Cubs Minor League News: Birdsell pitches gem, Caissie and Mervis raking, more |
With Tennessee being eliminated one game shy of the Southern League Championship, the focus shifts back to AAA Iowa as they not only started the season as the only team in action but will finish as the only team in action. Unlike the past two seasons, where the Cubs have had a team playing until the final week of the MLB season, given Iowa's current position and not being able to make the playoffs, their season will come to an end on Sunday and put an end to the Minor League season.
Until that point, Iowa still had two games to play against the Rochester Red Wings, and they were hoping to end the season on a high note. Saturday was a step in the right direction, as the Iowa Cubs used a four-run seventh inning to take down the Red Wings 4-0. Brandon Birdsell made the start for the Cubs and earned the win. He picked the perfect time to bounce back from a series of rough starts. Birdsell, like Connor Noland, has had a great season. He posted an 8-9 record with a 3.91 ERA. That included 4-5 after his promotion to AAA with a respectable 4.26 ERA. He will be one of the pitchers to watch next season. Birdsell has had moments with AAA where he has been dominant and moments like his previous three starts where he was hit extremely hard. Saturday was the good Birdsell as he not only gave the Cubs a career-high seven innings of shutout ball but did so scattering just five hits and striking out 10 as he was as good as anyone has seen him. Brandon Birdsell tallies a career-high 10 strikeouts! pic.twitter.com/mRNpket7mq The Cubs needed him to be good. Jackson Rutledge went pitch for pitch through six innings, allowing two hits and striking out four. He did walk four, but the Cubs couldn't find a way to get any offense going until later in the game. In fact, neither offense was able to get any going through six innings, as this was a 0-0 game through six. In the seventh, the Cubs' offense started to get rolling. They scored four times off the Red Wings' pen to take a 4-0 lead. Two batters into the inning, the Cubs were threatening as Chase Strumpf and Matt Mervis led things off with singles. Following a Darius Hill forceout that gave the Cubs their first out, Hayden Cantrelle came through with the go-ahead hit as his RBI single put the Cubs in front 1-0. Stay hot🤙 @5GuyCantrelle pic.twitter.com/AFQKXm5GJ1 Still holding that lead and with two outs, the Matt Shaw double was the big blow, as two more runners came in to score to make this a 3-0 Iowa lead. Matt Shaw brings home a pair! pic.twitter.com/ru8Ty4Nln7 Shaw has been on a tear over the past month, and he is making a great case to get some playing time at 3B on the Chicago Cubs roster at some point next week. Iowa closed out the big inning by scoring on a wild pitch as they took a 4-0 lead and never looked back. With Birdsell handcuffing the Red Wings through seven innings, Rochester was happy to see him exit the game after seven as the Cubs bullpen took over, with Daniel Palencia and Cam Sanders getting the call. Each tossed an inning, a scoreless inning at that, combining for three strikeouts and only two hits allowed as the Cubs finished off the 4-0 shutout. Iowa had nine hits in the game, with Owen Caissie and Mervis leading the way with two. Second shutout victory of the series! pic.twitter.com/vEdq1CkKq8
