Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: August 5

The Cubs released RHP Brandon Leibrandt and 1B Matt Warkentin.

Right-handed pitcher Jeremiah Estrada was promoted from Tennessee to Iowa and RHP Hunter Bigge was promoted from South Bend to Tennessee.

Matt Dermody was named the International League Pitcher of the Month for July.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs fried the Toledo Mud Hens (Tigers), 5-4.

Matt Swarmer started, but he only lasted 2.2 innings. Swarmer gave up two runs, one earned, on two hits. He walked two and struck out four.

The win went to Dakota Mekkes, who allowed neither a run nor a hit over 1.2 innings of relief. Mekkes walked one and struck out three.

Brendon Little threw a perfect ninth inning for the save. He struck out two.

Shortstop Levi Jordan started the comeback in this game with a two-run home run in the seventh inning, which got Iowa to within a run at 4-3. It was Jordan’s fifth home run for Iowa and eleventh overall. Jordan was 1 for 4.

Darius Hill singled home pinch-runner Zach Davis in the bottom of the eighth inning to give Iowa their first lead of the game. Hill was 2 for 4 and scored once.

First baseman Alfonso Rivas was 2 for 4 with a big triple in the eighth inning. Rivas scored two runs.

DH Matt Mervis was 2 for 4 with an RBI double in the fourth inning.

Here’s Jordan’s homer.

And Darius Hill’s single that turned out to be the game-winner.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were grounded by the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels), 4-1.

Riley Thompson started and got the loss after allowing four runs on four hits over four innings. One of the four runs was unearned and all four runs scored in the first inning on two home runs. Thompson walked one and struck out five. He also hit a batter.

Walker Powell pitched the other four innings and allowed just one hit. Powell struck out two and walked no one.

The only Smokies run came on a solo home run by right fielder Yonathan Perlaza, his 18th this year. Perlaza was a perfect 2 for 2 with a double, a walk and a hit batter.

Shortstop Andy Weber was 2 for 4.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were boiled by the Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 6-5.

Luis Devers lowered his ERA in High-A to 0.34 by throwing five scoreless innings and allowing just two hits. He struck out six and walked just one. Devers has now made six starts for South Bend and has allowed a grand total of one run.

The South Bend bullpen wasn’t so good, as they blew a 4-0 lead at the seventh-inning stretch. Sheldon Reed gave up a run in the eighth and a walk-off two-run triple in the ninth to take the loss. Reed’s final line was three runs on four hits over 1.2 innings. Reed struck out one and walked no one, but he did hit one batter.

Second baseman Fabian Pertuz hit two solo home runs tonight. The first one came in the first inning and the second one was in the third. Pertuz also had an RBI single and an RBI groundout for four runs batted in. He was 3 for 5.

Right fielder Jonathan Sierra went 3 for 4 with an RBI double in the fourth inning. He also scored on Pertuz’s single in that inning.

Third baseman Luis Verdugo was 2 for 5.

Pertuz’s second home run.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were mauled by the Lynchburg Hillcats (Guardians), 14-13.

Starter Didier Vargas surrendered four unearned runs in the fourth inning. His final line was four unearned runs on four hits over four innings. Vargas walked two and struck out three. He also hit one batter.

The Hillcats scored seven runs in the top of the ninth to stun the Pelicans at home. Angel Hernandez was charged with six of them, but three of them were inherited runners that scored when Johzan Oquendo relieved him. Oquendo got the loss, allowing one run of his own (and three of Hernandez) on two hits over one inning. Oquendo struck out two and walked one.

The Pelicans led this game 9-0 after two innings, thanks to an eight-run second inning.

Center fielder Ezequiel Pagan went 4 for 6 with a solo home run in the seventh inning. It was his tenth home run of the year. Pagan scored twice and drove in one.

First baseman Felix Stevens was 3 for 6 with a triple and two RBI.

Catcher Ethan Hearn went 3 for 4 with a double and a walk. Hearn scored two runs and drove in two.

Third baseman James Triantos was 2 for 5 with at triple. He scored twice.

Right fielder Jacob Wetzel went 2 for 5 with a walk. Wetzel scored a run and drove one in, both in the second inning.

DH Josue Huma was 2 for 6. He scored once and had two RBI.

Highlights, if you dare.

ACL Cubs

Beat the Guardians, 6-4.

Looks like it was the Reds who had the COVID outbreak.