Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: April 15

There was a really fast game in Fort Wayne tonight.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs roasted the Toledo Mud Hens (Tigers), 5-1.

Caleb Kilian started tonight and he really didn’t seem to have his best stuff, but he still only gave up one run on three hits over four innings. He walked two and struck out three. If that’s him on an off-night, we’ll take it.

Matt Swarmer pitched the next four innings without allowing a run and got the win. Swarmer gave up two hits and he walked three. He struck out five.

First baseman Jared Young hit a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth that proved to be the difference tonight. It was Young’s third home run of the young season already. Young also doubled in a 2 for 4 evening.

Iowa scored all five runs in the eighth inning as third baseman Dixon Machado had an RBI single. Machado was 2 for 4 and later scored on the slam.

That’s all four hits Iowa had tonight. They scored five runs on four hits.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies battered the Montgomery Biscuits (Rays), 3-2 in ten innings.

Starter Ryan Jensen gave up a game-tying two-run home run in the third inning. Jensen’s final line was two runs on three hits over three innings. He walked three and struck out three.

The Biscuits did not score again after that. Brandon Hughes threw 2.1 innings without giving up a hit or a run. Hudson did walk one batter while striking out five.

The win went to Bryan Hudson, who pitched three scoreless innings. He allowed two hits. Hudson walked two and struck out four.

Scott Kobos pitched the bottom of the tenth and not only retired the side in order, the automatic runner on second never advanced. Kobos struck out two and got an infield pop out.

Catcher Bryce Windham hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the tenth inning that ended up as the winning run. Windham went 1 for 2 with a walk.

Left fielder Darius Hill led off the game with a double and scored later that inning on a double by Bryce Ball. Hill was 2 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI single in the second inning. Ball went 1 for 4.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs melted down the Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 4-2.

Neither team in this game had a baserunner in the first three innings. South Bend starter DJ Herz went four innings and allowed one run on one hit. He struck out five and walked one.

Eduarniel Nunez got the win with two innings of relief of Herz. He surrendered one run on two hits. He struck out one and walked nobody.

An error, a walk and two wild pitches made the bottom of the ninth interesting, but Nicholas Padilla was able to get his first save in the Cubs organization anyway. Padilla struck out the other three batters he faced, including the final one with runners on second and third and two outs.

Left fielder Jordan Nwogu was playing his first game of the season and he had an RBI double in the sixth inning that broke the 1-1 tie. Nwogu was 1 for 4 with one run scored. Nwogu also had an automatic strike called on him in his first at-bat. (See below.)

DH Yohendrick Pinango was also 1 for 4 with a double, one RBI and one run scored.

This was the first game in the Midwest League where they enforced the pitch clock. Players just got warnings before today. The time of the full nine-inning game was one hour and fifty-nine minutes. The game was sped up by the strong starting pitching and there were no mid-inning pitching changes, but that’s a fast game even for that.

The Cubs were awarded one automatic ball and were penalized one automatic strike in this game.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach pelicans were mastered by the Augusta Green Jackets (Braves), 9-2.

Starter Luke Little had control issues and didn’t make it out of the second inning. Little was charged with two runs on two hits over 1.2 innings. He also walked four batters and hit one. Little did strike out four.

The loss went to Frankie Scalzo Jr., who relieved Little and allowed two runs on two hits over two innings. Scalzo also walked four and he struck out five.

Shortstop Reginald Preciado was 2 for 4 with an RBI double.

Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong went 1 for 4 with a walk and two steals.

The Pelicans only had three hits tonight.