Cubs Minor League News: Mervis mashing, Long clutch, Franklin homers, Straily impresses
Photo courtesy: Iowa Cubs

Cubs Minor League News: Mervis mashing, Long clutch, Franklin homers, Straily impresses
by - Senior Writer - Sat Jun 22 11:58:27 GMT-04:00 2024

For the most part, this has been a very successful week for the Cubs Minor League system, as the wins have been piling up. However, all good things must come to an end at some point, and that point was on Friday, when the Cubs posted a 2-6 record on the evening, with both the Rookie Leagues and full season teams going 1-3 on the evening.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS 5 - IOWA CUBS 2

You have to feel for the Iowa Cubs this week as they have lost three of four games so far. Realistically, they could've won all four, as their pitching has been outstanding all week. That was the case again on Friday when Dan Straily delivered his best outing as a Cub with six shutout innings.

He walked two, struck out four, and scattered four hits. As has been the case all week, his efforts went to waste as Brad Weick and Sam McWilliams allowed five runs in the seventh inning to hand the Cubs another 5-2 loss. Not only was Straily dialed in, but so was Luis Cessa, who went five innings, allowing just three hits and two earned runs.

Both of the runs he allowed came in the third inning when the Owen Caissie single put the Cubs in front 2-0.

That would be the only offense for the Cubs in the game, but given Straily's effort, they managed to hold that lead until the seventh. Once the Cubs made the move to the pen in the seventh, it was all downhill, as all five of the Indians' runs came in that seventh inning.

After an RBI double from Dylan Shockley put the Indians on the board, Joey Bart delivered the big blow as his bases-clearing put the Indians in front for good 4-2 before adding the final run on the Joshua Palacios single to pick up the 5-2 win. The Cubs had four hits in the loss, with Caissie, Luis Vazquez, Chase Strumpf, and Matt Mervis delivering those hits. Jorge Lopez also tossed a scoreless frame for Iowa.

MISSISSIPPI BRAVES 7 - TENNESSEE SMOKIES 2

Looking to continue their push to claim the first-half title, the Smokies got a bit of a setback on Friday as they fell to the Braves 7-2. This was a close game, with the Smokies trailing 3-2, only to have a four-run ninth inning break the game wide open.

Alex Troop got the start for the Smokies and was very good through his five innings. Troop scattered two runs on four hits, walking one and striking out three before handing things off to the pen. Opposing him was Luis De Avila, who also went five innings, allowing two runs and striking out three.

With Cal Conley putting the Braves in front with a sacrifice fly in the first, it was the Smokies battling back as they tied things up with an error in the fourth.

Immediately following that run, the Braves went back in front as the Sebastian Rivero double put the Braves back in front 2-1. Their lead didn't last long, with Christian Franklin unloading for a homer at the bottom of the fifth to tie things back up at 2-2, but that was it for their offense as it would come down to the bullpen.

Unfortunately, the Smokies pen cracked in this one with Geraldo Quintero connecting for a game-winning solo shot in the seventh before the Braves tacked on four more runs in the ninth. Javier Valdes connected for a solo shot in the ninth, with Bryson Worrell unloading for a three-run tank to cap off the 7-2 victory. Haydn McGeary led the way with two hits and was joined by Franklin and James Triantos, while the Smokies had just four hits.

SOUTH BEND CUBS 4 - LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS 3

After dropping three challenging games to open the week, the Cubs finally broke through as they scored the game-winning run in the eighth to pick up the 4-3 win. Drew Gray continued to struggle with his command as he walked five in four innings, but he did only allow two runs.

He turned things over to Nick Dean, who allowed one run in four innings of relief to pick up the win and lowered his ERA to 1.93. Dean is now 4-0 on the season and has been the most consistent pitcher on the Cubs staff all month. Opposing the Cubs was Trenton Denholm, who gave the Captains six innings, allowing three runs (2ER).

Leading 1-0 after a Jefferson Rojas grounder in the first, the Cubs let that lead get away as the two-run Tyrese Turner single in the second gave the Captains a 2-1 lead. The Cubs responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the second as Brian Kalmer tied things up with a single before the Ed Howard single made things 3-2.

The Cubs maintained that lead until the sixth, when Jonah Advincula delivered an RBI single, making it a 3-3 game. The Cubs pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the eighth as the Jonathon Long sacrifice fly was the difference. The Cubs had six hits in the win, with six players collecting one.

KANNAPOLIS CANNONBALLERS 4 - MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS 3

Like in the South Bend game, this one was deadlocked late, with both teams looking for the decisive run. This time, that decisive run wasn't in the Cubs system's favor as the Cannonballers delivered an eighth-inning run to pick up the 4-3 win.

Nazier Mule continues to improve on the mound. Although he walked three and struck out one in two innings, he also gave up two runs. He gave way to Luis Rujano, who also struggled with his command, walking five in three innings before the Pelicans let it get away late. Those command issues led to the game's first two runs with a wild pitch, putting the Cannonballers in front 1-0 in the second before a bases-loaded walk in the third made things 2-0.

Drake Logan earned the RBI with that walk and then picked up a second RBI on a fifth-inning sacrifice fly as the Pelicans were in a 3-0 hole. All it takes is one big inning for a team to get back into a game, and with a two-run double from Carter Trice in the sixth, it was the Pelicans battling back to pull within 3-2.

Myrtle Beach continued to come up clutch in the eight, with Drew Bowser grabbing another RBI double to bring things back to even 3-3, but it was the Cannonballers getting the last laugh with Ryan Burrowes delivering the game-winning sacrifice fly in the eighth to hand the Cannonballers a 4-3 win.

Cristian Hernandez and Alfonsin Rosario had two of the team's five hits, joining Trice, Bowser, and Reggie Preciado.

ACL ROCKIES 8 - ACL CUBS 5

Joan Delgado continued his hot start to the season with three RBIs to pace the offense. JP Wheat and Luis Martinez-Gomez were dialed in on the mound as they combined for six shutout innings with eight strikeouts in the loss.

DSL CUBS BLUE 7 - DSL TIGERS 6

Josias Ramirez played a massive role in that win, with three combined RBIs, one on a triple and two on a double, which went down as the winning hit.

DSL GUARDIANS 3 - DSL CUBS RED 2

Emilio Ramos got the start for DSL Red, giving the Cubs four strong innings with two punchouts. Grenyerbert Velasquez delivered the lone RBI for the Cubs.

DSL GUARDIANS 14 - DSL CUBS RED 4

18-year-old Daniel Campos continued his fantastic start to the season as he led the Cubs with two RBIs in the win.

CHICAGO DOGS 6 - KANSAS CITY MONARCHS 4

Antonio Barranca had a great game with a team-high two RBIs, including his first career homer with the Dogs. Jacob Teter and Narcisco Crook also had two hits in the win. Former Iowa Cub Trent Giambrone also saw time in this one, picking up one hit for KC.

WINDY CITY THUNDERBOLTS 8 - EVANSVILLE OTTERS 2

Backed by five runs in the first two innings, the Thunderbolts made quick work of the Otters. Kevin Pindel struck out seven in seven innings to improve to 5-2 as his ERA sits at 1.97.

Henry Kusiak, Christian Kuzemka, and Kingston Liniak paced the offense with two RBIs.

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