Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: April 11

The Iowa Cubs are still undefeated at home this year and 7-2 overall. The rest of the minors are not doing quite as well.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs calmed the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 9-6.

Roenis Elías started and picked up his first win of the year after allowing three runs on four hits over five innings. All three runs came on a fifth inning home run by Samad Taylor. Elías struck out two and walked no one.

Brandon Hughes came into the game in the sixth inning in a rehab assignment and things did not go well. Hughes didn’t make it out of the innings, allowing three runs on four hits over two-thirds of an inning. Hughes walked one and struck out nobody. He threw 23 pitches, 14 of which were strikes.

Cam Sanders bailed out Hughes in the sixth and stayed in and pitched the seventh. Nick Burdi pitched a scoreless eighth and Manuel Rodríguez pitched a perfect ninth for the save. Rodríguez struck out one.

The I-Cubs took the lead in the bottom of the first inning on a solo home run by Matt Mervis. It was Mervis’ third home run already this season. Mervis went 2 for 4 with a double and the home run. He also walked one. Mervis scored twice.

Catcher Dom Nuñez hit a three-run home run in the second inning to make it 4-0. It was his second home run this year. Nuñez also had a bases-loaded walk in the third inning for four total RBI. He was 1 for 3 and scored two runs.

Left fielder Darius Hill finished off the scoring for Iowa with a bases-loaded, three-run double in the third inning that made it 9-0. Hill went 1 for 4 with a walk.

Seiya Suzuki played seven innings in right field and went 0 for 4 in a rehab assignment. He did put the ball in play all four times and did not strike out.

There was some confusion about it, but here’s Mervis’ home run.

Here is Nuñez’s blast.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were extinguished by the Montgomery Biscuits (Rays), 5-1.

Porter Hodge started and took the loss after giving up two runs in the second and two more in the third. His final line was four runs on five hits over four innings. He walked two and struck out three.

Second baseman Chase Strumpf went 1 for 3 with a double and a walk. Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was 1 for 4.

South Bend Cubs

In their home opener, the South Bend Cubs were grounded by the Beloit Sky Carp (Marlins), 8-5 in ten innings.

The Cubs’ ninth-round pick last year, Connor Noland, made an encouraging professional debut tonight. Noland pitched four innings and allowed just one run on four hits. He struck out seven and walked no one.

The loss went to Sheldon Reed in relief. Reed entered the game in the top of the tenth and struggled to throw strikes. Reed was charged with three runs on one hit and two walks over one inning. He also threw a crucial wild pitch. One of the three runs was unearned as it was the automatic runner. Reed had one strikeout.

With South Bend trailing 5-3 with two on and two out in the bottom of the ninth, DH DJ Artis had an RBI single and the tying run scored on the same play on a throwing error. Artis went 1 for 4 with a walk. He had just the one RBI and he scored one run.

Right fielder Bradlee Beesley was 2 for 5 with a double, a stolen base and two runs scored.

Shortstop Kevin Made went 2 for 4 with a steal.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were a scratching post for the Lynchburg Hillcats (Guardians), 13-5.

Pelicans starter Michael Arias gave up three runs on three hits over two innings. Arias walked four and struck out two.

The Pelicans didn’t have a hit until an RBI triple by center fielder Christian Franklin in the sixth inning. Franklin was 1 for 5 and scored once.

Catcher Moises Ballesteros hit a solo home run later in the sixth inning. He was 1 for 4.

Shortstop Christian Hernandez hit a solo home run in the seventh inning, his first in low-A. Hernandez was 1 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored.

The Pelicans had eight hits tonight, with all eight going to different batters.

Ballesteros’ blast.

The Hernandez home run.