Cubs Minor League News: Birdsell pitches gem, Shaw homers, Pertuz with 4 RBIs, more |
This has been a very good week for the Cubs Minor League system so far, which continued to be the case on Thursday. Had it not been for a South Bend loss to Beloit despite some strong pitching, the Cubs would've posted a perfect 4-0 mark on the diamond. Still, going 3-1 is no joke, which is what the Cubs pulled off on Thursday.
Even if the Cubs haven't had a great season overall, they can at least finish the season on a high note, which they are trying to do now. Behind a strong pitching performance from Brandon Birdsell and some timely extra inning hitting, the Cubs picked up the 5-3 win. Birdsell is starting to emerge as a serious piece for the Cubs' future, and the organization will have to face a tough decision with him next season. Birdsell may not have gotten a decision, but after allowing just four hits in six shutout innings, he did more than his part to earn the win. He walked none and struck out nine. There wasn't much offense in this one until late, as a third-inning homer by Matt Shaw was the only run Austin Bergner would allow. It's a solo sh(aw)t from Matt Shaw! It was also the game's only run until the seventh inning when Michael Arias took over and promptly allowed a game-tying solo shot to Drew Maggi to make this a 1-1 game. The score remained that way through regulation, as extra innings would be needed to decide this one. James Triantos and Andrew Navigato each picked up a pair of RBI singles in the 10th to keep things tied 2-2 before the Cubs offense came to life in the 11th. James Triantos coming up clutch in extras! 🫡 pic.twitter.com/l4YNsPqXpT Luis Vazquez broke the scoreless tie with an RBI single before Chase Strumpf and Miles Mastrobuoni tacked on additional singles to push the lead to 5-2. The Strumpf hit would go down as the game-winning hit as the Mud Hens tacked on an additional RBI single in the bottom of the 11th before falling 5-3. Triantos had a great day offensively, as he led the Cubs with three hits and one RBI. Two other players recorded multiple hits as Shaw and Vazquez joined in with two hits. Looking ahead to the September call-ups, Keegan Thompson has to get some consideration as he tossed another scoreless inning, scattering two hits and striking out one. It took 11 innings, but the W was secured ✅ pic.twitter.com/0egzIpoQCy
After a down week from the Smokies last week, they have responded in a big way this week as they have taken the first three games from the Blue Wahoos this week. All it took was a massive four-run first inning to open the scoring as Chris Kachmar was able to settle in for the win. Kachmar only went five innings, but with no runs allowed, he continued to impress, which he has done since moving back into the rotation. Nick Hull took over for Kachmar and allowed two runs in two innings for his AA debut, but the Smokies offense took care of the rest. A large portion of the Smokies damage came in the first inning as the offense jumped all over Evan Fitterer who was touched up for four runs in just 1/3. Jonathon Long started the scoring with a two-run RBI single to put Tennessee up 2-0, while a Fabian Pertuz single went down as the winning hit and pushed the lead to 4-0 after one. Jonathon Long slices an RBI single, and a throwing error makes it 2-0 Smokies in the 1st! #LastYearBestYear #NextStopWrigley pic.twitter.com/RCp2h8ChoC Fabian Pertuz adds on 2 more runs in the bottom of the 1st! 4-0 Smokies. #LastYearBestYear #NextStopWrigley pic.twitter.com/Q3SFAps6ua That score would hold until the fifth inning when Luis Verdugo tacked on another single to make things 5-0, with Pertuz tacking on an RBI forceout to make this a 6-0 game. It took seven innings for the Blue Wahoos to break through, but over the next two innings, they took a 6-0 game and pulled within 6-3. Harrison Spohn opened the scoring with an RBI groundout in the seventh, while the Jakob Marsee single made things 6-2. Pensacola pulled within 6-3 in the eighth off a bases-loaded walk, but that was as close as things would get, with Pertuz connecting for a solo shot in the eighth to close out the scoring 7-3. Fabian Pertuz absolutely DESTROYED this ball. #LastYearBestYear #NextStopWrigley pic.twitter.com/TLblKW5Z3C Pertuz had his best game as a Smokie, leading Tennessee with three hits and four RBIs. Is this the score of a football game or baseball game? Who cares, we won! | @zips3mincarwash
If there is one positive to take away from this season, it would be that the Cubs have shown plenty of fight and that there should be plenty of talent next season. Will Sanders is one of those guys, as the right-hander went 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs with two earned. He walked one and struck out five before the bullpen took over the rest of the way. Marino Santy and Brad Deppermann were called on after that as the duo combined to strike out five over the final 4 1/3. Deppermann has been dominant since his return to High-A, as his ERA sits at 1.29. While Sanders was doing his best to keep things close, Thomas White was on top of his game as he allowed just one run in five innings, striking out five. His lone run allowed came in the first when Andy Garriola connected for his third South Bend homer, as he is making a great case to be the Cubs organizational hitter of the year. Andy Garriola CRUSHED his third home run with the #SBCubs off the batter's eye in center field! A @hoosierlottery home run opened the scoring tonight 💣 pic.twitter.com/nC7PxmJ6Il That lead didn't last long as a Tony Bullard single tied things up in the second before the Kemp Alderman single put Beloit on top for good in the third. Beloit tacked on another RBI single in the fifth from Ryan Ignoffo to extend their lead to 3-1, which is what the final score wound up. One of the best relief outings from a #SBCubs pitcher this season 🔥 The Cubs were held to five hits in the loss, with one coming from five different players. The Cubs fall to the Skycarps in tonight's game. Join us tomorrow night for Fantastic Firework Friday! pic.twitter.com/t1tgzKEBy8
Like in the Tennessee game, a fast start was all the Pelicans needed to get the win as a three-run first inning would prove to be enough in the Pelicans 6-2 win. Juan Bello made the start and continues to show growth on the mound as he struck out four in five solid innings. He gave way to Mason McGwire, who made his first appearance in a long time before the dominating Angel Hernandez struck out two of the four hitters he faced to close things out and lowered his ERA to 1.33. Anytime you can spot your starter with three runs in the first inning, you are doing something right offensively, as a bases-loaded double from Jose Escobar made things 3-0 and proved to be the winning hit. Myrtle Beach would tack on two more runs in the third off another Cam Smith homer, as he has homered in three straight games. Three games, three Cam Smith home runs!#MBPelicans | #YouHaveToSeeIt pic.twitter.com/bfOzdO35A4 Charleston pushed across their first run on a third-inning sacrifice fly and an additional run on a sixth-inning grounder, but that was it as the Pelicans closed out the scoring in the ninth with a Christian Olivo ground out to cap off the 6-2 win. Smith has been on a tear lately, and with three hits and two RBIs, he raised his average to .270. Six other players picked up a hit in the win. Back to back wins for the Birds!#MBPelicans | #YouHaveToSeeIt pic.twitter.com/p0flOkGSaOIOWA CUBS 5 - TOLEDO MUD HENS 3 (F/11)
I-Cubs take the early lead 👍 pic.twitter.com/jqfjffkJ2o
TENNESSEE SMOKIES 7 - PENSACOLA BLUE WAHOOS 3
Box Score: https://t.co/KRI3CxR9rt pic.twitter.com/66zty4lZDDBELOIT SKY CARP 3 - SOUTH BEND CUBS 1
Brad Deppermann struck out 3️⃣ batters in ✌️ shutout innings to earn the PEGGS Player of the Game! pic.twitter.com/BBxz1hSTJM
MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS 6 - CHARLESTON RIVERDOGS 2
