Chicago Cubs Minor League Recap: Ben Brown Struggles

Iowa Cubs (AAA) (39-29)

The Iowa Cubs lost to the Memphis Redbirds 8-5

You win some, you lose some. However, when Ben Brown is on the mound you certainly expect to win more than you lose and that didn’t happen yesterday as he was unable to get out of the fifth inning, and then the bullpen promptly put any hopes of a victory well out of reach. That being said, there were a couple of promising offensive performances and Iowa is still ten games over .500.

Jared Young (OF) went 1-for-3 with a single, two walks and a run scored. 

Yonathan Perlaza (OF) went 1-for-5 with his seventh homer of the season.

Matt Mervis (1B) went 1-for-4 with a single and a walk.

Ben Brown (RHP) lasted 4.2 innings and gave up three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five. 

Ryan Jensen (RHP) lasted less than an inning but gave five runs (four earned) on four hits and two walks. Even though Brown took the L in this one, Jensen put it out of reach for a comeback. 

Codi Heuer (RHP) only faced two batters, but the story wasn’t the batter he walked or the guy he got out. The story was the wild pitch he threw before crumpling in pain on the mound leading many inside and outside the organization to have continued concerns about his surgically repaired elbow. 

Hunter Bigge (RHP) went 0.2 innings and struck out both of the batters he faced. 

Tennessee Smokies (AA) (35-28)

The Tennessee Smokies game against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos was postponed

South Bend Cubs (A+) (29-33)

The South Bend Cubs lost to the Fort Wayne TinCaps 8-4

There wasn’t a lot to love in this one. The offense put together two extra-base hits and the starter couldn’t get out of the third inning. There are not many instances where we can type that up and it lead to a South Bend victory and unfortunately that remained true yesterday as the Cubs fell to four games under .500 on the season. 

Ezequiel Pagan (OF) went 2-for-4 with two singles.

Bryce Ball (1B) went 1-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. 

Luis Verdugo (3B) has been hot lately and he went 2-for-4 with a double, a single, an RBI and a run scored. 

Luis Devers (RHP) struggled again. He lasted 2.1 innings and gave up five runs on three hits and three walks while striking out four. 

Jarod Wright (RHP) pitched well in relief. He went longer than Devers with 2.2 innings of his own and didn’t allow any runs or walks and only gave up two hits while striking out four. 

Sheldon Reed (RHP) finished the game off with a perfect ninth inning. 

Myrtle Beach Pelicans (A) (38-25)

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans game against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers was canceled

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