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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

Image courtesy of © Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Cubs Affiliate Overview (July 31 – August 1) • Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series vs. Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh Pirates): Tied 2-2 Season Record: 53–52 • Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series at Chattanooga Lookouts (Cincinnati Reds): Smokies lead 4-0 Season Record: 48-51 • High-A South Bend Cubs Series vs. Quad Cities River Bandits (Kansas City Royals): River Bandits lead 3-1 Season Record: 38–61 • Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series at Charleston RiverDogs (Tampa Bay Rays): Tied 2-2 Season Record: 49–48 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 53–52 Series Opponent: Indianapolis Indians (63–42) Series Standing: Tied 2-2 July 31: The Iowa Cubs captured a 6-2 victory over the Indianapolis Indians, winning their second-straight game. Miguel Amaya, making his third rehab appearance with the team, went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Owen Caissie went 2-for-3 with a run and a double to finish his scorching July with an overall slash of .333/.398/.744 with eight doubles, eight home runs and 14 RBIs. Hayden Cantrelle recorded his second-straight multi-hit effort, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI, and also slugging his first Triple-A home run of the season Brandon Birdsell improved to 1-0 on the season by tossing his first quality start of the campaign. He blanked the Indians over six innings of work, yielding two hits and striking out six. Aug. 1: The I-Cubs dropped Friday’s ballgame to the Indians, 8-5, in 10 innings. Iowa jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first thanks to RBI-knocks from Kevin Alcántara (1-for-5) and Ben Cowles (1-for-4). Will Sanders took no-decision in his second quality start with the Cubs, allowing two runs on two hits over six innings of work, striking out eight batters. After Indianapolis took a 5-3 lead in the eighth, James Triantos (2-for-4) launched a two-run blast in the home-half of the frame to level the contest. The Indians, however, would plate three in the 10th to even the series. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 48–51 Series Opponent: Chattanooga Lookouts (52–44) Series Standing: Lead 4-0 July 31: The Knoxville Smokies pushed their winning streak to five games, and clinched at least a series split, with a dominant 11-3 victory over the Chattanooga Lookouts on Thursday. Five of the nine Smokies hits in the ballgame went for extra bases, with Casey Opitz’s 3-for-4 performance leading the charge offensively. BJ Murray Jr.’s (2-for-4) three-run blast in the fourth opened the scoring in the contest and put Knoxville ahead for good. Grant Kipp picked up the win to improve to 6-3 on the season. Kipp allowed one run on two hits over five innings of work, striking out six without issuing a walk. Aug. 1: The Smokies pushed their season-long winning streak to six games with an 8-1 victory over the Lookouts to clinch a series victory. Eight of the nine Knoxville starters recorded a at least one hit in the ballgame and combined to draw six walks from Chattanooga pitching. BJ Murray Jr. went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI. Murray Jr. has driven in 11 runs in his last eight games and has hit safely in seven contests during that span, which includes four multi-hit performances. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 38–61 Series Opponent: Quad Cities River Bandits (59–40) Series Standing: Trail 3–1 July 31: The South Bend Cubs got on the board in the series with a 5-1 victory over the Quad Cities River Bandits. Brian Kalmer’s (2-for-4) two doubles in the ballgame drove in four of the Cubs’ runs, with his three-run double in the bottom of the eighth putting the contest out of reach. Kevin Valdez turned in a quality start in his second-career Double-A start, allowing one run on two hits over six innings of work, picking up two strikeouts. Luis Martinez-Gomez worked two scoreless innings in relief, whiffing one. Aug. 1: The Cubs dropped Friday’s contest to the River Bandits, 5-3. After trailing 5-0 through five, South Bend got on the board with three runs in the eighth but were ultimately unable to complete the comeback. All six of the Cubs’ hits were limited to singles and they were limited to just three at-bats with runners in scoring position, going 1-for-3. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 49–48 Series Opponent: Charleston RiverDogs (54–44) Series Standing: Tied 2-2 July 31: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans blanked the Charleston RiverDogs, 3-0, on Thursday to snap a brief two-game losing skid. Eli Lovich went 3-for-4 on the night and was the lone Pelican batter to record multiple hits in the contest. Walker Powell earned his first win of the season in the start, tossing five scoreless frames while allowing four hits and striking out two. Kevin Camacho worked three shutout frames in relief, whiffing four batters, and Ethan Bell earned his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth. Aug. 1: The Pelicans evened the series with a 5-1 victory over the RiverDogs on Friday. Matt Halbach’s (1-for-4) three-run blast in the sixth was the decisive swing of the contest. Eli Lovich (2-for-4), Derik Alcantara (2-for-4) and Christian Olivo (2-for-4) all posted multi-hit efforts. Jostin Florentino continued his stellar work on the mound, twirling his fourth quality start at the Single-A level. Florentino allowed just one run on three hits over six innings of work, striking out six. View full article

Image courtesy of © Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Cubs Affiliate Overview (July 24-25) • Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series at Louisville Bats (Cincinnati Reds): Bats lead 3-1 Season Record: 50–49 • Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series vs. Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Miami Marlins): Blue Wahoos lead 4-0 Season Record: 42-51 • High-A South Bend Cubs Series at Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati Reds): Tied 2-2 Season Record: 36–58 • Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series vs. Columbia Fireflies (Kansas City Royals): Pelicans lead 3-1 Season Record: 45–46 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 50–49 Series Opponent: Louisville Bats (44–56) Series Standing: Trail 3-1 July 24: The Iowa Cubs dropped Thursday’s ballgame to the Louisville Bats 4-2. James Triantos went 3-for-4 and Moisés Ballesteros went 1-for-4 with a solo home run, his ninth of the season. Jordan Wicks fell to 1-4 on the season, allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits over four innings of work, striking out four. Tom Cosgrove turned in two scoreless innings out of the bullpen, striking out three. July 25: The I-Cubs suffered a 6-5 walk-off defeat to the Bats on Friday. Ben Cowles (2-for-4) gave Iowa a 5-2 lead in the fifth with a three-run triple but the offense would be held to just two hits the rest of the way. Jonathan Long (2-for-4) and Greg Allen (2-for-4) also recorded multi-hit efforts in the contest. Brandon Birdsell took no-decision in the start, allowing three runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings, whiffing three batters while issuing no walks. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 42–51 Series Opponent: Pensacola Blue Wahoos (50–43) Series Standing: Trail 4-0 July 24: The Knoxville Smokies let a 7-3 lead slip, ultimately falling to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, 10-7, on Thursday. The Smokies scored twice in the first to take a quick 2-0 lead but the Blue Wahoos immediately responded with three runs in the second to put the home team down one. Knoxville hit back with a five-run frame, thanks to a two-run triple from Pedro Ramirez (1-for-4) and a two-run single from BJ Murray Jr. (2-for-5). The Smokies took a 7-6 lead into the ninth but the visitors stunned them with four runs to put the game out of reach. Tyler Schlaffer took no-decision in the start, allowing three runs on three hits over five innings of work, striking out two. July 25: The Smokies dropped their seventh-straight contest on Friday, falling to the Blue Wahoos 5-1. Knoxville got its only run of the game in the ninth to avoid the shutout. Pedro Ramirez (2-for-4) and Reivaj Garcia (2-for-4) each posted multi-hit performances. Grant Kipp turned in his best start of the month, tossing five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out five. Mitchell Tyranski recorded a scoreless outing in relief, working 1 1/3 frames and striking out two. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 36–58 Series Opponent: Dayton Dragons (30–61) Series Standing: Tied 2–2 July 24: The South Bend Cubs fell to the Dayton Dragons, 7-4, on Thursday. Carter Trice went 2-for-4 with two runs, two home runs and three RBI on the night, posting his second multi-HR game of the season. Kevin Valdez, making his Double-A debut, allowed four runs, all unearned, over five innings of work, striking out four. Jackson Kirkpatrick tossed two scoreless innings out of the bullpen, whiffing four. July 25: The Cubs dropped their second-straight game, falling to the Dragons 4-1 on Friday. South Bend was limited to just two hits in the contest, with neither going for extra bases, and went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Grayson Moore turned in two shutout innings in relief, striking out three. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 45–46 Series Opponent: Columbia Fireflies (44–49) Series Standing: Lead 3-1 July 24: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans had their five-game winning streak snapped on Thursday, falling to the Columbia Fireflies 4-1. The Pelicans got their only run of the ballgame in the fourth via a throwing error, going 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position on the night. The offense was also limited to just five hits, with none going for extra bases and no player posting a multi-hit effort. July 25: The Pelicans bounced back on Friday with a 6-5 walk-off victory over the Fireflies in 10 innings. Derik Alcantara (1-for-4) provided the game-winner with a single in extras. Angel Cepeda was the lone Myrtle Beach batter to have a multi-hit game, going 2-for-2 with two runs and a walk. Jostin Florentino allowed one run, unearned, over four relief innings, striking out seven. Florentino has not allowed an earned run over his last 16 innings of work and has allowed just one earned run over 21 innings of work in July (0.43 ERA), racking up 26 strikeouts and holding opponents to a .156 average. View full article

Image courtesy of © Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Cubs Affiliate Overview (July 18) • Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series vs. Columbus Clippers (Cleveland Guardians): Clippers lead 1-0 Season Record: 47–46 • Double-A Knoxville Smokies Series at Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox): Barons lead 1-0 Season Record: 42-45 • High-A South Bend Cubs Series vs. Beloit Sky Carp (Miami Marlins): Sky Carp lead 1-0 Season Record: 34–54 • Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series vs. Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves): Pelicans lead 1-0 Season Record: 40–45 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 47–46 Series Opponent: Columbus Clippers (44–47) Series Standing: Trail 1-0 July 18: In the first game out of the all-star break, the Iowa Cubs fell to the Columbus Clippers, 5-4, in 10 innings on Friday. Ben Cowles (1-for-2) helped send the game to extras with a two-run single in the eighth, but the Cubs were unable to push runs across the plate in the ninth and the 10th. Moisés Ballesteros went 2-for-5 with a run, and Carlos Pérez launched his 20th home run of the campaign. Brandon Birdsell made his first start with Iowa this season, allowing two runs, one earned, over 2 2/3 innings of work, striking out four and walking five. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 42–45 Series Opponent: Birmingham Barons (50–38) Series Standing: Trail 1-0 July 18: The Knoxville Smokies were blanked by the Birmingham Barons, 2-0, on Friday. Jefferson Rojas, the Cubs’ No. 3 prospect according to MLB.com, made his Double-A debut, going 1-for-4 with a double. Reivaj Garcia was the lone batter to post a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-4. Tyler Schlaffer suffered the loss in the start, allowing just one run on five hits over four innings of work, striking out five. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 34–54 Series Opponent: Beloit Sky Carp (43–44) Series Standing: Trail 1–0 July 18: The South Bend Cubs were blanked by the Beloit Sky Carp, 1-0, on Friday in the team’s first game out of the all-star break. South Bend was held to just four hits, all singles, and went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Cristian Hernandez extended his hitting streak to seven games by going 1-for-4 and has now hit safely in 11 of his last 12. Brook Caple took the loss in the start, allowing one run on four hits over five innings, striking out five. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 40–45 Series Opponent: Augusta GreenJackets (44–42) Series Standing: Lead 1-0 July 18: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans tossed the fifth nine-inning no-hitter in franchise history to earn a 3-0 victory over the Augusta Green Jackets. Jostin Florentino improved to 2-2 on the season, starting the ballgame with six shutout innings, striking out nine while issuing just one walk. Kevin Camacho picked up his first save of the season, working the final three innings of the ballgame, retiring all nine batters he faced, whiffing four, to complete the no-hitter. The Pelicans got all the offense they needed in the first inning, with Owen Ayers (1-for-3) launching a three-run shot, his fifth of the season. Alexey Lumpuy went 1-for-3 with a double to extend his hitting streak to five games. View full article

Image courtesy of © Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Cubs Affiliate Overview (July 10–11) • Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series at St. Paul Saints (Minnesota Twins): Saints lead 3-1 Season Record: 46–44 • Double-A Tennessee Smokies Series vs. Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays): Smokies lead 3-1 Season Record: 41-43 • High-A South Bend Cubs Series at Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Milwaukee Brewers): Cubs lead 4-0 Season Record: 33–52 • Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series at Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (Chicago White Sox): Tied 2-2 Season Record: 38–44 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 46–44 Series Opponent: St. Paul Saints (41–48) Series Standing: Trail 3-1 July 10: The Iowa Cubs dropped their third-straight contest, falling to the St. Paul Saints, 2-1. Owen Caissie (1-for-4) continued his torrid stretch by homering in the fourth to tie the game at 1-1, but that was just one of just five hits recorded by the Cubs in the contest. Caissie is now slashing .394/.487/1.091 through eight games in July, homering seven times and driving in nine. Jonathan Long went 2-for-4 with a double, posting his second-straight multi-hit game. Chris Kachmar suffered the loss in the start, allowing two runs on three hits over five innings of work, striking out five. July 11: The I-Cubs snapped a three-game losing skid with an 8-7 victory over the Saints in eight innings. Iowa was powered by a seven-run fifth inning, with Darius Hill’s (1-for-2) bases-loaded walk in the frame giving the Cubs the lead for good in the contest. Moisés Ballesteros went 3-for-5 with an RBI, his ninth game this season with at least three hits. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 41–43 Series Opponent: Montgomery Biscuits (46–39) Series Standing: Lead 3-1 July 10: The Knoxville Smokies earned a walk-off victory with over the Montgomery Biscuits, 4-3. RBI-base hits from BJ Murray Jr. (1-for-2) and Ethan Hearn (2-for-3) in the first gave the Smokies a 2-0 lead. After the Smokies tied the game at 3-3 in the eighth thanks to a sacrifice fly from Felix Stevens (1-for-3). Pedro Ramirez (1-for-5) claimed the victory for Knoxville with a solo shot, his seventh of the season. Tyler Schlaffer took no decision in the start, allowing just one run on five hits over five innings of work, striking out four. July 11: The Smokies claimed at least a series split with the Biscuits, winning Friday’s contest 5-3. Brett Bateman led the way offensively, going 3-for-4 with an RBI in his first game back since being placed on the injured list on June 30. Reivaj Garcia went 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI. Jordan Nwogu went 2-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to four games. Nick Hull turned in two scoreless innings in relief, striking out two. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 33–52 Series Opponent: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (39–45) Series Standing: Lead 4–0 July 10: The South Bend Cubs scored double-digit runs for the second time during the series, pushing their winning streak to four games, by defeating the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 12-3 on Thursday. Cristian Hernandez recorded his third four-hit performance of the season, going 4-for-5 with a double and two RBI. Jefferson Rojas had his seven-game hitting streak snapped on Wednesday but didn’t stay 0-for for too long, going 2-for-6 with two RBI. Six different Cubs batters had at least two hits in the ballgame and five drove in at least two runs. Brandon Birdsell was solid again in the start, allowing two runs on four hits over five innings of work, striking out three. July 11: The Cubs clinched a series win and pushed their winning streak to five games with a 6-2 victory over the Timber Rattlers. Jefferson Rojas (2-for-5) and Cristian Hernandez (2-for-5) each put together multi-hit efforts, with Rojas homering twice and driving in three runs. Edgar Alvarez went 3-for-4 as six different South Bend batters had at least two hits in the ballgame as the offense totaled 14 hits. Chase Watkins turned in three shutout innings in relief, allowing just three hits and striking out three. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 38–44 Series Opponent: Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (39–46) Series Standing: Tied 2-2 July 10: Myrtle Beach earned a 7-3 victory over Kannapolis on Thursday, thanks to a cycle from Alexey Lumpuy. Lumpuy became the first Pelican to hit for the cycle since 1999, tripling in the first, homering in the third, doubling in the fifth and singling in the ninth to complete the feat. Leonel Espinoza (0-for-3) and Christian Olivo (1-for-3) each tallied two RBI in the contest. Yennri Rojas earned the win in the start, allowing two runs on three hits over five innings of work, striking out five. Dominic Hambley turned in two shutout innings out of the bullpen, whiffing three batters. July 11: The Pelicans suffered a narrow one-run loss, 5-4, on Friday at the Cannon Ballers. Myrtle Beach held a 3-1 lead after the top of the eighth, getting RBI from Alexey Lumpuy (3-for-5) and Jose Escobar (1-for-3) in the fifth and Eli Lovich (1-for-4) in the eighth, but Kannapolis hit back with a four-spot in the bottom of the inning to go ahead 5-3. The Pelicans would score once in the ninth on a balk, but the game would come to an end with the bases loaded. Jostin Florentino took no decision in his quality start, allowing one run, unearned, on three hits over six innings to go along with four strikeouts. View full article

For the first time in his career, Owen Caissie has been named International League Player of the Week following an absolutely dominant series against the Omaha Storm Chasers last week. Caissie slashed an incredible .476/.560/1.143 hitting two doubles, four home runs and tallying six RBIs, while also scoring nine runs and drawing four walks. The Cubs' No. 1 prospect (MLB.com) started the series against the Storm Chasers with an 0-for at the dish before ripping off four straight multi-hit performances, which included three-hit games on Friday and Sunday. Caissie also launched two-homer games in consecutive contests on Thursday and Saturday, bringing his season total to 16, just six shy of his career-best mark of 22, which he set in 2023 at Double-A Tennessee. His torrid start to July comes on the heels of a monster June, where he slashed .316/.435/.605 with five home runs and 13 RBIs in 22 games. The headlining prospect return piece as part of the Yu Darvish trade with the Padres in the winter of 2020, his peak is coming at the perfect time for the Cubs, who might want to use the 2025 MLB All-Star Futures Game participant to headline a trade package for a top-of-the-rotation arm at the deadline. View full rumor

Image courtesy of © Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Cubs Affiliate Overview (July 3–4) • Triple-A Iowa Cubs Series vs. Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals): Cubs lead 3-1 Season Record: 44–40 • Double-A Tennessee Smokies Series vs. Rocket City Trash Pandas (Los Angeles Angels): Tied 2-2 Season Record: 37-41 • High-A South Bend Cubs Series vs. Peoria Chiefs (St. Louis Cardinals): Chiefs lead 4-0 Season Record: 28–51 • Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Series vs. Charleston RiverDogs (Tampa Bay Rays): Pelicans lead 4-0 Season Record: 36–41 Triple-A: Iowa Cubs Season Record: 44–40 Series Opponent: Omaha Storm Chasers (34–50) Series Standing: Lead 3-1 July 3: The Iowa Cubs put up double-digit runs for the second straight contest, defeating the Omaha Storm Chasers 12-3, earning a win in the home series of their six-game split series. Owen Caissie broke out of a 1-for-20 stretch by going 2-for-4 with three runs scored, two home runs, four RBIs and a walk. Carlos Pérez (1-for-4) slugged his 19th home run of the season and Jonathan Long (2-for-5) and Kevin Alcántara (3-for-5) each blasted their 11th home run of the campaign. Connor Noland started and picked up the win, allowing two runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings of work, striking out eight. July 4: The I-Cubs pushed their winning streak to three games, and secured at least a series split, with a 7-2 victory over the Storm Chasers. Owen Caissie (3-for-4) and Jonathan Long (2-for-4) put together multi-hit efforts at the dish, with Long driving in four runs in the contest. Chris Kachmar picked up his first-career Triple-A win in his Iowa season debut, allowing just one run on four hits over five innings of work, striking out nine. Ethan Roberts tossed two perfect innings in relief, striking out four, including whiffing the side in order in the eighth. Double-A: Knoxville Smokies Season Record: 37–41 Series Opponent: Rocket City Trash Pandas (26–52) Series Standing: Tied 2-2 July 3: The Knoxville Smokies let an 8-6 lead slip late, and the Rocket City Trash Pandas scored four times in the eighth to hand the Smokies a 10-8 loss. Knoxville tallied 10 hits in the contest, all singles, with Corey Joyce (2-for-3), BJ Murray Jr. (2-for-4) and Jordan Nwogu (2-for-3) all tallying multi-hit efforts. July 4: The Smokies opened the home half of their split series against the Trash Pandas with an 8-3 victory. Casey Opitz (2-for-4) and Jaylen Palmer (2-for-3) posted multi-hit performances with BJ Murray Jr. (1-for-2) and Jordan Nwogu (1-for-4) each driving in three runs. It was the second-straight three-RBI game for Nwogu, who has now collected at least one RBI in four straight games, a season-long streak. Murray Jr. is now up to 51 RBIs in 75 games this season. Tyler Schlaffer earned the win with his fourth-straight quality start, allowing just two runs, one earned, on five hits over six innings of work, to go along with four strikeouts. Tyler Santana earned a three-inning save, allowing one run on three hits to go along with five strikeouts. High-A: South Bend Cubs Season Record: 28–51 Series Opponent: Peoria Chiefs (34–44) Series Standing: Trail 4–0 July 3: The South Bend Cubs were walked off by the Peoria Chiefs, 3-2, in 10 innings on Thursday. Cristian Hernandez (1-for-3) and Brian Kalmer (1-for-4) each had an RBI, with Hernandez tallying a double. Brandon Birdsell, making his first rehab appearance at South Bend, worked four innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits, striking out five. Evan Aschenbeck turned in four scoreless innings in relief, allowing five hits and whiffing four. July 4: The Cubs dropped their fifth straight contest, falling to the Chiefs 9-4 on Friday, to open the home half of their split series. Jefferson Rojas (2-for-4) hit a two-run homer in the fifth and also drew one walk. Single-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans Season Record: 36–41 Series Opponent: Charleston RiverDogs (41–38) Series Standing: Lead 4-0 July 3: Myrtle Beach earned a sweep of the road series in its split series at Charleston with a 3-1 victory to push its winning streak to four games. Owen Ayers’ (1-for-3) two-run blast in the first proved to be the decisive swing in the game. Eli Lovich (1-for-4) added an RBI-single in the fourth. Yenrri Rojas improved to 2-2 on the season by tossing five innings of one-run ball, striking out three. Landon Ginn and Cole Reynolds each turned in two shutout innings in relief, combining for four strikeouts. July 4: The Pelicans extended their winning streak to five games with an 8-6 win over the RiverDogs to clinch at least a series win of this split series. Jose Escobar (3-for-4) and Matt Halbach (1-for-3) each homered in the third inning to put Myrtle Beach up 5-0 in the ballgame. After Charleston rallied to take a 6-5 lead by scoring five in the fifth, Myrtle Beach took the lead right back with two runs in the home half of the frame through a two-run single from Owen Ayers (1-for-4). Jostin Florentino took a no-decision in the start, allowing just one run on seven hits over five innings of work, striking out six. Brayden Spears earned his first win of the season by working the final 2 2/3 of the contests, allowing no runs on one hit, striking out two. View full article