Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: August 31

Every team has either clinched a playoff spot (Iowa, South Bend) or has been eliminated from postseason contention. The minor league regular season ends on Monday.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were beaten by the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals), 3-1.

Starter Tyson Miller allowed a two-run home run in the first inning and then another run in the seventh inning. Between that, he pitched pretty well. The final line on Miller was three runs on five hits over 6.2 innings. Miller walked two and struck out six.

Iowa didn’t have a hit in this game until Zack Short doubled in the eighth inning. Iowa’s only other hit was a one-out triple by Albert Almora Jr. in the ninth inning. Robel Garcia hit a sac fly to score Almora and Iowa’s only run.

Almora was 1 for 3 with a walk. Short was 1 for 3.

Willson Contreras caught six innings and was 0 for 3 with two strikeouts.

Iowa is still the 2019 PCL American North Division Champion and Memphis isn’t.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies burned the Mobile BayBears (Angels), 10-3.

Cory Abbott turned in a terrific outing tonight, throwing six scoreless innings and allowed just two hits. Abbott struck out ten and walked three.

Abbott will finish the season with a streak of 25 innings and five starts without allowing an earned run.

Left fielder Jared Young was 3 for 4 with two doubles and a walk. He had one run batted in.

Catcher Jhonny Pereda went 3 for 5 with a double. He had three runs batted in and scored once.

DH Gioskar Amaya went 3 for 5 with a triple. Amaya knocked in one run and scored once.

Second baseman Vimael Machin was 2 for 5 with two runs scored.

Center fielder Charcer Burks went 2 for 5. He scored one run and had two RBI.

Shortstop Nico Hoerner was 2 for 6. He scored one run.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were stoned by the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Royals), 6-0.

Alexander Vargas started and took the loss. Vargas gave up five runs, three earned, on six hits over five innings. He walked one and struck out three.

The Pelicans had just three hits in this game. Luke Reynolds was 1 for 3 with a double and a walk. Kevonte Mitchell was 1 for 3 with a double.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were run over by the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Rays), 5-4.

South Bend outhit Bowling Green 15 to 4 in this game, but went 3 for 13 with runners in scoring position.

Kohl Franklin made his South Bend debut in this game and pitched three innings without allowing a hit. That’s the good news. The bad news is that he walked five batters which led to two runs, one earned. Franklin struck out three.

The loss went to Eugenio Palma, who hit a batter and then gave up an RBI double in the top of the ninth inning. Palma’s final line was one run on one hit over two innings. He struck out two and did not walk anyone.

Second baseman Clayton Daniel was 3 for 5 with two doubles. Daniel scored one run.

Center fielder Cole Roederer went 3 for 5 with one run scored.

Right fielder Nelson Velazquez was 2 for 4 with a double and a walk.

Shortstop Andy Weber was 2 for 4 with a walk.

Catcher Gustavo Polanco was 2 for 5 with one run batted in.

With the loss, Bowling Green clinches the second-half Eastern Division title. That means the best-of-three playoff series between these two teams will start on Wednesday in South Bend. Games two and three (if necessary) will be in Bowling Green.

Eugene Emeralds

The Eugene Emeralds were sacrificed to the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (Giants), 4-3 in 10 innings.

Starter Michael McAvene pitched a career-high four innings and allowed no runs and just one hit. McAvene struck out six and walked only one.

Jake Rendl pitched the top of the tenth inning and took the loss after allowing two runs, one earned, one one hit. Rendl did not record a strikeout or a walk.

First baseman Alexander Guerra sent the game to extra innings with a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth. It was Guerra’s 13th home run this year and third with Eugene. (The other ten came with Cubs 2 in Mesa.) Guerra was 1 for 3 with a walk.