Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: August 14

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs shattered the Louisville Bats (Reds) 5-4. The two teams split the six-game series with three wins each.

Starter Matt Swarmer got good results, but he did have to throw a lot of pitches to get there (67), so he only went 3.2 innings. He allowed one run on three hits. Swarmer walked two and struck out five.

Steven Brault, pitching in a rehab assignment, was awarded the win because Swarmer didn’t go five innings. Brault faced four batters and retired them all. He struck out one.

After reliever Jonathan Holder loaded the bases with one out in the eighth, Ben Leeper got called upon for the five-out save of a one-run lead. Leeper not only struck out the next two batters in the eighth to keep the lead, he retired the side in order in the ninth for the save. Leeper struck out four of the five batters he faced.

Right fielder Darius Hill was 3 for 5 with a triple. He scored two runs and drove in two.

Beyond Hill continuing to scorch the ball, he did this on defense.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies hung on to beat the Mississippi Braves, 8-7. The Smokies won the six-game series, four games to two.

Jordan Wicks started and allowed one run on three hits over four innings. Wicks struck out four and walked three.

The win went to CD Pelham, who was the best of the three relievers that barely held leads of 6-0 and 8-4. Pelham did not allow a run and only one hit over two innings. He struck out two and walked one.

Eduarniel Nunez barely hung on as he gave up three runs in the top of the ninth in a non-save situation. There were runners on the corners before he got the final out.

Left fielder Alexander Canario gave the Smokies a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first inning with a two-run home run, his 28th on the year and 21st with Tennessee. Canario was 2 for 4 and also stole a base.

Right fielder Yonathan Perlaza came a single (!) shy of the cycle as he was 3 for 5 with a double, a triple and a solo home run in the third inning. The home run was Perlaza’s 20th this year. Perlaza scored three runs and drove home two.

DH Bryce Ball was 3 for 4 with a stolen baske, an RBI and a run scored.

Shortstop Andy Weber was 1 for 4 with three steals. He had one run scored and drove home one.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs felt the venom of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers), 5-3. Wisconsin won this series, four games to two.

Daniel Palencia got knocked around for five runs on four hits over three innings. He walked three and struck out four. He also gave up a two-run home run to the second batter of the bottom of the first inning, Jackson Churio, who is the Brewers’ top prospect.

Right fielder Jordan Nwogu tied the game up 2-2 with a two-run home run in the top of the third inning. It was Nwogu’s tenth home run this season. He was 1 for 4 with a bases-loaded walk, meaning Nwogu drove in all three of South Bend’s runs today.

Third baseman Luis Verdugo went 2 for 5.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were dazzled by the Columbia Fireflies (Royals), 5-4. The Pelicans lost the final four games of this six-game series and lost the series 4 games to 2. It was only the second series that Pelicans have lost all year and only the second series the Fireflies have won all season.

Grant Kipp made his Low-A debut, tossing the first 2.2 innings and allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits. He walked two and struck out one.

The loss went to Angel Hernandez, who gave up a two-run home run to first-round pick Gavin Cross. The final line on Hernandez was three runs on four hits over 3.1 innings. He walked two and struck out four.

Second baseman Liam Spence hit a three-run home run in the second inning. It was his second homer of the season. Spence went 1 for 3.

In the sixth inning, right fielder Jacob Wetzel connected for a solo home run, his tenth on the year. Wetzel was 1 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base. He scored twice.