Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: July 17

Yes, it’s Draft night, but the show must go on in the minor leagues.

The minors are also taking the week off for the All-Star Break, so this is the final Minor League Wrap until Friday. It’s a nice break for me as I return home from vacation.

I wrote up the other three teams before the Pelicans game started and because I don’t really have a good photo for the Pelicans, I left the picture of Darius Hill. But because the Pelicans had the nerve to do something special during the draft, they come first.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans no-hit the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Astros), 5-0. The Pelicans won four of six in the series.

Tyler Schlaffer threw the first three innings. He struck out six and walked two.

Luis Angel Rodriguez threw the next 3+ innings and walked three and struck out eight. He also hit a batter.

Gregori Montano entered the game in the seventh with a man on first and no outs. The runner on first was thrown out stealing and then he retired the next two batters. He struck out one.

Angel Hernandez was perfect in the eighth inning, retiring the side in order. He struck out one.

Alfredo Zarraga finished off the no-hitter with a perfect ninth inning. He did not strike anyone out.

DH Ezequiel Pagan hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning, his ninth of the year. Pagan also had an RBI double in the first inning. He went 2 for 4 with three RBI and one run scored.

Third baseman James Triantos hit a two-run double in the first inning. He went 1 for 4 and scored one run.

Second baseman Juan Mora was perfect, going 3 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Here are the highlights:

Here’s the final out for those of you who love to watch baseball celebrations. I’m one of you.

Iowa Cubs

Darius Hill hit a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Iowa Cubs stunned the Buffalo Bison (Blue Jays), 6-4. The two teams split the six-game series at three wins each.

Starter Luke Farrell gave up two runs in the third inning before exiting. Farrell’s final line was two runs on four hits over 2.2 innings. Farrell walked two and struck out one.

Ben Leeper pitched the top of the ninth and got the win. He allowed a two-out double, but no other baserunners in his inning of work. Leeper struck out two.

Hill fouled off four pitches before he turned on a 1-2 pitch and smacked it over the right field wall. It was Hill’s eighth home run this year and second with the I-Cubs. Hill was 1 for 5 and scored twice.

Levi Jordan was 2 for 4 with an RBI double that scored Hill in the fourth inning. Jordan also scored once.

Jared Young was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI groundout.

John Hicks went 2 for 4. He scored the first run of the three-run ninth inning on a single by Dixon Machado. Machado went 2 for 2 and scored twice.

Machado also hit the last I-Cubs walk-off home run in April of 2019.

Hill’s walk-off.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were shelled by the Biloxi Shuckers (Brewers), 7-1. The Smokies won the series, four wins to two.

Jordan Wicks made his Double-A debut and things were fine until he gave up two home runs in the third inning. Wicks’ final line was three runs on four hits over three innings. Wicks walked two and struck out three.

The Smokies only had three hits. DH Matt Mervis was 1 for 2 with three walks and a steal. He scored Tennessee’s only run.

Here’s Wicks’ first Double-A strikeout.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs fired the Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals), 3-1. South Bend took the six-game series, four games to two.

Luis Devers got his first South Bend win with five strong innings, giving up just one run on four hits. Devers kept the ball in play, as he struck out only one while walking no one. He did hit one batter.

The Chiefs only got one hit the rest of the way. Riley Martin pitched 1.2 innings and only hit one batter for his only baserunner. Michael McAvene allowed a hit over 1.1 innings of relief and finally Eduarniel Nunez pitched the ninth inning and got the save. Nunez walked the first batter he faced in the ninth, but then struck out the next three to end the game.

Center fielder Jordan Nwogu broke a 1-1 tie with a solo home run in the fifth inning, his sixth on the year and second in as many games. Nwogu went 1 for 5.

Left fielder Yohendrick Pinango was 2 for 3 with a triple and a walk. He drove in the first run of the game with a single and scored the Cubs’ third run in the top of the eighth.

Catcher Pablo Aliendo went 2 for 4.