Cubs Minor League News: Canario raking, Merryweather and Kilian rehab goes well, more
Photo courtesy: Iowa Cubs

Cubs Minor League News: Canario raking, Merryweather and Kilian rehab goes well, more
by - Senior Writer - Wed Jul 10 11:08:20 GMT-05:00 2024

When we recap the year the Cubs Minor League system had, this could go down as the worst overall day in the system. No, the Cubs didn't go winless, but they did come close, posting a 1-4 record in their first full day of action.

That isn't where the problem came in. It was the offense that was an issue, as the Cubs scored one run or less in all seven of their games, including the two games that were suspended. It's a miracle they even found a way to win one game, as offense was an issue all night.

NASHVILLE SOUNDS 3 - IOWA CUBS 1

After close to an hour rain delay, the Cubs and Sounds took the field in what is expected to be a highly contested series. That was the case here as a pair of fifth-inning homers would be all the Sounds would need as they took down the Cubs 3-1. Dan Straily was far from perfect, walking a career-high six men, but he managed to keep his team in the game as he allowed just three runs in 4 1/3.

The problem was a Cubs offense that was forced to face DL Hall, who struck out five Cubs in his two innings as he continued his rehab stint. Iowa opened the scoring in the top half of the third on a Hayden Cantrelle single to take a 1-0 lead, but that was the only run they would score. The Cubs had their chances but couldn't deliver.

Still holding that lead in the fifth, Joey Wiemer took Straily deep to start things off, and just like that, it was a 1-1 game. A few batters later, Brewer Hicklen got in on the action, taking Straily way up and way out for the two-run shot, which was all the Sounds needed in their 3-1 win. Iowa had eight hits in the game, with Alexander Canario and Bryce Windham accounting for half of those hits.

On a side note, Julian Merryweather took the ball for the first time since his injury in April and tossed a scoreless eighth inning with two strikeouts.

MONTGOMERY BISCUITS 7 - TENNESSEE SMOKIES 1

Sparked by a four-run fourth inning, the Biscuits never looked back as they took down the Smokies 7-1. Antonio Santos endured his worst outing of the young season as he allowed four runs in five innings, but did manage to strike out seven. He had the task of going up against Logan Workman, who only struck out five, but held the Smokies to just one run in six strong innings.

With things sitting at 0-0 entering the fourth, the Biscuits came to life and put the game away with one massive inning. A bases-loaded walk to Kenny Piper pushed home the game's first run, but the bases-clearing double from Dru Baker was the decisive blow as the Biscuits opened up a 4-0 lead through four.

The Smokies did their best to battle back, with William Simoneit connecting for his second Smokies homer in the fifth, but that was the only run their offense could muster as the Biscuits staff was strong all game. After opening the scoring with a walk in the fourth, Piper added a solo shot in the sixth to extend the Montgomery lead to 5-1, with Nich Schnell capping off the scoring with a two-run shot in the seventh.

DAYTON DRAGONS 5 - SOUTH BEND CUBS 0

It's hard to win a game when you only collect two hits, which was the case for the Cubs in a 5-0 loss to Dayton. The offense continues to be an issue with this team, and even with Erian Rodriguez going five innings, he stood no chance as he allowed five runs while the Cubs couldn't score at all.

Credit Ryan Cardona and Arij Fransen for that, as the duo combined to toss eight shutout innings, walking two and striking out nine. South Bend managed to keep things scoreless until the fourth when Rodriguez surrendered a two-run shot to Carlos Jorge to put the Dragons in front 2-0. Had they not scored the rest of the way, those two runs would've been enough, but the Dragons offense was just getting started as they pushed home three more in the fifth.

Sal Stewart started things in the fifth with an RBI single before the two-run single off the bat of Leo Balcazar brought home the final runs in the Dragons 5-0 win. Rafael Morel and Brett Bateman came away with the hits for the Cubs.

MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS 1 - KANNAPOLIS CANNONBALLERS 0

Sometimes all it takes is one run, which was the case for the Pelicans, who ended their season-long losing streak with a 1-0 victory. Kenten Egbert continues to do his thing on the mound as he improved to 5-2 after his five shutout innings and lowered his ERA to 2.53. Egbert scattered three hits and struck out seven as he was lights out from the start.

He had to be with Jake Bockenstedt equally as good early on, although he only lasted four innings due to some command issues. The lone run of the game for either side came in the third inning when the Miguel Pabon sacrifice fly made things 1-0, which went down as the winning run.

Each team finished with five hits in the game as Carter Trice led the Birds with two.

ACL DODGERS 8 - ACL CUBS 1

For the most part, most of the Cubs games were close, but this wasn't one of them, as a pair of big innings pushed the Dodgers past the Cubs. Diego Dugarte got the start, and despite striking out just one in three innings, he pitched well and kept the Dodgers off the board.

He left with the lead as the second-inning single from Jose Escobar gave the Cubs the early lead, but that was the only run they would score. Still holding that 1-0 lead in the fourth, the Dodgers offense erupted for five runs, which all started on a wild pitch to tie things up. That was followed up by the game-winning two-RBI single from Mairoshendrick Martinus, with Angel Diaz closing out the five-run frame with a two-run double.

The Dodgers weren't done getting after the Cubs bullpen as Brandon Noriega was touched for in his second inning of work and only lasted 1 2/3. Noriega didn't make things easy for himself as two runs came home on a wild pitch and a throwing error, while Martinus clubbed a solo shot to close out the scoring in the Dodgers 8-1 win. Escobar had one of the team's six hits with the lone RBI as Albert Gutierrez led the way with two hits.

DSL CUBS BLUE 1 - DSL ASTROS 0 (Suspended in the fourth)

The theme of the afternoon in the DSL was rain, more rain, and lots of rain, as a handful of games were suspended. That included both Cubs contests in the DSL, as they will now be forced to make these games up later.

Before the rain came, however, DSL Blue got off to another great start, and their pitching once again set the tone. Despite an ERA of 8.27 for the season, Geovanny Vasquez was on point for the Cubs in this one as he tossed three scoreless frames to begin the game with one walk and four strikeouts. He was well on his way to going a bit longer and potentially qualifying for the win as the Derik Alcantara RBI grounder in the first accounted for the only run of the game so far, with the Cubs leading 1-0.

DSL REDS 5 - DSL CUBS RED 0 (Suspended in the 4th)

While one of the DSL teams got off to a great start, the same couldn't be said for the other. DSL Red allowed a pair of massive innings in the early going and was left trailing 5-0 at the time of the suspension. Christian Lopez handcuffed the Cubs through three innings, scattering two hits and striking out four, as his ERA sits at 1.27 for the season.

He was backed by a flurry of runs, including a three-run second, to give the Reds a 3-0 lead. Peson Revierre opened the scoring with an RBI groundout before the Naibel Mariano single extended the Reds' lead to 3-0. They would add two more runs in the third off a pair of RBI doubles from Jirvin Morillo and Pablo Nunez, and this game will pick up with the Reds leading 5-0.

CHICAGO DOGS 7 - LAKE COUNTRY DOCKHOUNDS 0

It's been a long time since the Dogs put together a complete game effort, which happened on Tuesday as they shut out the Dockhounds 7-0. All of their runs came in two innings as John Baker was dialed in for the Dogs. The right-hander went six innings, allowing just one hit and striking out five, improving to 6-2 on the season.

He gave way to Lukas Galdoni, who finished the final three innings with four strikeouts to lower his ERA to 1.52 for the season. Despite opening the scoring on a long Narcisco Crook two-run shot in the first, those would be the only runs of the game until the ninth inning as Luke Hansel settled in to give the Dockhounds 8 2/3 innings of four-run seven strikeout ball.

Had his offense been able to do anything, Hansel had a chance to win this game. Even when they were trailing 2-0 entering the ninth, they still had a chance until the Dogs broke out for five runs in that inning. A bases-loaded hit by pitch brought home the first run in that massive ninth inning, with the Dusty Stroup bases-loaded double being the big blow.

You also had Nick Dalesandro adding an RBI single to close out the scoring as he continues to push for an all-star berth.

GATEWAY GRIZZLIES at WINDY CITY THUNDERBOLTS (Postponed)

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