Chicago Cubs Minor League Recap: Minor League affiliates come through in the clutch

In addition to our Chicago Minor League Recaps, Prospect of the Week, and Prospect of the Month pieces, we'll also be starting a weekly mailbag and linking the form to ask your questions at the top of each daily recap. If you've got questions about specific prospects or the farm in general, ask them here!

Iowa Cubs (AAA)

The Iowa Cubs had their game postponed to be completed today. The game was tied 8-8 in the bottom of the 10th inning with Chase Strumpf up to bat with the bases loaded in the middle of a 2-1 count. 

Tennessee Smokies (AA)

The Tennessee Smokies beat the Chattanooga Lookouts 5-4

The Smokies came away victorious in this one due to a strong pitching performance in the last four innings and some quality hitting from the names you’ve come to expect. We also got to see the promotion of Scott McKeon from South Bend to take the place of Chase Strumpf who made his way to Iowa on Wednesday. 

Pete Crow-Armstrong (OF) went 1-4 with a double.

Haydn McGeary (1B) went 2-4 with a double, a single, and a run scored.

Andy Weber (SS) went 2-4 with a homer, a single, an RBI and a run scored.

BJ Murray (3B) went 1-4 with a two RBI double.

Cole Roederer (OF) went 2-4 with a home run and a single.

Scott McKeon (2B) got the call up to Tennessee and kept doing what he was doing in South Bend. He went 0-3 but he drew a walk and stole second base before scoring a run.

DJ Herz (LHP) started this one and went three innings giving up three run (two earned) on three hits while striking out three. His big problem in this one was the walks of which he gave up four. 

Blake Whitney (RHP) went two innings and also had trouble with the walks. He gave up one run on one hit and three walks while only striking out one. 

Hunter Bigge (RHP) went two scoreless innings and only gave up two hits while striking out three. 

Riley Martin (LHP) also went two scoreless innings and didn’t give up any hits, only walked one and struck out five to finish off the win for the Smokies. 

South Bend Cubs (A+)

The South Bend Cubs lost to the Fort Wayne TinCaps 1-0

Let’s call this one a pitcher’s duel, that will make it an easier pill to swallow that the Cubs only managed six hits yesterday. That being said, they did come away flying the W flag so we’ll take it and they now sit two games over .500 on the year at 25-23. 

James Triantos (2B) went 0-3 yesterday but still had potentially the greatest impact on the game as he scored the only run after taking a walk in the 9th inning. 

Ezequiel Pagan (OF) went 2-4 with two singles, raising his batting average to .367.

Bryce Ball (1B) went 1-4 with the game-winning RBI double. 

Casey Optiz (C) was the only Cub with a multi-hit game as he went 2-3 with a double and a single. 

Connor Noland (RHP) was great in this one. He went six scoreless innings and only gave up one walk and four hits while striking out two and lowering his season ERA to a sparkling 2.11. 

Frankie Scalzo Jr. (RHP) finished up the game with a perfect 9th inning to come away with the save. 

Myrtle Beach Pelicans (A)

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans beat the Salem Red Sox 7-6

Finally, we got some run production out of the Pelicans, but even though the bats came to play the pitching was rough. That being said, the Pelicans help the Cubs minor league teams do what the Cubs major league team has struggled to do all year: win one-run games. The Pelican, Cubs, and Smokies all won by a single run yesterday and the Iowa Cubs have the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the tenth of the game that took a delay so it could end up being a clean sweep. 

Andy Garriola (OF) went 2-5 with a solo home run, a single and a stolen base. 

Felix Stevens (OF) went 1-5 with a solo homer and two runs scored.

Cristian Hernández (SS) went 0-3 but drew two walks.

Moises Ballesteros (1B) showed his positional flexibility yesterday by playing first base and went 1-4 with a single, a walk and an RBI. 

Ismael Mena (OF) played his first game above rookie ball yesterday and he didn’t disappoint. He went 4-4 with a double and a run scored.

Johzan Oquendo (RHP) There wasn’t much good to talk about from the pitching in this one but Oquendo went 1.2 innings of scoreless baseball and only gave up one hit while walking three and striking out four. 

In addition to our Chicago Minor League Recaps, Prospect of the Week, and Prospect of the Month pieces, we'll also be starting a weekly mailbag and linking the form to ask your questions at the top of each daily recap. If you've got questions about specific prospects or the farm in general, ask them here!

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