Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: August 26

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs slipped past the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 6-5.

Matt Swarmer was brilliant tonight, giving the I-Cubs five scoreless innings and allowing just one hit. Swarmer struck out five and walked one.

Brendan Little got the win in relief. Little gave up one run on three hits over 1.1 innings. He walked two and struck out one.

Jeremiah Estrada came on to get the save after the I-Cubs scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. He gave up a leadoff infield single and then sent the runner to second on a wild pitch, but then Estrada struck out the next three batters to end the game and earn the save.

Catcher John Hicks was perfect tonight, going 2 for 2 with a double, two walks and a solo home run in the fifth inning. It was Hicks’ 15th home run of 2022. One of Hicks’ walks was with the bases loaded in the eighth inning, so that gave him two RBI on the game. Hicks also scored twice.

Left fielder Jackson Frazier hit the go-ahead two-run single in the eighth. He was 1 for 4.

Third baseman Esteban Quiroz was 2 for 4.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies knocked the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels) out of orbit, 6-2.

Walker Powell turned in a great start and got his 11th win of the year and fourth with the Smokies. Powell tossed six scoreless innings and allowed just three hits. He walked three and struck out five.

Left fielder Cole Roederer hit a solo home run in the third inning, his fourth of the year and third in Double-A. Roederer was 1 for 3 with a walk and two total RBI, including an second-inning RBI groundout.

All nine Smokies in the starting lineup had at least one hit, but only first baseman Nelson Maldonado had two. He was 2 for 4 and scored once.

Roederer’s home run.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs wiped out on the West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers), 5-4.

Kohl Franklin started and took the loss after allowing four runs on seven hits over five innings. He struck out four and walked no one.

South Bend scored two runs in the first inning and two runs in the ninth. Left fielder Brennen Davis hit a two-run single with two outs in the top of the ninth to get the Cubs to within a run, but Luis Verdugo then lined out to the pitcher to end the game. Davis went 1 for 5 with the two RBI. Verdugo was also 1 for 5. He drove in a run with a fielder’s choice in the first inning and then scored later in the frame.

Right fielder Owen Caissie was 2 for 3 with a double and a walk.

Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong went 2 for 4 with a stolen base. He scored on Davis’ single in the ninth.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans got stung by the Augusta GreenJackets (Braves), 6-5.

Grant Kipp started and got the loss after he surrendered four runs on four hits over four innings. He walked three and struck out two.

DH Moises Ballesteros hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to get Myrtle Beach to within a run, but it wasn’t enough. It was Ballesteros’ ninth home run this year and second with the Pelicans. He also had an RBI double in the third inning, giving him three runs batted in on the game. Ballesteros went 2 for 5.

With the Arizona Complex League over, 18-year-old second baseman Pedro Ramirez moved up to Low-A and went 3 for 5 in his first game with the Birds. He scored one run.

Third baseman James Triantos was 2 for 4 with two stolen bases. Triantos scored one run.

Right fielder Ezequiel Pagan was 2 for 5 with a run batted in.

Shortstop Reginald Preciado went 1 for 4 with one run driven home in his first game back with the Pelicans since June 12.

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