Cubs Minor League News: Ballesteros hits grand slam, Caissie raking, Shaw and Rojas homer |
After an overall strong showing for the Cubs Minor League system this week, their luster started to go away this weekend as the wins were less prevalent. That included a 1-3 showing on Sunday. The Cubs will now begin a new week of competition, eager to get back on track.
Of all the teams desperate for a win right now, the Iowa Cubs would be it as they fell to the Indians again on Sunday and were swept away. This was an especially painful sweep as the Cubs had the lead in several games only to let it get away. This was one of those games as Nick McGowin struck out six and allowed just one run in 5 2/3 innings before handing things off to a bullpen that allowed nine runs in the final 1/3 of that inning which was enought to hand the Cubs a 9-8 loss. Considering Domingo German was equally as good, allowing just an Owen Caissie RBI double in the fourth, those nine runs were more than enought o take down the Cubs. Caissie put the Cubs in front 1-0 with his double in the fourth, only to have that lead evaporate in the sixth. Malcolm Nunez started the scoring binge with a game-tying solo shot, only to have Henry Davis answer with one of his own to put the Indians up 2-1. Those were the first of two RBI hits in that inning for both of those guys as they joined Liover Peguero and Andres Alvarez as the other players to drive in runs as part of a nine-run sixth to put the Cubs in a 9-1 hole. Iowa did their best to battle back, with Fabian Pertuz connecting for a two-run shot in the seventh, but it was the ninth inning when the Cubs offense started to mount a massive comeback. Back-to-back games with a home run for Fabian Pertuz! pic.twitter.com/qRRuyoyDoV Leave it to Moises Ballesteros for that, as his grand slam pulled the Cubs within 9-7, and just like that, this was a ballgame. PINCH-HIT GRAND SLAM FROM MOISES BALLESTEROS pic.twitter.com/CIHxDvd7dZ Trayce Thompson followed that homer with a solo blast of his own to make things 9-8, but that was as close as the Cubs would get, falling by the 9-8 score. Having trouble keeping up with the homers, but here is a home run from Trayce Thompson! pic.twitter.com/FIRRSIEEWX Caissie continues to see the ball well, leading the Cubs with three hits while Thompson added two. Despite the bullpen allowing nine runs in one inning, Caleb Kilian wasn't an issue, as he tossed three scoreless innings of relief as his comeback effort continued. Valiant effort from our guys. We welcome St. Paul to Principal Park on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/pktg8a0tK4
Despite this series not ending the way the Smokies wanted it to, they still hold the top spot in the division and continue to create some separation for the teams behind them. Looking to make it two wins against Birmingham this week, Antonio Santos was back on the mound, throwing five innings yet again. However, after allowing three runs in the first and four in the first two innings, Birmingham was able to top the Smokies, as Tennessee fell 5-2. Opposing him was Mason Adams, who gave Birmingham six strong innings on the mound, allowing two runs and striking out two. All it took for the Barons to win this game was one swing of the bat from Michael Turner, whose three-run shot put the Barons in front 3-0 and never looked back. They added a fourth run off a Jacob Gonzalez single in the second, and the Smokies were down 4-0 and searching for answers. The Smokies started to get some of those answers in the bottom of the second when the Haydn McGeary single got them on the board and made things 4-1. That score would hold until the sixth when Matt Shaw delivered another homer to make things 4-2 as he is knocking on the door of AAA. That was as close as the Smokies would get as Gonzalez tacked on his second RBI single in the seventh to close out the 5-2 victory. Jonathon Long continues to see the ball well since his promotion as he picked up three more hits to push his average to .526. James Triantos, McGeary and Ezequiel Pagan all had two hits in the loss. First place is first place. | @zips3mincarwash
What started off as a pitcher's duel turned into a high-scoring affair as the Chiefs topped the Cubs 6-5 in extras. Erian Rodriguez continued to show his growth as a starter in High-A as he gave the Cubs five scoreless innings before yielding to Grant Kipp and the rest of the pen. Rodriguez left with the lead, but it wasn't a big lead as Pete Hansen held the Cubs to two runs in six innings while striking out nine. Both runs off of Hansen came on one swing, with Jefferson Rojas leaving the yard to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead in the fourth. Jefferson Rojas (@Cubs) to the tiki hut! It was the only offense the Cubs would have in regulation as the Chiefs responded with two runs in the seventh off an Alex Iadisema triple as this was a 2-2 game with extra innings coming. Both offenses came to play in the extra inning, and that all started with a four-run top of the 10th by the Chiefs to give them a 6-2 lead. All it took for that to happen was one big swing, with Carlos Linarez going deep for the game-winning grand slam, as the Cubs had tons of work to do. For the most part, they were up for that challenge, as Rafael Morel's three-run blast pulled the Cubs within 6-5, but they were unable to add on and fell by that score. What a moment for Rafael Morel 🥲 pic.twitter.com/j50eG2f6JX South Bend was held to five hits in the loss, with Pedro Ramirez leading the way with two. Came up just short in a good battle. pic.twitter.com/VyYTazrpVI
The lone win in the Cubs system came from Myrtle Beach as they continued to play great baseball over the past month. A big reason for that is their ever-changing roster, as several ACL players have made their way up to Low-A. While JP Wheat got the start, it wasn't a great start. His constant command issues forced him out of the game in just 2 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and just one hit. The same can't be said about Angel Gonzalez, who may be the best reliever in Low-A. With three more scoreless innings and six punchouts, Hernandez continues to dominate, as his ERA sits at 1.40 for the season. Wheat was backed by some instant offense as Andy Garriola connected for a first-inning double off Hurston Waldrep to put the Birds in front 2-0 early. The Birds strike first!#MBPelicans | #YouHaveToSeeIt pic.twitter.com/zWaP9odlRr That lead quickly evaporated with Luis Sanchez making things 2-1 in the second, only to have the Pelicans extend that lead to 4-1 entering the third, with Leonel Espinoza picking up an RBI single ahead of a walk. Augusta continued to battle back in the third, pulling within 4-3 courtesy of the Luis Guanipa groundout and an additional sacrifice fly. After pushing their lead to 5-3 with a Garriola Fielder's choice in the fourth, the Pelicans put the game away in the sixth, adding three more runs to open an 8-3 lead. Pelicanos Home Run! #MBPelicans | #YouHaveToSeeIt pic.twitter.com/aEa3tZdkbb The Birds lead by 5⃣ in the 6th!#MBPelicans | #YouHaveToSeeIt pic.twitter.com/24vj5drJ05 Jacob Wetzel started the big inning with a solo shot, while Miguel Pabon and Anderson Suriel added a pair of singles. Noah Williams pulled the Greenjackets within 8-5 in the ninth with a homer, but they wouldn't get any closer as the Pelicans picked up another series win. Eriandys Ramon has gotten off to a great start in Low-A, and with three more hits, his average is up to .545. Espinoza, Suriel, and Alfonsin Rosario added two hits for the Birds, who are going to be tough out the rest of the way. SWEEEEEP.#MBPelicans | #YouHaveToSeeIt pic.twitter.com/stHSrix1rsINDIANAPOLIS INDIANS 9 - IOWA CUBS 8
BIRMINGHAM BARONS 5 - TENNESSEE SMOKIES 2
Box Score: https://t.co/rTRY82rWhq pic.twitter.com/n7yEAWXy2yPEORIA CHIEFS 6 - SOUTH BEND CUBS 5 (F/10)
MLB's No. 84 prospect smashes his fifth homer for the High-A @SBCubs. pic.twitter.com/1NZ9yQUN54
MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS 8 - AUGUSTA GREENJACKETS 5
