Cubs Minor League News: I-Cubs game suspended, Nwogu smacks homer in Pelicans win, more |
For the first time in a while, the Cubs posted a winning record on the farm, going 2-1 across Sunday. One game was suspended in the fifth inning to be picked up later, but the rest of the teams played the entirety of their games.
Pitching was certainly the theme of things in the Cubs two wins as both Tennessee and Myrtle Beach combined to allow a total of two earned runs in their victories. However, South Bend was not as lucky as they not only allowed nine runs but scored just two in what was a rough day for them.
Looking to earn a series split with the Saints, the Cubs saw their game Sunday suspended after with the game tied 3-3. Both Joe Biagini and Ryan Kellogg saw two innings of work on the mound, Biagini allowing one run and Kellogg allowing two. Iowa opened the scoring in the top of the second when Ian Miller and Dee Strange-Gordan picked up RBI singles. A Mark Contreras double in the bottom second pulled the Saints within 2-1 before Vance Vizcaino doubled home the Cubs third run to make things 3-1 in the third. Saint Paul was able to tie things up in the bottom of the fourth off a Brent Rooker homer, and Drew Maggi RBI ground out as the game will resume on August 17.
The Smokies capped off a solid series with the Lookouts with a 3-1 win on Sunday. Alex Katz made his third start with the Smokies and delivered 3 1/3 shutout innings of work with four strikeouts. Across the final 5 2/3 innings, the Smokies bullpen answered the bell as they allowed one run on four hits to go with five strikeouts. The offense was scarce early, but the Smokies did provide their starter with enough support. Read Garcia singled home the go-ahead run in the second before Tim Susnara went deep for the first time in 2021 in the fourth. Little did Tennessee know, but that homer would be the game-winner as their pitching took care of the rest. It took seven innings for the Lookouts to cash in, but Wilson Garcia drove one over the fence for his third homer of the season, cutting the Smokies lead to 2-1. D.J. Artis then provided some huge eighth-inning insurance with a homer pushing the lead back to 3-1 before Manuel Rodriguez secured the save in the ninth. The Smokies offense connected for 10 hits, with Christopher Morel and Susnara grabbing two. The rest o the lineup did their part as only Tyler Payne went hitless in the win. Brennen Davis tried his luck in the leadoff role going 1-3 with a walk in his first game in that spot. On the road they go! #SmokiesBaseball #GoSmokies pic.twitter.com/JeL9pvvF4K
No one is happier for the week to come end than the South Bend Cubs. After taking the series opener on Tuesday, the Cubs went on to drop the final five games against Cedar Rapids and didn't look good doing so. The combination of Brad Deppermann and Jose Albertos struggled all game long, allowing all nine runs within the first six innings, making it challenging for South Bend to get going. Eury Ramos, however, continues to shine as he struck out the side in his lone inning of work. Trey Cabbage connected for a first-inning homer of Deppermann to give the Kernels a 2-0 lead, and they never looked back. Delvin Zinn was doing his best to close the gap in the second as his double made things 2-1. That 2-1 game turned into 4-1, with Spencer Steer picking up a two RBI single in the bottom of the third. The final run of the game for South Bend came in the top of the fourth when Kernels starter Derek Molina balked in Caleb Knight. The Cubs couldn't get closer as Seth Gray and Wander Javier played pivotal roles in the Kernels adding five more runs to finish off South Bend 9-2. With six hits, the Cubs continue to struggle offensively, with Bradlee Beesley picking up two to lead the way. Zinn, Yonathan Perlaza, Nelson Velazquez, and Jake Slaughter added the remaining hits for what was a quiet weekend for the Cubs offense. Edmond Americaan continues to struggle as he went 0-4 yet again and has seen his average fall to .182. Cubs lose 5th straight to Cedar Rapids and head back to South Bend for another home series vs. Fort Wayne. pic.twitter.com/Pg5y17F4e4
All it took was one big inning, and that was enough for the Pelicans to top the Riverdogs in a weather shorted game. Manuel Espinoza got the start and delivered perhaps his best outing of the season. In 5 2/3 innings, Espinoza held Charleston to just four hits and didn't allow a run. He walked one and struck out seven. After a scoreless first inning, Luis Verdugo put the Pelicans in front for good in the second, pushing across a run on a double play. One inning later saw the Pelicans bats erupt as they pushed across five runs to take a commanding 6-0 lead. The first of those runs and eventual game-winner came on an errant pickoff attempt which was not what Charleston needed. A three-run shot by Pablo Aliendo was the decisive blow before Jordan Nwogu connected for his second homer of the season to make things 6-0. . @jgnwogu42 blasted one to the beach tonight, absolute ?? @Pelicanbaseball pic.twitter.com/TTA1k6RHZM With Joe Nahas on in relief of Espinoza, the Riverdogs were able to put an end to the shutout bid picking up an Osleivis Basabe single making things 6-1. That is when Mother Nature stepped in and said no more baseball for the day, with the Pelicans earning a solid win. Jonathan Sierra had a quietly good series picking up two more hits to lead the way. Ezequiel Pagan, Jacob Wetzel, Aliendo, Nwogu, and Flemin Bautista also added hits in the win. Ed Howard continues to struggle since coming back from the IL as he has yet to collect a hit.IOWA CUBS 3 – SAINT PAUL SAINTS 3 (Suspended after 4)
TENNESSEE SMOKIES 3 – CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS 1
CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS 9 – SOUTH BEND CUBS 2
MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS 6 – CHARLESTON RIVERDOGS 1 (7 innings)
