Cubs Minor League News: Rookie League action

Patrick Gorski - USA Today Sports

by Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - Tue Jul 18 11:11:06 GMT-05:00 2023

With the All-Star break officially in the rearview mirror, things are back to normal this week as the full-season teams are off again. That put the focus back on the Rookie League teams, as was the case on Monday, as it was their time to shine.

Typically, there would be three games in action on Monday, but given a makeup game from earlier this month, you had four games take place. However, mother nature had no intention of cooperating as heavy rains throughout the day in the Dominican Republic not only saw an initial makeup game get postponed, but two other games were suspended and will have to be picked up on a different day.

ACL CUBS 11 - ACL REDS 8

Despite being the only Rookie League team to finish their game, the Cubs not only won their game but provided enough offense to support the rest of the teams. Despite allowing two big innings, including a four-run eighth, the Cubs managed to hold on as they had a pair of four-run innings to take control.

Things didn't start well for the Cubs as the bases-loaded double from Luis Reyes in the first gave the Reds a quick 3-0 lead. They made that lead hold until the third when the Cubs responded and took the lead for good. Jefferson Encarnacion started the big inning with an RBI double before coming home on the Adan Sanchez single. After a wild pitch tied things up, Christopher Paciolla gave the Cubs the lead as he capped off the four-run inning with a solo blast.

Two innings later, the Cub's offense was off and running again as an error allowed the fifth run to score, but also opened the floodgates for more. Christian Olivo made sure to make the Reds pay as his first homer of the season extended the Cubs lead to 8-3 and gave them their second four-run inning. With the Reds pulling within 8-4 in the bottom half of the fifth, Paciolla and Olivo were in the center of the action in the sixth as their RBI doubles pushed the Cubs lead to 10-4. The Paciolla double proved to be the game-winner for the Cubs, as they had great days at the plate.

An Encarnacion single in the top half of the seventh extended the Cubs lead to 11-4 before the Reds started to rally back and make things interesting. Two wild pitches gifted the Reds a pair of runs in their half of the seventh, but the Luis Chevalier double mixed with a Carlos Sanchez single brought home two more as the Reds scored four times to pull within 11-8. That would be the final, as neither team could do anything in the final two frames.

Leonel Espinoza was one of four Cubs to record three hits and was joined by Olivo, Encarnacion, and Paciolla. Those three combined for eight RBIs in the win, with Olivo leading the way with four.

DSL CUBS RED 1 - DSL PIRATES 1 (Suspended in the 6th)

Although there is no official word as to when this game will be resumed, it was a good old-fashioned pitcher's duel on Monday as both sides allowed four combined hits. All four hits came from the Cubs, as runs were at a premium in this one.

Alfredo Romero had a day to forget for the Cubs, as the starter lasted just 2/3 of an inning. He walked three and allowed the lone run before the bullpen took over. Jeral Vizcaino was the first out of the pen, tossing 3 1/3 no-hit innings with three strikeouts. Wellington Quintero came on to throw the last two before the suspension.

Not only were runs at a premium, but both runs came via wild pitches, with the Pirates scoring on a first-inning wild pitch and the Cubs tying things up in the fifth. Andrews Cruz had one of the four hits for the Cubs as Joan Delgado, Elizaul Chalas, and Albert Gutierrez joined him.

DSL CUBS RED vs. DSL PIRATES (Postponed, Makeup TBA)

DSL CUBS BLUE 2 - DSL TIGERS 1

Like DSL Red, the DSL Blue squad could not finish their game as they were suspended in the fourth. The good news, however, was the Cubs were winning that game 2-1 after a great outing from Juan Archibold on the mound. The 19-year-old right-handed went three innings, allowing one run on three hits. He walked one and struck out seven out of nine to set the tone for his club.

Falling behind early was an issue for the Cubs all day, with the DSL Tigers grabbing a 1-0 lead in the first. That run came from the Anibal Salas single as the Tigers took an early lead. Not to be outdone, the Cubs battled back and tied the game up one inning later.

Brailin Pascual isn't credited with an RBI, but his double play did allow the Cubs to tie things up 1-1 in the second. The next inning is when DSL Blue took the lead as Alexey Lumpuy showed off the wheels with an RBI triple to make things 2-1. That is where things will pick up once these two teams return to the field.