, Iowa never got the chance to answer, as the rain ended the game early. Bateman's pair of hits and Murray's run-scoring single accounted for the entirety of the Iowa offense against Gwinnett's pitching. Iowa Cubs, Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Brett Bateman 3 2 2 0 0 0 Jonathon Long 2 0 0 0 1 1 BJ Murray 2 0 1 1 0 0 Owen Miller 2 0 0 0 0 1 Owen Ayers 2 0 0 0 0 2 Ben Cowles 2 0 0 0 0 1 Greg Jones 2 0 0 0 0 0 Casey Opitz 2 0 0 0 0 1 Hayden Cantrelle 2 0 0 0 0 0 Iowa Cubs, Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jaxon Wiggins 2 2/3 5 3 3 3 2 0 Collin Snider 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Antoine Kelly 2 2 1 1 1 3 0 McCullough Shines But Smokies Fall In Walk-Off The Knoxville Smokies collected a dozen hits and got a brilliant start from Brody McCullough, but they could not push enough of those baserunners across and fell 5-4 to the Rocket City Trash Pandas on a walk-off in the bottom of the ninth. Knoxville managed just four runs on twelve hits, stranding runners all night. Andy Garriola carried the offense, going 2 for 4 with a three-run home run, a walk, and three runs batted in. Ethan Hearn added a solo home run as part of a 1-for-4 night. Jefferson Rojas and Miguel Useche each doubled and finished with two hits, Alex Madera chipped in a pair of hits and a stolen base, and Karson Simas reached twice and swiped a bag. The Smokies scored once in the fourth and three more times in the seventh, but they could not find the tying run late. McCullough was outstanding on the mound, working four and two-thirds innings of hitless ball with three strikeouts while allowing just one run. The bullpen could not hold it, however, as Frankie Scalzo Jr. surrendered three runs on four hits in the sixth to hand Rocket City the lead. Koen Moreno and Marino Santy combined for scoreless relief to keep Knoxville within striking distance, but Tyler Santana was tagged with the loss after the Trash Pandas pushed across the winning run with one out in the ninth. The Smokies' comeback bid came up one run short in a 5-4 defeat. Knoxville Smokies, Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Alex Ramirez 4 1 1 0 1 2 Jefferson Rojas 5 1 2 0 0 0 Andy Garriola 4 1 2 3 1 0 Edgar Alvarez 4 0 1 0 1 3 Miguel Useche 5 0 2 0 0 2 Ethan Hearn 4 1 1 1 1 2 Karson Simas 4 0 1 0 1 2 Alex Madera 4 0 2 0 0 0 Drew Bowser 4 0 0 0 0 2 Knoxville Smokies, Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Brody McCullough 4 2/3 0 1 1 3 3 0 Frankie Scalzo Jr. 1 4 3 3 0 0 0 Koen Moreno 1 1/3 0 0 0 3 2 0 Marino Santy 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tyler Santana 1/3 3 1 1 0 0 0 Hartshorn's Homer Lifts South Bend Past Wisconsin The South Bend Cubs earned a 4-2 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, powered by a big night from Josiah Hartshorn. Hartshorn was the centerpiece of the offense, going 2 for 3 with a home run, a double, a walk, two runs batted in, and three runs scored from the second spot in the order. Jose Escobar chipped in a triple and an RBI as part of a 2-for-4 afternoon, and Angel Cepeda also collected two hits. Kade Snell doubled, walked, drove in a run, and stole a base. Leadoff man Kane Kepley reached base twice on a pair of walks, scored a run, and swiped a bag. South Bend finished with seven hits and stayed patient throughout, drawing walks to keep innings alive. Flanagan was in control on the mound, working five innings and allowing just one run on three hits and one walk while striking out four to earn the win, his lone blemish a solo home run. The bullpen finished the job in relief, as Ben Johnson tossed two scoreless innings, Luis Rujano gave up a run over an inning and a third, and Ethan Bell retired the final two batters for the save. With the win, South Bend backed a productive night at the plate with steady pitching, holding Wisconsin to two runs and closing out a 4-2 victory. South Bend Cubs, Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Kane Kepley 3 1 0 0 2 0 Josiah Hartshorn 3 3 2 2 1 0 Jose Escobar 4 0 2 1 0 0 Angel Cepeda 4 0 2 0 0 0 Kade Snell 3 0 1 1 1 1 Matt Halbach 4 0 0 0 0 0 Logan Poteet 4 0 0 0 0 2 Michael Hallquist 2 0 0 0 1 1 Michael Carico 3 0 0 0 1 1 South Bend Cubs, Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ethan Flanagan 5 3 1 1 1 4 1 Ben Johnson 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 Luis Rujano 1 1/3 1 1 1 0 0 0 Ethan Bell 2/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Single-A: Myrtle Beach Postponed Top-20 Prospect Performance Jefferson Rojas (Double-A Knoxville): 2 for 5, 2B, R Pedro Ramirez: Did not play Jaxon Wiggins (Triple-A Iowa): Loss, 2 2/3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K Josiah Hartshorn (High-A South Bend): 2 for 3, HR, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB Kevin Alcantara: Did not play Ethan Conrad: Did not play Kane Kepley (High-A South Bend): 0 for 3, R, 2 BB, SB Owen Ayers (Triple-A Iowa): 0 for 2, 2 K Jonathon Long (Triple-A Iowa): 0 for 2, BB, K Kaleb Wing: Did not play James Triantos: Did not play Brooks Caple: Did not play Mason McGwire: Did not play Ty Southisene: Did not play Will Sanders: Did not play Juan Cabada: Did not play Eli Lovich: Did not play Ariel Armas: Did not play Jostin Florentino: Did not play Grant Kipp: Did not play View full article

Chicago Cubs farmhands dropped two of three Wednesday across the system. Iowa erased a five-run hole to tie Gwinnett before reliever Andrew Wantz surrendered two seventh-inning runs in a frustrating 7-5 loss. Knoxville's starter Dawson Netz struggled early, and a spirited four-run ninth fell just short at Rocket City, 6-5. South Bend rode Nazier Mule's six strikeouts, Brayden Spears' steady relief, and Jose Escobar's four hits to a 6-3 win over Wisconsin. Myrtle Beach was postponed. Cubs Transactions No Roster Moves Triple-A: Iowa's Comeback Falls Short in 7-5 Loss at Gwinnett The Iowa Cubs nearly completed a stunning comeback in Gwinnett, but the bullpen could not protect a tie, and the Triple-A club fell 7-5. Starter Jace Beck endured a rough afternoon, allowing all five of the opponent's early runs on seven hits over three innings before the offense went to work. Trailing by five, Iowa erupted for four runs in the top of the sixth. Brett Bateman opened the frame with a double, Jonathon Long and BJ Murray drew walks to load the bases. Owen Ayers punched an RBI single to left. Chas McCormick and Ben Cowles each coaxed bases-loaded walks, and James Triantos reached on an error that plated another run, pulling the visitors within one. In the seventh, Long doubled and scored on a Murray sacrifice fly to knot the game at five. The rally went for naught. Andrew Wantz, who had been sharp with five strikeouts, surrendered two runs in the bottom of the seventh to take the loss. Corbin Martin and Ethan Roberts combined for two scoreless innings, but Iowa could not answer in the final frames. Ayers led the offense with two hits, including a double, while Long reached base twice, scored a pair of runs, and swiped a bag. Bateman, Owen Miller, and Cowles each doubled as the visitors collected five two-baggers in all. Iowa showed patience with five walks and battled back from a daunting deficit, yet stranded the tying run late and dropped a game it appeared poised to steal. Iowa Cubs Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Brett Bateman 5 1 1 0 0 0 Jonathon Long 4 2 1 0 1 1 BJ Murray 1 1 0 1 2 0 Owen Miller 4 0 1 0 0 0 Owen Ayers 4 1 2 1 0 1 Chas McCormick 3 0 0 1 1 0 James Triantos 4 0 0 0 0 0 Ben Cowles 3 0 1 1 1 1 Hayden Cantrelle 4 0 0 0 0 1 Totals 32 5 6 4 5 4 Iowa Cubs Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jace Beck 3 7 5 5 2 3 1 Corbin Martin 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Andrew Wantz (L) 3 4 2 1 1 5 0 Ethan Roberts 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 Totals 8 12 7 6 4 10 1 Double-A: Knoxville's Ninth-Inning Rally Comes Up Short, 6-5 Knoxville battled to the final out but came up a run shy in Rocket City, dropping a 6-5 decision. The Smokies struck first in the top of the fifth when Karson Simas doubled and came home on an RBI single from Alex Ramirez. The lead was brief. Starter Dawson Netz, who fanned five, unraveled in the bottom of the inning, walking two and surrendering three runs despite allowing just one hit. The hosts tacked on two more in the sixth and another in the seventh to build a 6-1 cushion, and Tyler Schlaffer and Luke Little could not stem the tide. Little served up a home run that provided important insurance. Down five entering the ninth, Knoxville refused to go quietly. Ariel Armas singled and Miguel Useche reached on an error to open the frame. Ed Howard followed with a single, and Simas drew a bases-loaded walk to force in a run. Ramirez then reached on another error, plating a second, before Jefferson Rojas and Andy Garriola delivered back-to-back sacrifice flies to make it a one-run game. The comeback stalled there, as the final out stranded the tying run. Simas paced the offense with two hits, two runs, and a stolen base, while Garriola reached base four times on two hits and two walks. Armas and Howard each chipped in a hit and a run. The Smokies drew five walks and mounted a furious four-run ninth, but 11 strikeouts and a quiet middle of the game proved too much to overcome. Knoxville Smokies Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Alex Ramirez 4 0 1 2 1 1 Jefferson Rojas 4 0 0 1 0 2 Andy Garriola 2 0 2 1 2 0 Edgar Alvarez 5 0 0 0 0 3 Carter Trice 4 0 0 0 0 1 Ariel Armas 3 1 1 0 1 0 Miguel Useche 4 1 0 0 0 3 Ed Howard 4 1 1 0 0 1 Karson Simas 3 2 2 1 1 0 Totals 33 5 7 5 5 11 Knoxville Smokies Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Dawson Netz (L) 4 2/3 1 3 3 2 5 0 Tyler Schlaffer 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 Luke Little 1 1/3 2 2 2 1 0 1 Totals 8 4 6 6 4 6 1 High-A: Escobar's Four Hits Power South Bend Past Wisconsin, 6-3 South Bend authored the system's lone victory, riding a balanced pitching effort and a career night from Jose Escobar to a 6-3 win over Wisconsin. Escobar went 4-for-4 with three runs batted in, single-handedly matching Wisonsin's output. The Cubs fell behind 2-0 in the third but answered immediately. Escobar and Angel Cepeda drew walks, an error loaded the bases, and Kade Snell laced an RBI single before Michael Hallquist lifted a sacrifice fly to even the score. South Bend surged ahead in the fourth when Justin Stransky and Kane Kepley set the table and Escobar ripped a two-run single to make it 4-2. Starter Nazier Mule set the tone on the mound, striking out six over four innings while allowing just two runs, including some solid defense from the mound. Jose Romero tossed a scoreless fifth, and Brayden Spears earned the win with three innings of one-run ball, yielding only a lone tally in the sixth. Grayson Moore slammed the door with a scoreless ninth, punching out two to record the save. The SB Cubs added breathing room in the eighth, when Escobar doubled home a run and Cepeda followed with an RBI single. Stransky reached base three times atop the order, Cepeda worked two walks and drove in a run, and the lineup drew eight free passes to keep the pressure on. It was a tidy, complementary performance, with the staff scattering six hits and the offense capitalizing on Wisconsin's mistakes to close out a comfortable win. South Bend Cubs Hitting Player AB R H RBI BB K Kane Kepley 3 1 0 0 2 2 Josiah Hartshorn 4 1 0 0 1 1 Jose Escobar 4 2 4 3 1 0 Angel Cepeda 3 1 1 1 2 0 Matt Halbach 4 0 0 0 1 1 Kade Snell 4 0 1 1 0 1 Michael Hallquist 3 0 1 1 0 0 Michael Carico 4 0 0 0 0 2 Justin Stransky 3 1 2 0 1 0 Totals 32 6 9 6 8 7 South Bend Cubs Pitching Player IP H R ER BB K HR Nazier Mule 4 4 2 2 1 6 0 Jose Romero 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 Brayden Spears (W) 3 2 1 1 2 1 0 Grayson Moore (S) 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Totals 9 6 3 3 5 9 0 Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans: Postponed Top-20 Prospect Performance Jefferson Rojas: 0-for-4, RBI, 2 K Pedro Ramirez: DNP Jaxon Wiggins: DNP Josiah Hartshorn: 0-for-4, R, BB, K Kevin Alcantara: DNP Ethan Conrad: DNP Kane Kepley: 0-for-3, R, 2 BB, 2 K Owen Ayers: 2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI, K Jonathon Long: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 R, BB, SB, K Kaleb Wing: DNP James Triantos: 0-for-4 Brooks Caple: DNP Mason McGwire: DNP Ty Southisene: DNP Will Sanders: DNP Juan Cabada: DNP Eli Lovich: DNP Ariel Armas: 1-for-3, R, BB Jostin Florentino: DNP Grant Kipp: DNP View full article

Chicago Cubs Transactions Chicago Cubs designated RHP Jake Woodford for assignment. Chicago Cubs activated RHP Phil Maton from the 15-day injured list. Taillon Tosses Scoreless Outing As Iowa Cubs Beat Saints, 8-2 Jameson Taillon allowed one hit and one walk over 4 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out three, and the Iowa Cubs beat the St. Paul Saints, 8-2. Iowa scored in each of the first four innings. In the first, Moisés Ballesteros singled, Owen Miller doubled, and Chas McCormick singled them both home for a 2-0 lead. In the second, Brett Bateman tripled home James Triantos and Scott Kingery. Kingery added an RBI single in the third to score McCormick, and in the fourth, Bateman singled, moved to third on a double by Miller, and scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-0. The Saints scored twice in the seventh against Ty Blach on an RBI single and a run-scoring groundout. Iowa answered in the eighth when Ben Cowles hit a two-run home run, his fifth of the season, scoring Triantos Miller finished 3-for-4 with two doubles, Bateman went 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBI, and a walk, and Triantos went 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored. Blach allowed two runs over 2 1/3 innings, Jayden Murray struck out two in a scoreless inning, and Liam Hendriks struck out one in a scoreless inning to close it out. Player AB R H RBI BB K Brett Bateman 4 1 2 2 1 1 Jonathon Long 4 0 0 0 1 1 Moisés Ballesteros 5 1 1 0 0 1 Owen Miller 4 1 3 0 0 0 Chas McCormick 3 1 1 2 1 0 Christian Bethancourt 4 0 1 0 0 3 James Triantos 2 2 1 0 2 0 Scott Kingery 3 1 1 1 1 0 Ben Cowles 4 1 1 2 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jameson Taillon 4 2/3 1 0 0 1 3 0 Ty Blach 2 1/3 2 2 2 2 2 0 Jayden Murray 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 Liam Hendriks 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Beck Strikes Out Nine, But Smokies Fall To Shuckers, 3-1 Jace Beck struck out nine over five innings, allowing one run on three hits and a walk, but the Knoxville Smokies lost to the Biloxi Shuckers, 3-1. Knoxville took the lead in the third. With two outs, Drew Bowser singled, and Jefferson Rojas doubled him home, his 13th double of the season, for a 1-0 advantage. Biloxi answered in the fourth with a solo home run off Beck to tie the game. The game stayed tied until the eighth, when Biloxi scored twice against Tyler Schlaffer. A sacrifice fly put the Shuckers ahead 2-1, and an RBI single made it 3-1, with the batter thrown out at second base on the play. Schlaffer allowed two runs on one hit and one walk over three innings, striking out three. Tyler Ras struck out one in a scoreless inning. The Smokies managed just five hits and went quiet after the third inning. Bowser finished 2-for-3 with a run scored, Alex Madera went 2-for-4, and Rojas went 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Knoxville drew three walks, from Owen Ayers, Carter Trice, and Ariel Armas, but stranded six runners on base in the loss. Player AB R H RBI BB K Alex Ramírez 4 0 0 0 0 1 Jefferson Rojas 4 0 1 1 0 0 Owen Ayers 3 0 0 0 1 1 Andy Garriola 4 0 0 0 0 2 Carter Trice 3 0 0 0 1 0 Ariel Armas 2 0 0 0 1 0 Alex Madera 4 0 2 0 0 1 Karson Simas 3 0 0 0 0 0 Drew Bowser 3 1 2 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jace Beck 5 3 1 1 1 9 1 Tyler Schlaffer 3 1 2 2 1 3 0 Tyler Ras 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Cubs' Seventh-Inning Lead Slips Away In 11-7 Loss To Kernels The South Bend Cubs fought back from a 5-0 deficit to take the lead in the seventh, but the Cedar Rapids Kernels answered with a six-run inning of their own, and South Bend lost, 11-7. Starter Alfredo Romero allowed four runs on six hits over 4 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out four. Cedar Rapids scored twice in the fourth and three more in the fifth, the last run charged to Nate Williams, to build a 5-0 lead. South Bend rallied in the sixth. Jose Escobar doubled home Kane Kepley, and Angel Cepeda followed with a two-run home run, his first of the season, to cut it to 5-3. The Cubs took the lead in the seventh. Michael Hallquist doubled, Christian Olivo singled, and Kepley walked. Escobar's sacrifice fly scored Hallquist, Olivo stole home to tie the game, and Matt Halbach singled home Kepley for a 6-5 lead. The lead did not last. Ben Johnson recorded just one out in the bottom of the seventh and was charged with five runs, including a two-run double and a three-run home run. Grayson Moore allowed an unearned run over 1 2/3 innings. Olivo finished 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, and an RBI single in the eighth, Hallquist went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple, and Escobar drove in two runs. Player AB R H RBI BB K Christian Olivo 4 1 3 1 1 0 Kane Kepley 4 2 1 0 1 1 Jose Escobar 4 1 1 2 0 2 Angel Cepeda 5 1 1 2 0 1 Matt Halbach 4 0 1 1 0 1 Miguel Useche 3 0 0 0 2 2 Logan Poteet 4 0 0 0 0 4 Justin Stransky 4 0 1 0 0 0 Michael Hallquist 4 2 2 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Alfredo Romero 4 2/3 6 4 4 1 4 0 Nate Williams 1 1/3 2 1 1 2 2 0 Ben Johnson 1/3 2 5 4 2 1 1 Grayson Moore 1 2/3 3 1 0 1 1 0 Cespedes' Three-Run Homer In Eighth Lifts Pelicans Past Nationals, 8-7 Ivan Cespedes hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth, his second of the season, and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans came back to beat the Fredericksburg Nationals, 8-7. Starter Noah Edders struck out seven over 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on two hits and three walks. Fredericksburg took a 1-0 lead in the second when a runner scored on a throwing error during a double steal, but Geuri Lubo answered with an RBI double in the bottom half, scoring Jose Silva. Myrtle Beach broke out in the third. Alexis Hernandez led off with a home run, his second of the season, Derniche Valdez tripled home Alexey Lumpuy, and Silva singled home Valdez for a 4-1 lead. Valdez added a sacrifice fly in the fourth to make it 5-1. The Nationals chipped away with two runs in the fifth, a solo home run in the sixth, and three runs in the seventh, including a two-run homer off Jhon Rosario, to take a 7-5 lead. In the eighth, Silva and Jairo Diaz walked, and Cespedes homered to left center to put the Pelicans ahead, 8-7. Edwardo Melendez struck out three over two scoreless innings to finish the game. Hernandez went 2-for-4 with a walk, and Valdez went 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI. Player AB R H RBI BB K Alexis Hernandez 4 2 2 1 1 0 Alexey Lumpuy 3 1 2 0 2 1 Derniche Valdez 4 1 2 2 0 0 Eli Lovich 4 0 0 0 0 2 Jose Silva 2 2 1 1 2 1 Jairo Diaz 3 1 0 0 1 2 Geuri Lubo 3 0 1 1 1 0 Ivan Cespedes 4 1 1 3 0 2 Edward Vargas 4 0 0 0 0 3 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Noah Edders 4 1/3 2 3 2 3 7 0 Jhon Rosario 2 2/3 4 4 4 0 1 2 Edwardo Melendez 2 1 0 0 2 3 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jefferson Rojas: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI Pedro Ramirez: DNP Jaxon Wiggins: DNP Josiah Hartshorn: DNP Kevin Alcantara: DNP Ethan Conrad: DNP Kane Kepley: 1-for-4, BB, K Owen Ayers: 0-for-3, BB, K Jonathon Long: 0-for-4, BB, K Kaleb Wing: DNP James Triantos: 1-for-2, 2 BB Brooks Caple: DNP Mason McGwire: DNP Ty Southisene: DNP Will Sanders: DNP Juan Cabada: DNP Eli Lovich: 0-for-4, 2 K Ariel Armas: 0-for-2, BB Jostin Florentino: DNP Grant Kipp: DNP View full article

Chicago Cubs Transactions No Roster Moves Bethancourt Homers Twice, Long Goes 5-For-5 As Iowa Pounds Saints 21-7 The Iowa Cubs collected 24 hits and buried the St. Paul Saints 21-7, breaking the game open with a six-run fourth inning and piling on nine more in the eighth. Trailing 2-1 in the fourth, Christian Bethancourt tied it with a solo home run. Scott Kingery followed with a solo shot of his own, Jonathon Long added an RBI single, Owen Miller drove in a run with a double, and Moisés Ballesteros capped the inning with a two-run double for a 7-2 lead. The eighth was even bigger. Brett Bateman doubled home Bethancourt, BJ Murray and Miller added run-scoring hits, Ballesteros lined a two-run single, James Triantos singled in another run, and Bethancourt finished the nine-run frame with a three-run homer to center. Long finished 5-for-5 with a home run, two doubles, a walk, five runs scored, and two RBIs. Bethancourt went 3-for-5 with two homers and five RBIs. Murray had three hits and three RBIs, Miller doubled twice, drove in three, and had some quick defensive work. Ballesteros drove in four, and Triantos went 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Starter Josh Fleming allowed two runs over four innings, walking two and striking out two. Corbin Martin earned the win, and Liam Hendriks worked a perfect inning with a strikeout. Player AB R H RBI BB K Brett Bateman 6 3 3 1 0 2 Jonathon Long 5 5 5 2 1 0 BJ Murray 5 3 3 3 1 0 Owen Miller 5 2 2 3 0 1 Moisés Ballesteros 5 2 2 4 1 1 Chas McCormick 6 1 2 0 0 2 James Triantos 5 1 3 2 1 1 Christian Bethancourt 5 3 3 5 1 0 Scott Kingery 6 1 1 1 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Josh Fleming 4 4 2 2 2 2 0 Corbin Martin 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 Aaron Bummer 1 2 2 2 0 1 0 Collin Snider 1 2 1 1 2 0 0 Liam Hendriks 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Antoine Kelly 1 2 1 1 1 1 0 Howard Homers, But Smokies Fall 11-2 To Biloxi The Knoxville Smokies managed just four hits and struck out 15 times in an 11-2 loss to the Biloxi Shuckers. Not much to say about the bats but the gloves had a few shining moments last night. Starter Nick Dean opened with 1 1/3 scoreless innings, walking one and striking out two. Kenyi Perez followed with 2 2/3 scoreless innings of his own, striking out three while working around three walks and three hits. The game unraveled from there. Yenrri Rojas was charged with four runs over 1 2/3 innings, walking four, and took the loss. Tyler Santana allowed four more runs over two innings, and Frankie Scalzo Jr. gave up three runs in 1 1/3 innings to close it out. The Knoxville offense broke through in the sixth inning. Ariel Armas drew a walk, moved into scoring position, and came home on an Alex Ramírez single to center to make it 6-1. In the eighth, Ed Howard lined a solo home run to left center, his second of the season, for the final Knoxville run. Howard was the lone bright spot at the plate, finishing 2-for-3 with the homer. The rest of the lineup combined for two hits, with Owen Ayers, Edgar Alvarez, and Drew Bowser each striking out three times. Jefferson Rojas went 0-for-3 with a walk. Player AB R H RBI BB K Alex Ramírez 4 0 1 1 0 0 Jefferson Rojas 3 0 0 0 1 0 Owen Ayers 4 0 0 0 0 3 Carter Trice 3 0 0 0 1 2 Edgar Alvarez 4 0 0 0 0 3 Karson Simas 4 0 1 0 0 2 Drew Bowser 4 0 0 0 0 3 Ariel Armas 2 1 0 0 1 1 Ed Howard 3 1 2 1 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Nick Dean 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 2 0 Kenyi Perez 2 2/3 3 0 0 3 3 0 Yenrri Rojas 1 2/3 1 4 4 4 4 0 Tyler Santana 2 3 4 4 4 3 1 Frankie Scalzo Jr. 1 1/3 5 3 3 2 1 1 Halbach's Three Hits, Five-Run Ninth Carry South Bend Past Cedar Rapids 9-1 The South Bend Cubs broke open a close game with a five-run ninth inning and beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels 9-1 behind a strong night of pitching. Starter Kevin Valdez allowed one run over four innings, walking one and striking out three. The bullpen did not allow a run behind him. Luis Rujano earned the win with two scoreless innings and two strikeouts, Brayden Spears added two scoreless innings of his own, and Ethan Bell finished with a scoreless ninth. South Bend scored twice in the third. After Logan Poteet singled and walks to Michael Hallquist and Christian Olivo loaded the bases, Poteet scored on a wild pitch during Josiah Hartshorn's plate appearance, and Hallquist came home on a Jose Escobar sacrifice fly. In the fourth, Hallquist singled home Matt Halbach, and Hartshorn was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 4-1. The ninth put it away. Hartshorn drove in Hallquist on a fielder's choice, Halbach followed with a two-run single, and two more runs scored on wild pitches to stretch the lead to 9-1. Halbach finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a stolen base. Hallquist went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, a walk, and two runs scored, and Hartshorn drove in two runs. Defensively of note was Angel Cepeda's play in the 6th. Player AB R H RBI BB K Christian Olivo 4 1 1 0 1 1 Josiah Hartshorn 3 1 0 2 0 1 Jose Escobar 4 0 0 1 0 2 Angel Cepeda 4 1 0 0 1 0 Matt Halbach 5 2 3 2 0 0 Miguel Useche 4 1 2 0 0 2 Logan Poteet 5 1 1 0 0 3 Justin Stransky 4 0 0 0 0 1 Michael Hallquist 4 2 2 1 1 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Kevin Valdez 4 2 1 1 1 3 0 Luis Rujano 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 Brayden Spears 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 Ethan Bell 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Pelicans Strand 10, Drop 6-3 Decision To Fredericksburg The Myrtle Beach Pelicans out-hit the Fredericksburg Nationals but left 10 runners on base in a 6-3 loss. Starter Emilio Ramos took the loss despite a solid outing, allowing one run over three innings with two walks and three strikeouts. Anhuar Garcia was tagged for four runs on four hits, including two home runs, over two innings, and the deficit grew to 5-0. Jordan Henriquez kept the Pelicans in it with three innings of one-run relief, striking out five, and Henry Cone struck out all three batters he faced in a perfect ninth. Myrtle Beach got on the board in the sixth. Alexey Lumpuy walked, and when Derniche Valdez lined a double to center, Lumpuy came around to score on a fielding error by the center fielder. Eli Lovich followed with an RBI double to left, cutting the deficit to 5-2. In the eighth, Valdez singled, moved up on a Lovich single, and scored on a wild pitch during Jairo Diaz's walk. Valdez finished 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Lovich went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI, a walk, and a stolen base, and Ludwing Espinoza had three hits. Ethan Conrad went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts. Player AB R H RBI BB K Alexis Hernandez 5 0 1 0 0 0 Ludwing Espinoza 5 0 3 0 0 1 Ethan Conrad 5 0 0 0 0 2 Alexey Lumpuy 4 1 1 0 1 2 Derniche Valdez 4 2 2 0 0 1 Eli Lovich 3 0 2 1 1 0 Geuri Lubo 4 0 0 0 0 3 Jairo Diaz 3 0 0 0 1 3 Derik Alcantara 4 0 1 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Emilio Ramos 3 3 1 1 2 3 0 Anhuar Garcia 2 4 4 4 2 3 2 Jordan Henriquez 3 4 1 1 1 5 0 Henry Cone 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jefferson Rojas: 0-for-3, BB Pedro Ramirez: DNP Jaxon Wiggins: DNP Josiah Hartshorn: 0-for-3, 2 RBI, K Kevin Alcantara: DNP Ethan Conrad: 0-for-5, 2 K Kane Kepley: DNP Owen Ayers: 0-for-4, 3 K Jonathon Long: 5-for-5, 2 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB Kaleb Wing: DNP James Triantos: 3-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, K Brooks Caple: DNP Mason McGwire: DNP Ty Southisene: DNP Will Sanders: DNP Juan Cabada: DNP Eli Lovich: 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB, SB Ariel Armas: 0-for-2, BB, K Jostin Florentino: DNP Grant Kipp: DNP View full article

Chicago Cubs Transactions Chicago Cubs sent RHP Phil Maton on a rehab assignment to Iowa Cubs. Bethancourt's Three-Run Homer Backs Wantz As Iowa Cubs Top St. Paul The Iowa Cubs beat the St. Paul Saints 3-1, riding one big swing and a strong night from the pitching staff. St. Paul took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a sacrifice fly, but Iowa answered in the second. Chas McCormick and James Triantos opened the inning with back-to-back singles, and Christian Bethancourt followed with a three-run home run to left field, his ninth of the season. That was all the scoring Iowa needed. Andrew Wantz held the line and earned the win with 5 2/3 innings of one-run baseball, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out seven. Luis Peralta recorded the final out of the sixth with a strikeout, and Phil Maton looked good, striking out three over 1 2/3 hitless innings. Vince Reilly worked around a walk over the final 1 1/3 innings for his second save. Owen Miller led the offense with a 3-for-4 night, and all three of his hits were doubles. Triantos finished 2-for-4 with a run scored, and McCormick added a single, a walk, and a stolen base. Iowa outhit St. Paul 8-3 and left six runners on base. Brett Bateman entered the game as a replacement for Jonathon Long, who went 0-for-3 with a walk. Player AB R H RBI BB K Owen Miller 4 0 3 0 0 0 Jonathon Long 3 0 0 0 1 1 Brett Bateman 0 0 0 0 0 0 BJ Murray 4 0 1 0 0 1 Moisés Ballesteros 4 0 0 0 0 0 Chas McCormick 3 1 1 0 1 1 James Triantos 4 1 2 0 0 0 Christian Bethancourt 3 1 1 3 0 1 Ben Cowles 3 0 0 0 0 1 Hayden Cantrelle 3 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Andrew Wantz 5 2/3 3 1 1 2 7 0 Luis Peralta 1/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Phil Maton 1 2/3 0 0 0 0 3 0 Vince Reilly 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 0 0 Six-Run Sixth Sends Smokies Past Biloxi The Knoxville Smokies erased an early deficit and pulled away with a six-run sixth inning to beat the Biloxi Shuckers 9-6. Biloxi struck first with three runs in the second inning on a pair of run-scoring doubles off Brooks Caple, but Caple settled in from there. He finished with a quality start, allowing three runs on three hits over six innings while walking two and striking out six to earn the win. Owen Ayers got Knoxville back in it in the third with a two-run homer to right field, his 16th of the season, scoring Jefferson Rojas. The sixth inning broke the game open. Carter Trice walked, and Edgar Alvarez and Karson Simas singled to load the bases. Ethan Hearn ripped a two-run double, Alex Madera and Alex Ramírez followed with run-scoring singles, and Ayers capped the rally with a two-run single before being thrown out at second on the throw home. The six-run frame gave Knoxville an 8-3 lead. Biloxi got three back in the seventh against Tyler Schlaffer, who recorded just one out, but Marino Santy struck out three over 1 2/3 innings to stop the bleeding. Trice answered with a solo homer, his 11th, in the bottom of the seventh, finishing 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs. Luke Little worked a perfect ninth for his first save. Ayers went 2-for-5 with four RBI. Player AB R H RBI BB K Alex Ramírez 5 1 1 1 0 0 Jefferson Rojas 4 1 1 0 1 0 Owen Ayers 5 1 2 4 0 1 Andy Garriola 4 0 0 0 0 2 Carter Trice 2 2 2 1 2 0 Edgar Alvarez 3 1 1 0 1 1 Karson Simas 3 1 1 0 1 1 Ethan Hearn 3 1 1 2 1 2 Alex Madera 4 1 2 1 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Brooks Caple 6 3 3 3 2 6 0 Tyler Schlaffer 1/3 3 3 3 2 1 0 Marino Santy 1 2/3 0 0 0 2 3 0 Luke Little 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Eighth-Inning Homer Sinks South Bend In Cedar Rapids The South Bend Cubs carried a one-run lead into the eighth inning, but a two-run homer handed them a 3-2 loss to the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Nazier Mulé started and gave South Bend four solid innings, allowing one run on one hit with two walks and two strikeouts. Cedar Rapids scored its first run in the opening frame when a run came home on a fielding error. South Bend tied the game in the third. Christian Olivo reached, and Matt Halbach doubled him home with a line drive to left. The Cubs took a 2-1 lead in the sixth when Miguel Useche reached, moved into scoring position, and came home on Olivo's sacrifice fly. Jackson Brockett was excellent in relief, tossing three scoreless innings with one hit allowed and four strikeouts. But Eli Jerzembeck could not hold the lead in the eighth. After a one-out walk, Cedar Rapids connected on a two-run homer to left center that put the Kernels ahead for good. Jerzembeck took the loss and the blown save, allowing two runs on two hits in one inning. South Bend managed just three hits, doubles by Jose Escobar and Halbach, and a single by Useche, while drawing five walks. The Cubs stranded eight runners and went quietly in the ninth. Josiah Hartshorn struck out three times, and Kane Kepley went 0-for-5 out of the leadoff spot. Player AB R H RBI BB K Kane Kepley 5 0 0 0 0 0 Josiah Hartshorn 4 0 0 0 0 3 Jose Escobar 3 0 1 0 1 0 Matt Halbach 4 0 1 1 0 1 Miguel Useche 3 1 1 0 1 1 Michael Carico 2 0 0 0 2 2 Logan Poteet 4 0 0 0 0 2 Michael Hallquist 2 0 0 0 1 0 Christian Olivo 2 1 0 1 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Nazier Mulé 4 1 1 1 2 2 0 Jackson Brockett 3 1 0 0 0 4 0 Eli Jerzembeck 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 Pelicans Plate Six In First Without A Hit As Martinez-Gomez Dominates The Myrtle Beach Pelicans scored six first-inning runs without recording a hit and rode six scoreless innings from Luis Martinez-Gomez to an 11-8 win over the Fredericksburg Nationals. Fredericksburg's control problems fueled the opening rally. Alexis Hernandez walked, Alexey Lumpuy was hit by a pitch, and Eli Lovich walked to load the bases. Hernandez scored on a wild pitch during Derniche Valdez's walk, Geuri Lubo was hit by a pitch to force in Lumpuy, and walks to Jairo Diaz and Jose Silva brought home two more. A fielding error on Edward Vargas' grounder scored Lubo, and Hernandez capped the inning with a sacrifice fly. In all, the Pelicans drew five walks and took two hit-by-pitches in the frame. Valdez added a solo homer, his seventh, in the second, and Ivan Cespedes hit his first of the season in the third for an 8-0 lead. Martinez-Gomez was outstanding, allowing one hit and one walk over six scoreless innings while striking out seven for a quality start and the win. The bullpen then made it interesting. Jhon Rosario allowed a three-run homer in the seventh, and Sam Mettert gave up five runs over the final two innings, including four in the ninth. Hernandez added an RBI single in the seventh, and Diaz launched a two-run homer in the eighth, finishing with three RBI, to provide the cushion. Player AB R H RBI BB K Alexis Hernandez 2 1 1 2 2 0 Alexey Lumpuy 2 1 0 0 2 2 Eli Lovich 4 1 0 0 1 2 Derniche Valdez 4 2 2 1 1 1 Geuri Lubo 3 2 0 1 1 2 Jairo Diaz 3 2 1 3 2 0 Jose Silva 3 1 0 1 2 2 Ivan Cespedes 3 1 1 1 2 0 Edward Vargas 4 0 0 1 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Luis Martinez-Gomez 6 1 0 0 1 7 0 Jhon Rosario 1 2 3 3 2 2 1 Sam Mettert 2 4 5 5 0 3 2 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jefferson Rojas: 1-for-4, BB, R Pedro Ramirez: DNP Jaxon Wiggins: DNP Josiah Hartshorn: 0-for-4, 3 K Kevin Alcantara: DNP Ethan Conrad: DNP Kane Kepley: 0-for-5 Owen Ayers: 2-for-5, HR, 4 RBI, K Jonathon Long: 0-for-3, BB, K Kaleb Wing: DNP James Triantos: 2-for-4, R Brooks Caple: 6 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K Mason McGwire: DNP Ty Southisene: DNP Will Sanders: DNP Juan Cabada: DNP Eli Lovich: 0-for-4, BB, 2 K Ariel Armas: DNP Jostin Florentino: DNP Grant Kipp: DNP View full article