Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: July 22

There was a lot of movement in the system after the All-Star Break. I hope I got all the important stuff here.

RHP Anderson Espinoza joins Iowa. Although he has major league experience, this is his first trip to Triple-A.

RHP Nicholas Padilla and INF Matt Mervis join Iowa from Tennessee.

C Miguel Amaya comes off the IL and joins Tennessee. He’ll be a DH-only player for a while.

2B Christian Donahue and RHP Riley Thompson also come off the IL for the Smokies.

SS Kevin Made and RHP Porter Hodge have been promoted to South Bend from Myrtle Beach.

OF Parker Chavers comes off the IL and joins Myrtle Beach. INF Scott McKeon was demoted to Myrtle Beach.

Nick Madrigal re-starts his rehab assignment with Iowa.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were blown away by the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 9-1.

Starter Cam Sanders gave up two home runs in the first inning and didn’t make it out of the first. His final line was four runs on three hits and three walks over two-thirds of an inning. He failed to strike anyone out.

Shortstop Dixon Machado went 2 for 5 with two doubles. He scored the lone I-Cubs run after doubling to lead off the top of the first.

Second baseman Nick Madrigal singled Machado home in the first. Madrigal played the entire game and went 2 for 3 with a walk.

Left fielder Darius Hill was 2 for 4.

First baseman Matt Mervis went 1 for 4 with a double in this Triple-A debut.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies blew smoke in the eyes of the Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds), 10-6.

Starter Chris Clarke allowed five runs on seven hits over 4.1 innings. Clarke struck out five and walked one. He also hit one batter.

Samuel Reyes relieved Clarke and got the win. Reyes surrendered one run on two hits over 1.2 innings. He struck out two and walked no one.

Bailey Horn really earned his save, pitching the final three innings and giving up neither a run nor a hit. Horn did walk two and struck out two.

In his first game back, DH Miguel Amaya went 3 for 5 with a double. He drove in two runs.

Center fielder Alexander Canario had a pair of doubles in a 2 for 4 game. Canario also walked twice. He scored twice and had one RBI.

Right fielder Yonathan Perlaza also doubled two times, going 2 for 4 with two walks as well. Perlaza scored once and drove in two.

Second baseman Chase Strumpf went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. Strumpf scored one run and had one run batted in.

Left fielder Bradlee Beesley went 3 for 5 with a steal. Beesley scored one run.

First baseman Bryce Ball was 2 for 5 with a double and a walk. He scored one run and drove in one.

The Smokies had 16 hits tonight, seven of which were doubles.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were robbed by the Quad Cities River Bandits (Royals), 3-1.

The High-A debut of Porter Hodge could not have gone much better. Hodge pitched 4.2 scoreless innings. He gave up just two hits. Hodge struck out four and walked no one.

The loss went to Riley Martin, who relieved Hodge in the fifth. Martin gave up two runs on two hits and a walk over 2.1 innings. Martin struck out four. Both runs came in the seventh inning—a leadoff walk, a one-out triple and a sacrifice fly.

Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was responsible for the Cubs’ only run with a solo home run. in the seventh inning. It was Crow-Armstrong’s fifth home run in High-A and 12th overall. He was 1 for 5.

South Bend had nine hits tonight and just one run.

DH Yohendrick Pinango went 2 for 4.

Catcher Pablo Aliendo and first baseman B.J. Murray Jr. were both 2 for 3 with a walk.

Second baseman Fabian Pertuz went 2 for 3.

Kevin Made went 0 for 4 in his South Bend debut.

Here’s PCA’s home run:

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were bitten by the Charleston RiverDogs (Rays), 3-2.

Luke Little started and did not allow a run over four innings. Little gave up two hits. He struck out five and walked one.

Jose Miguel Gonzalez took over for Little and got the loss after allowing three runs in three innings. One of the three runs was unearned. Gonzalez surrendered four hits and issued two walks while striking out five.

Second baseman Juan Mora went 2 for 4 and scored a run in the eighth inning.

ACL Cubs

Losing to the Guardians, 8-2 in the sixth inning.