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Chicago Cubs Minor League Report - April 28 Affiliate Overview Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series at St. Paul Saints (Minnesota Twins): Saints lead, 1–0 Season Record: 13–14 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series at Rocket City Trash Pandas (Los Angeles Angels): No games played Season Record: 10–12 High-A South Bend Cubs Series vs. Fort Wayne TinCaps (San Diego Padres): Cubs lead, 1-0 Season Record: 12–7 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series vs. Columbia Fireflies (Kansas City Royals): Pelicans lead, 1-0 Season Record: 10–12 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 13–14 Series Opponent: St. Paul Saints (12–15) Series Standing: Trail, 0-1 April 28: The Iowa Cubs slipped to under .500 for the first time since March 31 with a series-opening defeat to the St. Paul Saints, 9-5. The Saints scored five times in their first trip to the plate and extended the lead to 6-0 with another run in the second. Brett Bateman’s (1-for-3) first home run of the season got the Cubs on the board in the third and James Triantos (1-for-3) cut the six-run lead in half with a two run blast later in the frame, his fourth of the season. St. Paul pushed runs across in the fourth and fifth to make it 8-3 before Kevin Alcántara (1-for-4) blasted his ninth homer of the year, a solo shot. The hosts made it 9-4 with a run in the seventh and Hayden Cantrelle (1-for-1) launched the I-Cubs’ fourth homer of the game to make it 9-5, which would go on to be the final score. Jordan Wicks took the loss in the start, allowing six runs on seven hits over two innings of work, giving up three home runs. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 10–12 Series Opponent: Rocket City Trash Pandas (10–12) Series Standing: No games played April 28: The Knoxville Smokies’ series opener at the Rocket City Trash Pandas was postponed due to inclement weather. The two teams will begin play at Toyota Field today. Monday’s contest will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Wednesday. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 12–7 Series Opponent: Fort Wayne TinCaps (7–15) Series Standing: Lead 1-0 April 28: The South Bend Cubs opened their series vs. the Fort Wayne TinCaps with a 6-4 win, staving off a late rally from the visitors to hold on for the victory. Kade Snell’s (1-for-4) sacrifice fly in the third opened the scoring in the ballgame but the TinCaps responded in the fourth with a run of their own to level the game at 1-1. Cole Mathis (2-for-4) would give the Cubs the lead back by drawing a walk with the bases loaded in the home half of the fourth and the hosts would extend their advantage with a pair of runs in the fifth. Cameron Cisneros (1-for-2) crushed a solo shot, his third of the year, and Christian Olivo (3-for-4) followed later in the inning with an RBI-double. Fort Wayne scored twice in the eighth to make it 4-3 but South Bend got those two runs right back, first on an RBI-single from Reginald Preciado (1-for-5) and then on a balk. The Cubs would need those insurance runs as the TinCaps scored once in the ninth but were unable to rally further as South Bend held on for the 6-4 triumph. Kenten Egbert got the start and did not factor into the decision, firing three shutout innings, allowing just three hits and striking out one. Brayden Spears picked up the win in relief, working three innings and allowing one run on one hit. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 10–12 Series Opponent: Columbia Fireflies (11–11) Series Standing: Lead 1-0 April 28: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans snapped their six-game losing skid with a come-from-behind victory over the Columbia Fireflies, 6-4. The Pelicans opened the scoring in the ballgame with a pair of runs in the second, with Michael Carico (1-for-4) and Logan Poteet (1-for-3) starting the frame with back-to-back solo shots. The Fireflies evened the contest with two runs in the third and would eventually take a 6-3 lead after putting up a four spot in the seventh, following Eli Lovich’s (2-for-4) solo homer in the fifth. Myrtle Beach rallied for three runs after the stretch, with Ludwing Espinoza (1-for-2) sparking the offense by stealing home. Jose Escobar (1-for-4) made it 6-6 with a two-out, two-run single. Ty Southisene (1-for-4) had the decisive hit in the contest with his RBI-double in the eighth to give the Pelicans the 7-6 lead. Eli Jerzembeck capped his two-inning scoreless outing by striking out the side in the ninth to improve to 2-1 on the season. Jerzembeck didn’t allow a hit in his appearance and whiffed five batters. Noah Edders, who started for Myrtle Beach, allowed two runs, both unearned, over four innings of work, giving up five hits while striking out two batters. View full article

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report - April 26 Affiliate Overview Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series vs. Louisville Bats (Cincinnati Reds): Bats win series 4–2 Season Record: 13–13 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series vs. Chattanooga Lookouts (Cincinnati Reds): Lookouts win series 4–2 Season Record: 10–11 High-A South Bend Cubs Series at Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati Reds): Tied 3–3 Season Record: 11–7 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series at Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Houston Astros): Woodpeckers win series 6–0 Season Record: 9–12 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 13–13 Series Opponent: Louisville Bats (16–11) Series Standing: Lose 2–4 April 26: The Iowa Cubs fell to the Louisville Bats, 12-6, in Sunday’s series finale, dropping the series, 4-2. The Bats took a 5-0 lead their first time to the plate and never looked back, taking a 12-2 lead after five. Eric Yang (1-for-4) drove in the Cubs’ first run with an RBI-single in the second and Justin Dean (3-for-4) drove in the team’s second run in the fifth on his own RBI-single. Dean’s three-hit effort was his first multi-hit performance of the season. Iowa would plate four in the eighth, getting run-scoring singles from BJ Murray (3-for-4), James Triantos (1-for-5) and Hayden Cantrelle (1-for-2). Kevin Alcántara would also draw a walk with the bases loaded in the frame. Murray’s three-hit game was his third such performance in his last five. Paul Campbell took the loss in the start, allowing seven runs on seven hits over three innings of work. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 10–11 Series Opponent: Chattanooga Lookouts (16–5) Series Standing: Lose 2-4 April 26: The Knoxville Smokies earned a 7-2 victory over the Chattanooga Lookouts in Sunday’s finale but the Lookouts ultimately claimed the series win, 4-2. Chattanooga took a 2-0 lead after the first but Knoxville rallied with three runs in the third to take the 3-2 lead. Alex Madera (2-for-4) had an RBI-single and Alex Ramírez (4-for-5) launched a two-run homer, his first of the season. Ramírez’ four hits in the ballgame marked a season high. Nick Dean earned the win out of the bullpen, firing four scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, striking out five while issuing no walks. Frankie Scalzo Jr. and Luis Martinez-Gomez each tossed two shutout frames, combining to allow just one hit and seven punchouts. The Smokies put the game out of each in the eighth, pushing four runs across the plate, and would cruise to the 7-2 win. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 11–7 Series Opponent: Dayton Dragons (10–10) Series Standing: Tied 3–3 April 26: The South Bend Cubs were blanked by the Dayton Dragons, 3-0, in Sunday’s ballgame to split their series at Day Air Ballpark. The Dragons jumped out to a 2-0 lead after runs in the first and second and would later add some insurance in the sixth with their third run of the contest. The Cubs were held to just four hits offensively, two of which came off the bat off Matt Halbech, who went 2-for-4, his fourth multi-hit game of the series. Ethan Flanagan took the loss in the start, allowing two runs on four hits over four innings of work, picking up three strikeouts along the way. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 9–12 Series Opponent: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (9–12) Series Standing: Lose 0–6 April 26: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were swept by the Fayetteville Woodpeckers after falling in Sunday’s de facto doubleheader, falling 6-5 in the resumption of Saturday’s suspended contest and 6-2 in the regularly scheduled ballgame. Game 1: Play resumed in the seventh, where the Woodpeckers would rally for four runs to tie the game at 5-5. The ballgame would eventually head to extra innings, where the hosts would walk off the Pelicans in the 10th. Game 2: Myrtle Beach dropped their sixth-straight game with a 6-2 defeat to Fayetteville in seven innings. The Pelicans took the lead in the first with a run but the Woodpeckers scored two in the second and three in the third to take a 5-1 lead. Fayetteville extended the lead to 6-2 with a run in the sixth. Myrtle Beach would plate a run in the seventh but were unable to mount a larger rally. View full article

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report - April 24 Affiliate Overview Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series vs. Louisville Bats (Cincinnati Reds): Bats lead 3–1 Season Record: 12–12 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series vs. Chattanooga Lookouts (Cincinnati Reds): Lookouts lead 3–1 Season Record: 9–10 High-A South Bend Cubs Series at Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati Reds): Tied 2–2 Season Record: 10–6 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series at Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Houston Astros): Woodpeckers lead 4–0 Season Record: 9–10 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 12–12 Series Opponent: Louisville Bats (15–10) Series Standing: Trail 1–3 April 24: The Iowa Cubs suffered a second-straight defeat, falling to the Louisville Bats, 5-4, in extra innings on Friday night at Principal Park. The Cubs took the lead in the contest in the second on an RBI-single from Eric Yang (1-for-4). Kevin Alcántara (1-for-5) made it 2-0 Iowa with an RBI-single in the sixth. Trent Thornton started on the mound for the I-Cubs, working two scoreless innings and picking up a pair of strikeouts. Phil Maton, who was placed on the 15-day IL by the big-league Cubs on April 10, made his first rehab appearance at the Triple-A level, working a scoreless third, allowing two hits and striking out two. Jace Beck got the bulk of work in relief, firing three scoreless innings and whiffing a pair. The Bats got on the board in the eighth to make it 2-1 but Pedro Ramírez (0-for-3) restored the two-run advantage with an RBI-groundout in the home half of the frame. Louisville would rally in the ninth with a pair of runs to send the game to extras. Both teams would score in the 10th, with Jonathan Long (4-for-5) driving in the Cubs’ run but the Bats would go ahead again in the 11th and keep Iowa off the board, handing the home team the loss. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 9–10 Series Opponent: Chattanooga Lookouts (15–4) Series Standing: Trail 1-3 April 24: The Knoxville Smokies snapped their five-game losing skid with an 11-9 win over the Chattanooga Lookouts on Friday night. Ethan Hearn’s (1-for-4) two-run shot in the second, his first of the year, gave the Smokies the 2-0 but the Lookouts tied the ballgame with two runs in the third. Knoxville responded in the bottom of the inning with three runs to re-take the lead at 5-2. Owen Ayers (2-for-2) launched his first-career Double-A home run, a solo blast, and Edgar Alvarez (1-for-5) followed with a two-run shot later in the frame. Chattanooga cut the lead to 5-4 with runs in the fourth and fifth and would eventually take the lead with three runs in the eighth. The Smokies offense then erupted for sixth runs in the bottom of the inning, thanks to a two-run double from Alex Ramírez (1-for-5) and a grand slam from Andy Garriola (1-for-2) to make it 11-7. The Lookouts halved the deficit with a pair of runs in the ninth but Knoxville was able to hang on for the 11-9 victory. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 10–6 Series Opponent: Dayton Dragons (9–9) Series Standing: Tied 2–2 April 24: The South Bend Cubs fell to the Dayton Dragons, 6-4, in seven innings, in a rain-shortened game on Friday night at Day Air Ballpark. The Cubs took a 2-0 lead their first time to the plate through a sacrifice fly from Cameron Sisneros (1-for-1) and an RBI-double from Reginald Preciado (1-for-3). The Dragons answered with two runs of their own their first time up to make it 2-2. South Bend went back in front with two more runs in the third thanks to RBI-doubles from Kade Snell (1-for-3) and Sisneros. Dayton responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 5-4 and to take the lead for good. The hosts tacked on one more in the sixth before rain stopped play after seven. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 9–10 Series Opponent: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (7–12) Series Standing: Trail 0–4 April 24: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans suffered a fourth-straight defeat with a 5-2 loss to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, who claim a series win. The Woodpeckers took a 2-0 lead in the second and made it 3-0 after the sixth. The Pelicans scored on a wild pitch in the seventh but Fayetteville answered with two more in the eighth to make it 5-2. Myrtle Beach scored on a passed ball in the ninth but were unable to rally and ultimately fell 5-2. The Pelicans were held to just three hits offensively, going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left seven runners on base. View full article

Chicago Cubs Minor League Report: April 21 Affiliate Overview Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series vs. Louisville Bats (Cincinnati Reds): Cubs trail 1–0 Season Record: 11–10 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series vs. Chattanooga Lookouts (Cincinnati Reds): Lookouts lead 1–0 Season Record: 8–8 High-A South Bend Cubs Series at Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati Reds): Lead 1–0 Season Record: 9–4 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series at Fayetetville Woodpeckers (Houston Astros): Woodpeckers lead 1–0 Season Record: 9–7 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 11–10 Series Opponent: Louisville Bats (13–9) Series Standing: Trail 0–1 April 21: The Iowa Cubs opened their series with the Louisville Bats with a 10-3 defeat. The Bats jumped out to a 6-0 lead after four, thanks to a five-spot in the third, and held on the rest of the way. The Cubs scored all three of their runs in the home-half of the fourth, thanks to Dylan Carlson’s (1-for-4) three-run home run, his first of the season. BJ Murray went 3-for-4, extending his hitting streak to six games. Chas McCormick also posted a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-3. Paul Campbell took the loss in the start, allowing seven runs, six earned, over 4 2/3 innings of work, striking out two. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 8–8 Series Opponent: Chattanooga Lookouts (13–3) Series Standing: Trail 0-1 April 21: The Knoxville Smokies were blanked in their series opener vs. the Chattanooga Lookouts, 4-0. The Lookouts scored all four of their runs in the second to claim their fifth-straight win. Andy Garriola and Karson Simas each posted two-hit nights. It was Garriola’s fourth two-hit performance in seven games. Nick Dean took the loss in the start, allowing four runs on five hits over three innings of work, picking up three strikeouts. Dawson Netz, Vince Reilly and Tyler Ras combined for six shutout innings in relief, yielding just three hits and whiffing six batters. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 9–4 Series Opponent: Dayton Dragons (9–4) Series Standing: Lead 1–0 April 21: The South Bend Cubs used a six-run rally in the ninth to earn a 16-10 shootout victory on Tuesday night. The Dragons took a 3-0 lead after two before the Cubs got on the board in the third through Christian Olivo’s solo blast, his first of the year. Dayton pushed the lead to 5-1 with two more runs in the bottom-half of the frame before South Bend posted two runs in the fifth, with Kade Snell (2-for-4) and Matt Halbach (2-for-6) picking up RBI knocks. Snell would later pick up another RBI on a sacrifice fly in the seventh, capping another two-run frame that would tie the contest at 5-5. The Cubs took their first lead of the ballgame with five runs in eighth, through an RBI-groundout from Justin Stransky (0-for-4), a three-run double from Cole Mathis (1-for-6) and an RBI-single from Snell, his third of the contest. Dayton would bring the game level with four runs in the home-half of the eighth but the Cubs erupted for six runs in ninth to put the game away. Stranksy was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give South Bend the lead and Halbech would put the contest out of reach with a three-run single to make it 16-10. Ethan Flanagan allowed one run on three hits over four innings of work, striking out four, and Ethan Bell would earn the win with two scoreless frames, allowing just one hit. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 9–7 Series Opponent: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (4–12) Series Standing: Trail 0–1 April 21: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans suffered a 6-2 defeat to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers to open their series on Tuesday night. The Woodpeckers took a 3-0 lead in the second and pushed their advantage to 4-0 with a run in the fourth. The Pelicans got on the board with a pair of runs in the seventh through RBI-singles from Josiah Hartshorn (2-for-5) and Michael Carico (1-for-4). Fayetteville would grab those runs right back in the home-half of the frame and would go on to earn the 6-2 win. Dominick Reid suffered the loss in the start, allowing three runs on five hits over three innings of work, picking up one strikeout. View full article

Cubs Affiliate Overview (April 14–16) Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series at Columbus Clippers (Cleveland Guardians): Cubs lead 2–1 Season Record: 10–7 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series at Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Miami Marlins): Smokies lead 2–1 Season Record: 7–5 High-A South Bend Cubs Series vs. Beloit Sky Carp (Miami Marlins): Lead 3–0 Season Record: 7–2 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series vs. Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (Chicago White Sox): Pelicans lead 2–1 Season Record: 7–5 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 10–7 Series Opponent: Columbus Clippers (9–9) Series Standing: Lead 2–1 April 14: The Iowa Cubs opened their series at the Columbus Clippers with an 8-1 victory. Connor Noland earned his first win of the season, tossing 5.0 innings on one-run ball, allowing just five hits to go along with six strikeouts and no walks. The Clippers jumped out to a 1-0 lead after the opening frame but the Cubs would take the lead for good in the second when James Triantos scored on a wild pitch. The I-Cubs would break the game open with five runs in the fifth, thanks to a two-run single from Pedro Ramírez and a two-run smash from Kevin Alcántara. The duo each went 2-for-5 in the contest with Alcántara’s home run marking his seventh of the campaign. The Iowa bullpen would turn in four scoreless frames as the staff as a whole would go on to register 10 strikeouts. April 15: The Cubs suffered a 9-4 defeat to the Clippers in the second game of the series. Iowa would jump out to a 3-0 lead in the second after a Justin Dean (1-for-5) double with two outs and would extend the lead to 4-0 with a run in the fourth but Columbus would score the next nine runs in the ballgame to earn the victory. Paul Campbell, making his organization debut in the start, allowed two runs over 4.0 innings of work, whiffing four batters and issuing no walks. April 16: The Cubs re-took the series lead with an 11-10 victory in extra innings over the Clippers. Iowa took a 5-0 lead after two, with Pedro Ramírez (4-for-6) driving in three of those runs, two of which coming on his fifth long ball of the year in the second. After Columbus got three runs back in their half of the second, Iowa plated two more in the third to make it 7-3. The Clippers would rally to cut the lead to 8-7 in the eighth and would send the game to extras with a run in the ninth. Ben Cowles (2-for-4) gave the I-Cubs the lead in the 10th with a sacrifice fly and Brett Bateman (2-for-5) and Ramírez each had RBI-singles to give Iowa an 11-8 edge. Columbus scored twice in the 10th but Iowa would hold on for the win. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 7–5 Series Opponent: Pensacola Blue Wahoos (3–8) Series Standing: Lead 2–1 April 14: The Knoxville Smokies opened their series at the Pensacola Blue Wahoos with a 5-1 defeat. The Smokies were held to just four hits in the ballgame, two of which came off the bat of Jordan Nwogu (2-for-3). Nwogu drove in Knoxville’s only run with his RBI-single in the third. Tyler Schlaffer took the loss on the mound in the start, allowing four runs on two hits over 2.0 innings of work, striking out two and walking three. Luis Rujano worked 2 2/3 scoreless frames out of the bullpen, picking up one strikeout. April 15: The Smokies bounced back on Wednesday with an 8-0 shutout victory over the Blue Wahoos. Four Knoxville pitchers combined to blank Pensacola, with Jace Beck claiming the victory in relief after spinning 2 2/3 innings, allowing just one hit and striking out six. The Smokies scored four times in the second, thanks to Ethan Hearn’s (2-for-4) two-run double and Alex Ramirez’ two-run single. Miguel Useche (1-for-1) launched his first homer of the year in the ninth as a pinch hitter. April 16: Knoxville claimed their first lead of the series with a 10-9 comeback victory over Pensacola. The Smokies took a 2-0 lead in the second through a solo shot from Edgar Alvarez (1-for-2) and an RBI-double from Andy Garriola (2-for-3) but the Blue Wahoos responded with three runs in the bottom half of the frame to take the lead. The hosts would add five more runs in the fifth to push their lead to 8-2. Knoxville would bring the contest level with six runs in the eighth, scoring two runs on wild pitches to begin the rally before drawing a bases-loaded walk to plate its third run of the inning. Alex Ramírez (1-for-4) would earn an RBI with a sacrifice fly followed by an RBI-single from Jordan Nwogu (1-for-6). Karson Simas (1-for-5) gave the Smokies the lead with an RBI-groundout. After the dramatic rally, the Blue Wahoos would score in eighth to re-claim their advantage but Knoxville rallied again with two in the ninth, with Ramirez driving in the go-ahead and tying runs with a base hit. Vince Reilly picked up his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth to give the Smokies the win. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 7–2 Series Opponent: Beloit Sky Carp (4–7) Series Standing: Lead 3–0 April 14: The South Bend Cubs earned their fourth-straight victory with a 5-1 victory over the Beloit Sky Carp in the series opener. Owen Ayers (2-for-4) slugged a two-run shot in the first, his third of the year, that would give the Cubs the lead for good in the ballgame. Brooks Caple improved to 2-0 on the season thanks to 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball, firing nine strikeouts while dealing no walks. After Beloit cut the lead to one in the sixth, South Bend added two more runs in the bottom half of the frame to restore its cushion. The Cubs added one more run in the seventh and cruised to a 5-1 win. The South Bend pitching staff limited Beloit to just two hits in the contest, racking up 13 punchouts. April 15: The Cubs pushed their winning streak to five games with a 9-5 win over the Sky Carp on Wednesday. Beloit would take a 3-0 before South Bend stepped to the plate but the hosts hit back with two runs in the inning, thanks to an RBI-triple from Leonel Espinoza (1-for-4) and a Kade Snell (1-for-4) RBI-groundout. The Cubs would take a 4-3 lead after runs in the second and third but the visitors grabbed the lead right back after scoring twice in the top of the fourth. South Bend would take the lead for good after plating two runs in the home half of the fourth on Snell’s two-run single. Snell would pick up his fourth RBI of the night on a sacrifice fly in the sixth and Ayers would go deep again in the eighth to make it 9-5 Cubs. Ethan Bell picked up the win in relief, blanking the Sky Carp over 1 2/3 frames, while Ethan Flanagan earned a save by tossing four shutout innings to close the game, whiffing seven batters. April 16: South Bend continued its torrid start to the season with a 7-5 triumph over Beloit to claim at least a series split and push its winning streak to six games. The Cubs used a four-run outburst in the third to take control of the game, with Reginald Preciado (1-for-4) and Justin Stransky (1-for-4) each picking up run-scoring hits in the inning.After the Sky Carp clawed one back in the fourth, Iowa hit back with two more runs thanks to Owen Ayer’s (2-for-5) two-run blast. Nazier Mulé took no decision in the start, allowing one run on four hits over 3 1/3 innings of work, striking out four. Brayden Spears picked up the win in relief to improve to 1-0 on the season and Kenyi Perez worked two scoreless frames to close out the contest and earn his first save of the season. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 7–5 Series Opponent: Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (3–9) Series Standing: Lead 2–1 April 14: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans opened their series against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers with a 4-0 shutout victory to snap a four-game losing skid. Hayden Frank worked four scoreless frames in his start, striking out three. Mason McGwire earned the win in relief after twirling three shutout innings, whiffing five batters. Cole Mathis (1-for-4) slugged a three-run shot in the third, his fourth of the season and Alexey Lumpuy picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly in the seventh. April 15: The Pelicans took a 2-0 series advantage with a 5-4 walk-off victory in 10 innings over the Cannon Ballers. Myrtle Beach took a 2-0 lead its first time to the plate thanks to a two-run blast with Cole Mathis (4-for-5) his fifth of the season. After Kannapolis evened the ballgame with two in the third, the Pelicans grabbed those runs right back with two more runs, thanks to another two-run shot from Mathis. The Cannon Ballers would score a run in each the fourth and eighth innings, tying the game at 4-4. The Pelicans would keep Kannapolis off the board in the 10th and Jose Escobar’s (3-for-4) RBI-single in the home half of the frame delivered the win. April 16: Myrtle Beach had its brief two-game winning streak snapped with a 9-4 defeat to Kannapolis. The Pelicans were held to just four hits and were led at the plate offensively by Josiah Hartshorn, who went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Noah Edders took the defeat in his start, allowing one run over three innings of work, striking out five while issuing just one walk. View full article

Cubs Affiliate Overview (September 18-19) Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series vs. Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers): Mud Hens Lead 3-1 Season Record: 74-73 Double-A Knoxville Smokies 2025 Season Record: 69-67 High-A South Bend Cubs 2025 Season Record: 56–75 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans 2025 Season Record: 68–60 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 74–73 Series Opponent: Toledo Mud Hens (82–66) Series Standing: Trail 3-1 Sept. 18: The Iowa Cubs and Toledo Mud Hens were tied 4-4 heading into the ninth inning but the visitors exploded for six runs in the top half of the frame to hand the Cubs a 10-4 defeat. Dixon Machado went 2-for-5 and drove in two runs while Chase Strumpf went 1-for-4 with a home run, his 13th of the season. Keegan Thompson worked two scoreless innings out of the bullpen, striking out three batters and giving up just one hit. Sept. 19: The I-Cubs bounced back from Thursday’s defeat with a 1-0 shutout victory of the Mud Hens. Nicky Lopez (2-for-4) hit a go-ahead RBI-triple with two outs in the eighth to put Iowa in front. Walker Powell, making his season debut at the Triple-A level, did not factor into the decision despite his quality start. Powell allowed just three hits over six scoreless frames, punching out five batters without issuing a walk. Ryan Brasier turned in a scoreless seventh and Ethan Roberts picked up the win by tossing the final two innings, allowing three hits and whiffing two. All other minor league affiliates of the Cubs are finished with their respective seasons. Only Myrtle Beach made the playoffs, where they lost to the Columbia Fireflies in the first round. View full article

Image courtesy of © Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Cubs Affiliate Overview (September 11-12) Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series at Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh Pirates): Tied 2-2 Season Record: 73-68 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series at Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays): Smokies Lead 3-1 Season Record: 68-66 High-A South Bend Cubs 2025 Season Record: 56–75 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Carolina League Division Series at Columbia Fireflies (Kansas City Royals): Fireflies win 2-0 Regular Season Record: 68–60 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 73–68 Series Opponent: Indianapolis Indians (80–61) Series Standing: Tied 2-2 Sept. 11: The Iowa Cubs offense exploded for 16 hits to earn a 6-2 victory over the Indianapolis Indians on Thursday night. Carlos Pérez and Hayden Cantrelle each went 3-for-5 with Cantrelle launching a two-run blast, his fourth of the season, in the eighth. Four Cubs batters would post multi-hit efforts with eight of the nine starters recording at least one hit in the contest. Owen Caissie went 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles and an RBI, and has now hit safely in four of his last six games since rejoining Iowa on Sept. 1. Mike Soroka made his first rehab appearance with the I-Cubs and picked up the win in relief, allowing one run on one hit over 2 1/3 innings, striking out three. Gavin Hollowell earned a multi-inning save by tossing two scoreless frames, retiring all six batters that he faced. Sept. 12: The I-Cubs were blanked by the Indians, 4-0, on Friday night. Iowa was held to just two hits in the ballgame, with James Triantos (1-for-4) and Chase Strumpf (1-for-2) picking up the knocks. Austin Gomber sparkled again on the mound for the Cubs, picking up a quality start. Gomber allowed just two hits over six innings of work, striking out nine batters without issuing a walk. In his first three starts in the Cubs organization, Gomber has allowed just one earned run in 16 innings (3 GS), whiffing 18 batters while walking just two. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 68–66 Series Opponent: Montgomery Biscuits (77–59) Series Standing: Lead 3-1 Sept. 11: The Knoxville Smokies were held to just one hit and four total baserunners as they were blanked, 4-0, by the Montgomery Biscuits. Carter Trice went 1-for-3 to pick up the Smokies’ lone hit of the contest. The Knoxville offense would go 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position and leave three on base. Connor Schultz took the loss in the start after allowing three runs on four hits over 5 1/3 innings of work, striking out eight batters for the second-straight outing, matching his season high. Sept. 12: The Smokies clinched at least a .500 season with a 7-1 win over the Biscuits, their eighth victory in the last nine ballgames. Casey Opitz went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a home run and two RBI, while BJ Murray Jr. (1-for-3) also launched a two-run shot and earned a pair of walks. Eight of the nine Knoxville starts recorded at least one hit in the contest with six different players scoring a run. Evan Taylor picked up the win out of the bullpen, working 1 2/3 shutout innings, allowing just one hit while striking out three. High-A: South Bend Cubs 2025 Season Record: 56–75 South Bend's season ended on Sept. 7. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Regular Season Record: 68–60 Carolina League Division Series Opponent: Columbia Fireflies (64–65) Series Standing: Lose 2-0 Sept. 11: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans had their season come to an end with a 2-1 defeat to the Columbia Fireflies on Thursday in Game 2 of the Carolina League Division Series. Kane Kepley and Angel Cepeda each went 2-for-4 in the ballgame while Ty Southisene (1-for-3) drove in the lone run with an RBI-single in the third. Kevin Camacho took the loss in relief despite a solid outing. Camacho allowed two runs on four hits over four innings of work, striking out four. Brayden Spears turned in two perfect frames out of the bullpen to close the game, whiffing three batters. View full article

Cubs Affiliate Overview (September 4-5) Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series vs. Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals): Cubs lead 4-0 Season Record: 69-66 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series vs. Rocket City Trash Pandas (Los Angeles Angels): Cubs Lead 3-1 Season Record: 63-65 High-A South Bend Cubs Series vs. Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Milwaukee Brewers): Tied 2-2 Season Record: 55–74 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series at Columbia Fireflies (Kansas City Royals): Fireflies lead 3-1 Season Record: 67–60 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 69–66 Series Opponent: Omaha Storm Chasers (55–79) Series Standing: Lead 4-0 Sept. 4: The Iowa Cubs extended their winning streak to a season-long six games, clinching at least a series split, with a second-straight 4-3 victory over the Omaha Storm Chasers. Trailing 3-0 in the fourth, the Cubs evened the contest with two bases-loaded walks and an RBI-single from Chase Strumpf (1-for-4). Carlos Peréz (1-for-3) was hit by a pitch with the bases-loaded in the seventh, which would prove to be the winning run. Jonathan Long went 2-for-3 with a run scored and was the lone Iowa batter to post a multi-hit effort, as the I-Cubs were out-hit 11-5. Jameson Taillon made his first rehab start since hitting the IL on Aug. 28 and allowed three runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings, striking out six. Cubs pitchers combined to whiff 17, matching a season-high mark. Sept. 5: The I-Cubs clinched a series victory over Omaha as their season-long winning streak reached seven games with a dramatic 12-11 walk-off victory on Friday night. Hayden Cantrelle (3-for-5) played hero, doubling with two outs in the ninth to drive home the winning run. Moisés Ballesteros and Carlos Peréz also went 3-for-5 in the contest, with Peréz launching his 26th home run of the campaign, a solo shot, in the sixth. Caleb Knight (1-for-4) matched a season high with three RBI as the Cubs offense posted 14 hits in the ballgame, going 7-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 63–65 Series Opponent: Rocket City Trash Pandas (44–85) Series Standing: Lead 3-1 Sept. 4: The Knoxville Smokies tossed a one-hitter against the Rocket City Trash Pandas on Thursday night to earn a 4-0 victory. After posting his first four-hit game of the season on Aug. 28, Pedro Ramirez was even better tonight, going 5-for-5 with two runs scored, three doubles and an RBI. His run-scoring double in the third was all the offense the Smokies would need in the contest. Corey Joyce (2-for-5) and Jordan Nwogu (2-for-4) each had multi-hit efforts. Connor Schultz was stellar again, delivering his second-straight quality start in his second-career start at the Double-A level. Schultz allowed just one hit over seven scoreless frames, whiffing a season-best eight batters. Sept. 5: The Smokies clinched at least a series split with a 5-4 walk-off victory, in 10 innings, over the Trash Pandas on Friday night to win their third-straight contest. Brett Bateman (1-for-1) and BJ Murray Jr. (4-for-5) each had RBI-singles in the 10th to clinch the win. Murray Jr. had the game-winning knock, helping him earn his second four-hit game of the season and first since May 13. Corey Joyce went 2-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to five games. A.J. Puckett picked up the win out of the bullpen, working two scoreless frames, striking out three batters. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 55–74 Series Opponent: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (55–73) Series Standing: Tied 2-2 Sept. 4: The South Bend Cubs swept a doubleheader on Thursday, winning Wednesday’s suspended game, 5-3, before earning a 7-4 victory in seven innings in the nightcap. Game 1: The Cubs were trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth on Wednesday before play was suspended due to rain and would go on to win 5-3 when play resumed Thursday. Kade Snell’s (1-for-3) RBI-single in the sixth broke a 2-2 tie before the Timber Rattlers again tied the ballgame at 3-3 in the seventh. Brian Kalmer (1-for-3) had the game-winning swing, crushing a two-run blast in the eighth. Ariel Armas went 3-for-4 with a run scored, posting his second-straight multi-hit effort. Jackson Kirkpatrick earned the win in relief, working two scoreless frames and picking up three strikeouts. Game 2: South Bend earned a 7-4 win over Wisconsin to sweep Thursday’s doubleheader. After a sacrifice fly from Brian Kalmer (0-for-2), Drew Bowser (1-for-3) made it a 3-0 game in the first with a two-run single. Ariel Armas (2-for-3) pushed the lead to four with a two-run double in the fourth. Armas has now started the month with three-straight multi-hit efforts. Nazier Mulé did not factor into the decision in his start, allowing two runs on four hits over 3 2/3 innings, striking out three and walking two. Sept. 5: The Cubs fell to the Timber Rattlers, 9-2, on Friday night. Alexis Hernandez went 2-for-4 at the dish and was the lone South Bend hitter to record multiple hits in the ballgame. Reginald Preciado (1-for-4) and Rafael Morel (1-for-4) drove in South Bend’s runs with RBI in the second. Brooks Caple did not factor in the decision despite his quality start, his second at High-A this season. Caple allowed one run on three hits over six innings of work, striking out five without issuing a walk. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 67–60 Series Opponent: Columbia Fireflies (64–64) Series Standing: Trail 3-1 Sept. 4: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans suffered a 4-3 defeat to the Columbia Fireflies on Thursday. After falling behind 2-0 in the third, the Pelicans answered with three runs in the bottom half of the frame to take the lead, with Angel Cepeda’s (2-for-3) RBI-single breaking the deadlock. The Fireflies would knot the game at 3-3 in the sixth before taking the lead again in the ninth. Noah Edders worked two shutout innings out of the bullpen, striking out three batters and retiring all six that he faced. Sept. 5: Despite recording 10 hits in the ballgame, the Pelicans fell to the Fireflies, 10-1, on Friday night. Eight of the nine Myrtle Beach batters recorded at least one hit in the contest, with Alexey Lumpuy (2-for-5) and Eli Lovich (2-for-3) each posting multi-hit efforts. The Pelicans would go just 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position, leaving 11 runners on base. Victor Zarraga took the loss despite his solid start, allowing three runs on five hits in five innings of work, whiffing three batters. View full article

Cubs Affiliate Overview (August 28-29) Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series at Las Vegas Aviators (Athletics): Tied 2-2 Season Record: 63-66 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series at Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox): Tied 2-2 Season Record: 58-64 High-A South Bend Cubs Series at Peoria Chiefs (St. Louis Cardinals): Chiefs lead 4-0 Season Record: 53–70 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series at Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Houston Astros): Tied 2-2 Season Record: 65–56 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 63–66 Series Opponent: Las Vegas Aviators (74–56) Series Standing: Tied 2-2 Aug. 28: The Iowa Cubs fell to the Las Vegas Aviators, 8-4, on Thursday night. The Aviators used a pair of four-run frames, in the third and the fifth, to pull away in the contest. The Cubs plated three runs in the fifth, with James Triantos (2-for-4) launching a two-run blast, his fifth of the season. Jonathan Long also went 2-for-4 on the night. Aug. 29: The I-Cubs evened their series against the Aviators with a dominant 10-2 victory. Iowa held a 2-1 lead after two and broke the game open with three runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth. Kevin Alcántara (2-for-4) drove in three runs in the ballgame and also homered for the 17th time this campaign with a solo blast in the ninth. James Triantos had another big game, going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and a triple. Keegan Thompson picked up the win in relief, tossing three scoreless innings and allowing three hits while striking out two. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 58–64 Series Opponent: Birmingham Barons (75–49) Series Standing: Tied 2-2 Aug. 28: The Knoxville Smokies took a 2-1 series advantage with a 7-3 victory in 10 innings. The Smokies exploded for five runs in the 10th, getting RBI-singles from BJ Murray Jr. (2-for-4) and Jordan Nwogu (2-for-5) and a two-run homer from Pablo Aliendo (1-for-5). Pedro Ramirez recorded his first four-hit game of the season, going 4-for-5 with a double. Connor Schultz took no decision in his first-career start at Double-A, allowing two runs, unearned, on four hits over six innings of work, striking out two. Schultz’s quality start was his first with Knoxville and his second overall on the season. Aug. 29: The Smokies were held to just one run on four hits as they fell to the Barons, 7-1, on Friday night. Pedro Ramirez pushed his hitting streak to four games, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Ramirez has posted a multi-hit effort in back-to-back games. Evan Taylor tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, striking out three. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 53–70 Series Opponent: Peoria Chiefs (48–74) Series Standing: Trail 4-0 Aug. 28: The South Bend Cubs dropped their third-straight contest as they fell to the Peoria Chiefs, 5-2. The Cubs had just two hits in the contest, with Cristian Hernandez (1-for-4) driving in both runs with a double. Nazier Mulé suffered the loss in the start, allowing three runs on four hits over four innings of work, striking out three batters but issuing five walks. Aug. 29: The Cubs’ losing skid hit four games as their comeback effort came up short, falling to the Chiefs 5-4. Miguel Pabon and Christopher Paciolla each went 2-for-4 while Cameron Sisneros drove in a pair of runs and drew two walks. Jackson Kirkpatrick worked two scoreless innings in relief, allowing no hits and whiffing three batters. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 65–56 Series Opponent: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (66–58) Series Standing: Tied 2-2 Aug. 28: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans blanked the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, 7-0, on Thursday to clinch the second half Carolina League South division title. The Pelicans will be making their first playoff appearance since 2023. Kane Kepley (1-for-3) scored three times, doubled and walked twice and has now reached base safely in 19 of his first 20 games as a professional, recording at least one hit in 15 of those ballgames. Ty Southisene (1-for-3) also crossed the plate three times and earned one walk. Matt Halbach went 2-for-3 with a double, three RBI and a walk. Edwardo Melendez picked up his first-career Single-A win in relief, allowing one hit and striking out three over three shutout frames. Myrtle Beach pitchers held Fayetteville batters to 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position, going on to strand 13 baserunners. Aug. 29: The Pelicans fell to the Woodpeckers, 8-1, on Friday. Myrtle Beach was held to just three hits, with Justin Stransky (1-for-3) driving in the lone run with an RBI-single in the seventh. View full article

Cubs Affiliate Overview (August 21-22) Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series vs. Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Houston Astros): Tied 2-2 Season Record: 60-63 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series vs. Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays): Biscuits lead 3-1 Season Record: 56-60 High-A South Bend Cubs Series vs. Cedar Rapids Kernels (Minnesota Twins): Tied 2-2 Season Record: 51–66 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series vs. Charleston RiverDogs (Tampa Bay Rays): Pelicans lead 3-1 Season Record: 60–54 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 60–63 Series Opponent: Sugar Land Skeeters (59–62) Series Standing: Tied 2-2 Aug. 21: The Iowa Cubs were held to just five hits as they fell to the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, 5-2, on Thursday night. The Space Cowboys plated three runs in the first and would hold the lead throughout the contest. Chase Strumpf went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles and Nick Lopez drew two walks. Moisés Ballesteros (1-for-4) picked his 66th RBI of the season with a single in the third. Cole Reynolds turned in 3 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, allowing just one hit while striking out four. Aug. 22: The I-Cubs evened their series against the Space Cowboys with a 3-2 walk-off victory in 10 innings on Friday. Nicky Lopez (0-for-4) scored on Jonathan Long’s (0-for-2) fielder’s choice, narrowly beating the throw home. Carlos Pérez (1-for-4) drove in Iowa’s first two runs of the game with his 25th double of the season in the fifth. Connor Noland took no decision, allowing just one run on six hits over six innings of work, whiffing five batters and walking none. It was Noland’s first quality start since July 20 and his eighth overall of the campaign. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 56–60 Series Opponent: Montgomery Biscuits (63–55) Series Standing: Trail 3-1 Aug. 21: The Knoxville Smokies snapped their brief two-game losing skid with a 9-3 victory over the Montgomery Biscuits. Ethan Hearn’s (3-for-4) two-run blast in the fifth tied the ballgame at 3-3 and Andy Garriola’s (2-for-4) RBI-single in the seventh broke the tie and gave the Smokies the lead for good. Jordan Nwogu had a monster day at the plate, going 4-for-4 with three runs scored. Evan Taylor picked up the win out of the bullpen, pitching two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three. Aug. 22: The Smokies fell to the Biscuits, 6-2, on Friday night. Ethan Hearn was the only Knoxville batter to record a multi-hit effort in the ballgame, going 2-for-3 with a solo home run, his eighth of the season. The Smokies had seven hits in the contest but would go just 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Mitchell Tyranski worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, striking out two. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 51–66 Series Opponent: Cedar Rapids Kernels (66–52) Series Standing: Tied 2–2 Aug. 21: The South Bend Cubs earned a 6-2 win over the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Thursday. The Cubs fell behind 2-0 after two but would score six unanswered, including three times in the fifth to take the lead in the contest. Cristian Hernandez went 2-for-4 with a run and a pair of RBI. Hernandez’ second RBI-single of the night in the fifth would put South Bend ahead for good. Nazier Mulé made his High-A debut, allowing two runs on five hits over 3 1/3 innings of work, striking out three batters but issuing four walks. Koen Moreno earned the win out of the bullpen, working 3 2/3 shutout frames, allowing no hits and whiffing four. Aug. 22: The Cubs were held to just four hits as they fell to the Kernels, 5-2. Drew Bowser had two of those knocks, going 2-for-4 with a run. South Bend would go 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position on the night, leaving seven men on base. Luis Martinez-Gomez turned in a solid outing in relief, allowing one run on four hits over four innings of work, striking out three. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 60–54 Series Opponent: Charleston RiverDogs (62–53) Series Standing: Lead 3-1 Aug. 21: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans claimed at least a series split with the Charleston RiverDogs with a 7-0 shutout victory, extending their winning streak to four games. Four Pelican batters posted multi-hit efforts, led by Kane Kepley’s three-hit night. Kepley went 3-for-4, scoring one run and driving in one. Dawson Netz picked up the win in the start, allowing no runs on three hits over five innings of work, striking out four. Joel Sierra and Pierce Coppola each tossed two scoreless frames in relief, combining to allow no hits and strikeout seven. Aug. 22: The Pelicans had their four-game winning streak snapped with a 3-2 defeat to the RiverDogs on Friday night. Kane Kepley continued his scorching start to his professional career, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and a solo homer, the first of his career. Jose Escobar (1-for-4) also went yard, launching a solo shot in the first. Jostin Florentino, who came into the contest with three earned runs allowed in 17 2/3 innings of work in August, allowed three over 5 1/3 frames, striking out five batters. View full article

Image courtesy of © Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Cubs Affiliate Overview (August 14-15) Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series vs. Worcester Red Sox (Boston Red Sox): Tied 2-2 Season Record: 57-60 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series at Rocket City Trash Pandas (Los Angeles Angels): Tied 2-2 Season Record: 53-57 High-A South Bend Cubs Series at Beloit Sky Carp (Miami Marlins): Cubs lead 3-1 Season Record: 48–63 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series at Columbia Fireflies (Washington Nationals): Tied 2-2 Season Record: 56–52 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 57–60 Series Opponent: Worcester Red Sox (60–57) Series Standing: Tied 2-2 Aug. 14: The Iowa Cubs dropped a high-scoring affair to the Worcester Red Sox, 13-10, on Thursday night. The Cubs rallied for five runs in the bottom of the ninth but would fall short, leaving the potential tying run on deck. Kevin Alcántara (2-for-3), Chase Strumpf (2-for-4) and James Triantos (2-for-5) all tallied two-hit performances, with Triantos driving in a team-high three runs. Will Sanders suffered his first loss at the Triple-A level this season, allowing eight runs on seven hits over 3 2/3 innings of work but also amassed a season-high nine strikeouts. Aug. 15: The I-Cubs evened their series against the Red Sox with a 9-6 victory on Friday night. Jonathan Long went 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored, a home run and two RBIs and was one four Iowa batters to post a multi-hit performance. Forrest Wall (1-for-2) slugged his first home run as a member of the Cubs organization and Carlos Pérez (1-for-5) recorded his 21st double of the campaign. Jordan Wicks picked up the win in relief, retiring all batters that he faced over 2 1/3 innings, whiffing four. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 53–57 Series Opponent: Rocket City Trash Pandas (38–73) Series Standing: Tied 2-2 Aug. 14: The Knoxville Smokies snapped their brief two-game losing skid with an 8-6 win over the Rocket City Trash Pandas. After getting blanked in the first two games of the series, the Smokies plated five runs their first time to the plate, highlighted by Pablo Aliendo’s (2-for-3) grand slam. Knoxville batters drew 10 walks and were hit by a pitch once but they would go just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and leave seven on base. Aug. 15: The Smokies evened the series with a 7-4 victory over the Trash Pandas on Friday. BJ Murray Jr. (2-for-5) launched a two-run shot in the fifth that broke a 3-3 tie and would give Knoxville the lead for good in the contest. Pablo Aliendo went 2-for-5, scoring three times, and Jordan Nwogu went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Tommy Romero picked up the win in relief, tossing five scoreless frames while allowing just three hits and striking out six. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 48–66 Series Opponent: Beloit Sky Carp (55–56) Series Standing: Lead 3–1 Aug. 14: The South Bend Cubs pushed their winning streak to six games with a 6-2 victory over the Beloit Sky Carp on Thursday. Ariel Armas (2-for-4) broke a 1-1 deadlock in the fifth with a two-run triple as the Cubs would go on to plate five runs in the frame. Rafael Morel (1-for-4) and Brian Kalmer (2-for-4) each recorded two RBIs in the contest. Kevin Valdez picked up the win in the start, allowing one run on five hits over 5 1 / 3 innings of work, striking out three. Aug. 15: The Cubs had their six-game winnings streak snapped with a 7-2 defeat to the Sky Carp. Kade Snell (2-for-4), the Cubs’ fifth-round selection in the 2025 MLB Draft, collected the first RBI of his professional career on a single in the first. Ariel Armas continued his scorching August by going 2-for-4. Armas has hit safely in 11 of 13 games in August, posting eight multi-hit performances and an overall slash of .489/.564/.681 with 13 RBIs. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 56–42 Series Opponent: Columbia Fireflies (51–59) Series Standing: Tied 2-2 Aug. 14: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans fell to the Columbia Fireflies, 7-2, on Thursday night. The Pelicans were limited to just three hits in the ballgame, but two went for extra bases, including Christian Olivo’s (2-for-3) two-run homer in the eighth, his third of the season. Nazier Mulé took the loss in the start, allowing four runs on five hits over five innings of work, striking out three. Aug. 15: The Pelicans snapped their brief two-game losing skid with an emphatic 11-2 victory over the Fireflies on Friday night. Eli Lovich went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, a home run and a career-high five RBIs. Myrtle Beach also got big performances from Kane Kepley (3-for-6) and Ty Southisene (3-for-5) as the offense scored in double figures for the second time during the series. Jostin Florentino continued his dominance on the mound, blanking Columbia over six innings of work, allowing just three hits and striking out seven to earn his fifth quality start at the Single-A level this season. In his last eight starts, Florentino has gone 4-0 with a 0.81 ERA (4 ER/44 2/3 IP) to go along with 54 punchouts. View full article

Image courtesy of © Steven Worthy / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Cubs Affiliate Overview (August 7-8) Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series at St. Paul Saints (Minnesota Twins): Tied 2-2 Season Record: 55–56 Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series vs. Biloxi Shuckers (Milwaukee Brewers): Tied 2-2 Season Record: 50-54 High-A South Bend Cubs Series vs. Fort Wayne TinCaps (San Diego Padres): Cubs lead 3-1 Season Record: 43–62 Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series vs. Fredericksburg Nationals (Washington Nationals): Pelicans lead 3-1 Season Record: 54–49 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 55–56 Series Opponent: St. Paul Saints (49–61) Series Standing: Tied 2-2 Aug. 7: The Iowa Cubs jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the third but the St. Paul Saints scored six unanswered runs to hand the Cubs a 6-5 defeat on Thursday. Kevin Alcántara (1-for-4) launched a three-run blast in the third, his 14th of the season, to cap a five-run frame, but the Saints scored once in the home-half of the inning and four times in the fourth before taking the lead for good with a run in the fifth. Iowa would load the bases in the ninth with one out but neither Alcántara or Chase Strumpf (1-for-5) were able to come up with a game-tying, or go-ahead, hit. Riley Martin turned in two scoreless innings in relief and has now turned in three-straight scoreless outings, spanning 4 1/3 innings. Aug. 8: The I-Cubs evened their series against the Saints with a 10-5 victory on Friday night. Owen Caissie led the offense by going 3-for-6 at the plate with two RBI. Caissie was one of six Iowa batters to tally multiple hits in the contest, as the Cubs recorded 15 hits. Carlos Pérez (2-for-4) slugged his 21st homer of the season in the sixth, which ranks tied for fourth among all International League batters. Miguel Amaya went 1-for-5 as he continues his rehab assignment. Jameson Taillon, also on rehab, allowed one run on three hits over 4 2/3 innings of work, striking out six batters while issuing no walks. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 50–54 Series Opponent: Biloxi Shuckers (58–48) Series Standing: Tied 2-2 Aug. 7: The Knoxville Smokies had their game against the Biloxi Shuckers suspended in the bottom of the fifth with the ballgame tied at 0-0. The contest will resume on Friday with a seven-inning game to follow. Aug. 8: The Smokies split their doubleheader on Friday, winning the completion of Thursday’s suspended contest, 2-0, before falling in the nightcap, 2-1. Game 1: The Smokies held the Shuckers to just four hits to earn their first shutout of the second half of the season. Antonio Santos took no decision in the start, yielding just one hit over five innings of work, whiffing four batters. A.J. Puckett turned in two shutout innings in relief, striking out one. Brett Bateman (1-for-3) delivered both runs of the ballgame with a one-out single in the eighth. Game 2: The Knoxville offense was held to just four hits over seven innings, going 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position, in the loss. Corey Joyce’s (1-for-1) RBI-single in the first scored the Smokies’ lone run of the contest. Walker Powell took a no-decision in the start, allowing one run on five hits over four innings of work, striking out three. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 43–62 Series Opponent: Fort Wayne TinCaps (50–55) Series Standing: Lead 3–1 Aug. 7: The South Bend Cubs had their four-game winning streak snapped with an 8-3 defeat to the Fort Wayne TinCaps. Brian Kalmer (1-for-4) got the Cubs on the board with a two-run blast in the fourth, his sixth of the year, and Cameron Sisneros (0-for-3) added an RBI in the sixth. Ariel Armas went a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish, his third straight such performance. Armas has started August 11-for-18 at the plate for an overall slash of .611/.696/.944 with three doubles, a home run and eight RBI. Aug. 8: The Cubs clinched at least a series split with their 8-5 victory over the TinCaps on Friday. The game was tied 4-4 in the eighth before South Bend plated four runs, with Leonel Espinoza’s (2-for-4) two-run single breaking the deadlock. Espinoza was one of five Cub batters to record multiple hits in the ballgame, as South Bend totaled 12 on the night, with the top four in the order going a combined 8-for-17 with eight RBI. Brooks Caple took no decision in the start, allowing two runs, one earned, over five innings of work, whiffing five batters. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 54–49 Series Opponent: Fredericksburg Nationals (49–52) Series Standing: Lead 3-1 Aug. 7: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans swept Thursday’s doubleheader over the Fredericksburg Nationals, taking the opener, 9-0, and the nightcap, 5-3. Game 1: The Pelicans blanked the Nationals 9-0 to open Thursday’s twin bill. Nazier Mulé turned in arguably his best start of the season, blanking Fredericksburg over five innings of work, allowing just two hits and striking out five. Matt Halbach’s (2-for-2) RBI-double in the first was all the offense that Myrtle Beach would need in the ballgame as the Pelicans scored runs in five of their six trips to the plate. Game 2: Myrtle Beach stunned Fredericksburg with three runs in the eighth inning to earn a 5-3 walk-off victory. Christian Olivo (2-for-4) slugged a three-run shot in extras, the first game-winning homer of the season for the Pelicans. Kevin Camacho worked five scoreless frames, allowing just four hits and striking out a season-high nine batters. Aug. 8: The Pelicans clinched at least a series split with a 9-7 victory on Friday night. The Myrtle Beach offense erupted for eight runs in the sixth, with Alexey Lumpuy (1-for-3) giving them the lead for good with his two-run blast. Ty Southisene (2-for-4) plated a pair of runs in the big inning on a single and Kane Kepley (1-for-3) capped the frame by stealing home. In his first three games as a professional, Kepley, the Cubs’ second round selection in the 2025 MLB Draft, has gone 4-for-10 to go along with a .971 OPS. Jostin Florentino took no decision in the start, allowing two runs over 5 2/3 innings of work, striking out seven. In his last seven starts, Florentino has gone 3-0 with a 0.93 ERA (4 ER in 38 2/3 IP) to go along with 47 punchouts. View full article