Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: July 6

The Cubs released left-handed pitcher Didier Vargas. Right-handed pitcher Riley Thompson was sent from Iowa to the Development List.

Wow, I picked a bad night to work on other projects rather than pay close attention to the minors.

We are starting with South Bend tonight.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs swept a doubleheader from the Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals), winning the completion of yesterday’s contest 7-6 in ten innings and throwing a nine-inning no-hitter in the second game, 4-0.

Cade Horton started yesterday’s game and he had some major issues with the Chiefs’ R.J. Yeager, who hit two home runs off of him. That gave Horton the final line of five runs on seven hits over five innings.

Max Bain made his 2023 South Bend debut yesterday and threw two scoreless innings. He allowed just one baserunner, a hit batsman in the seventh. Bain struck out two.

Sheldon Reed pitched top of the tenth inning today after the game was resumed and got the win by holding the Chiefs scoreless on no hits, one walk and one huge double play. He did not strike anyone out.

Shortstop Ed Howard hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, his second on the season. Howard went 1 for 5.

DH James Triantos was 2 for 4 with a walk and an RBI double in the third inning. Triantos had two total runs batted in and he scored once.

Third baseman Luis Verdugo went 2 for 4. He drove in one and scored one.

Now on to today’s no-hitter. Michael Arias pitched the first three innings. He had some control issues as he walked four and hit one batter. Arias struck out five and of course, allowed no hits.

Arias did need 72 pitches to get through three innings, so Jarod Wright came on to pitch the next four innings and got the win. Wright struck out two and walked one.

Eduarniel Nunez pitched the eighth inning and retired the side in order, striking out two.

Finally, Frankie Scalzo Jr. finished off the no-hitter by pitching the ninth inning. He walked a batter with one out, but there were no other baserunners. He struck out one.

Center fielder Kevin Alcántara went 3 for 4 with a double in the no-hitter. He scored once and had one RBI.

Third baseman Fabian Pertuz was 2 for 4 with an RBI double in the eighth. He also scored on an Alcántara single in the seventh.

Shortstop Ed Howard went 2 for 4 with a stolen base in game two. He had one run batted in and scored once.

Highlights of game two. If you want to know who made the no-hitter-saving defensive play, it’s first baseman Felix Stevens.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs deconsecrated the St. Paul Saints (Twins) 5-3.

Starter Jordan Wicks made one big mistake tonight—a three-run home run in the third inning to Kyle Garlick. Other than that, Wicks allowed just one more hit—two total—over five innings, and that was good enough for his first Triple-A win. Wicks did walk four batters and he struck out five.

Cam Sanders struck out the side in order in the ninth for the save.

First baseman Matt Mervis hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning, his ninth minor league home run this year. Mervis went 1 for 4.

After Wicks allowed that three run home run in the top of the third, right fielder Nelson Velázquez cranked a three-run home run in the bottom of the inning to give Iowa back the lead. It was Velázquez’s 12th for Iowa this season. He also doubled in a 2 for 3 evening.

Center fielder Miles Mastrobuoni was 2 for 3 with a walk and one run scored.

Shortstop Luis Vazquez is not finding Triple-A challenging. Tonight he went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI single in the sixth inning. It’s only eight games, but Vazquez is hitting .346/.400/.654 in Iowa and playing strong defense to boot.

The Mervis home run.

The Velázquez home run.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies defenestrated the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 3-0.

Kohl Franklin only went four innings so he didn’t get the win, but he pitched very well, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out seven. Franklin also hit one batter.

The win went to Ben Hecht, who threw the next two innings without allowing a hit. He did walk two while striking out two.

Zac Leigh came on to pitch the ninth and got the save. Leigh made it a bit scary after he walked the leadoff batter and allowed a one-out double to put runners on second and third. But a strikeout and a grounder to third ended the game and preserved the shutout.

Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong had an RBI single in the fifth inning for the first run of the game. He went 1 for 5.

Shortstop Andy Weber hit a two-run single in the eighth. Weber went 2 for 4.

I could show you Crow-Armstrong’s single, but you’d probably rather see his defense.

“Hollywood Pete” wasn’t done.

This play on defense preserved the shutout, but PCA wasn’t involved.

Here’s Weber’s two-run single.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans washed the Augusta GreenJackets (Braves) in hot water, 6-5.

Starter Marino Santy didn’t make it out of the third inning, allowing four runs on three hits over 2.2 innings. Santy walked five and struck out four.

In just his second game with Myrtle Beach, Kenyi Perez gave the Birds the chance to get back in the game with three scoreless innings. Perez allowed two hits. He struck out five, walked one and hit one batter.

Yovanny Cabrera blew the lead with a run in the eighth, but got the win when the Pelicans scored in the top of the ninth. Cabrera’s final line was one run on three hits over 2.1 innings. He struck out two and walked no one.

Johzan Oquendo pitched the bottom of the ninth and got the save. He allowed no hits, but he did issue a leadoff walk. Oquendo struck out two.

Second baseman Cristian Hernandez singled home catcher David Avitia in the top of the ninth with what proved to be the winning run. Hernandez went 1 for 4 with a walk and Avitia was 2 for 4 with one RBI.

Left fielder Parker Chavers went 2 for 4 with one run scored.

First baseman Miguel Pabon was 3 for 4. He scored one run and drove one in.

ACL Cubs

Losing to the Royals, 14-8 in the seventh.

Bradlee Beesley was 1 for 3 in a rehab outing.