Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: August 12

I hope some of you watched the “Road to Wrigley” wraparound broadcast tonight. If you did, please tell us about it in the comments. Personally, I don’t have the Marquee Sports Network, so I didn’t see it. But I am curious as to how it went.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs broke the Louisville Bats (Reds), 9-5.

Javier Assad threw the first six innings and gave up just one run on five hits. He struck out five and walked no one, but he did hit one batter.

Steven Brault relieved Assad in a rehab assignment and retired the side in order in the sixth inning. He struck out two. Brault threw ten pitches, seven for strikes.

The I-Cubs blew a 5-1 lead in the top of the eighth inning, but retook the lead when they scored four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. Cayne Ueckert allowed the first three batters of the inning to reach by a hit batsman, a walk and an RBI single. He was removed after retiring no one for Danis Correa, who was making his Triple-A debut. Colin Moran welcomed Correa to the International League with a three-run home run.

After Correa gave up the home run, he allowed a single but then adjusted and struck out the next three batters to end the inning. Correa then got the win in his Triple-A debut, having allowed one run on two hits over one inning.

Center fielder Darius Hill gave the I-Cubs the lead back with a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth. It was Hill’s third Triple-A home run and ninth overall. Hil went 2 for 5 with a double and the home run.

First baseman Frank Schwindel was 3 for 5 with two doubles. Schwindel scored twice and had one run batted in.

Catcher John Hicks had a pair of doubles in a 2 for 3 evening. He also had a sacrifice fly and two overall RBI.

Third baseman David Bote went 2 for 5 with a double and one run scored.

Iowa had 15 hits tonight and everyone in the lineup got at least one.

Here’s Darius Hill’s home run.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were blown away by the Mississippi Braves, 16-14.

Ben Brown’s second Smokies start was not as good as the first one, to put it mildly. Brown got hammered for six runs on five hits over 3+ innings. He walked five and struck out three.

Max Bain had a rough night, giving up seven runs (and two runners inherited from Brown) over just 1.2 innings.

The loss went to Peyton Remy. Remy surrendered three runs on five hits over 3.1 innings. Remy did strike out eight and walk just one, although he hit one more batter.

The Smokies scored ten runs in the second inning and couldn’t hold the lead. That ten-run inning was highlighted by a grand slam by center fielder Alexander Canario, his 27th home run this year and 20th in Double-A. Canario went 2 for 4 with a walk.

Third baseman Jake Slaughter connected for two home runs this evening—solo shots in the first and fifth innings. Slaughter went 4 for 6 with a double and the two home runs. He drove in four runs and scored three. Slaughter now has 18 home runs this year, 15 with Tennessee.

Right fielder Yonathan Perlaza doubled twice and went 2 for 6. He scored twice and had two runs batted in.

Here’s Canario’s opposite field grand slam. It barely cleared the wall, but you don’t get extra runs for hitting them farther than that.

I don’t have either of Slaughter’s home runs, but here’s his double.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs slid past the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers), 9-6.

Starter Kohl Franklin lasted 3.2 innings and surrendered three runs, two earned, on just one hit. Unfortunately, that one hit was a three-run home run in the fourth inning. Franklin struck out four, walked two and hit two batters.

Franklin was relieved by Adam Laskey, who ended up with the win. Laskey gave up one run on four hits over 2.1 innings. Laskey struck out four and walked two.

Zac Leigh threw a perfect ninth inning for the save. Leigh struck out two.

Third baseman Luis Verdugo was the hero tonight, going 3 for 4 with a walk, a sacrifice fly, a double and a two-run home run in the first inning. It was Verdugo’s fifth home run of 2022. Verdugo drove in five runs and scored twice. He also stole a base.

First baseman B.J. Murray Jr. went 4 for 4 with a double and two walks. He also stole two bases. Murray scored one run and drove in one.

Catcher Pablo Aliendo went 3 for 6 with an RBI double. Aliendo also scored one run.

DH Jordan Nwogu was 2 for 5 with a walk and two steals. Nwogu scored once.

Because I know some of you have been watching for this, center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was 1 for 4 with a double, two walks and no strikeouts. He also stole a base. Crow-Armstrong scored twice.

The SB Cubs had seven steals tonight. Besides the six listed, Fabian Pertuz had a steal as well.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were enchanted by the Columbia Fireflies (Royals), 6-5.

Starting pitcher Luis Angel Rodriguez gave up three runs, two earned, on four hits over 3.2 innings. Rodriguez walked four and struck out six.

Saul Gonzalez got the loss. He allowed two runs on two hits over 1.1 innings. He walked two and struck out no one.

Left fielder Parker Chavers went 2 for 5 with a double and a triple. He scored twice.

Third baseman James Triantos was 2 for 4 with a double and one run scored.

Shortstop Scott McKeon went 2 for 4 with two RBI. He tripled with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and scored on a wild pitch.

Highlights:

ACL Cubs

Rained out.