Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: July 8

Futures Game

The National League beat the American League, 5-0.

Pete Crow-Armstrong started in center field and went 0 for 2 with a strikeout. But the one ball he put in play he hit hard and on a line, but in the general area of the center fielder. BJ Murray Jr. was 0 for 1 with a strikeout, but he made a great play at first base, robbing the Astros’ Drew Gilbert of an RBI double.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs lost to the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 5-2.

Nick Neidert started and pitched quite well, allowing just one run and one hit over five innings. The one hit was an RBI double in the third inning by Austin Martin. Neidert struck out six, walked two and hit oen batter.

The loss went to Jeremiah Estrada, who got hammered in the top of the seventh inning. Estrada’s final line was three runs on three hits over two-thirds of an inning. Estrada walked two and struck out no one.

Shortstop Luis Vazquez hit a solo home run in the fifth inning. It was his third home run in ten games with Iowa and 14th overall. Vazquez went 2 for 4 with a stolen base. He scored twice.

Left fielder Yonathan Perlaza was 3 for 5 with an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Right fielder Nelson Velázquez went 2 for 4.

Vazquez’s home run.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies stripped the Birmingham Barons (White Sox) of their titles, 5-3.

Manuel Espinoza got in a little trouble in the third inning, but otherwise was fantastic tonight as he got his first career Double-A win. Espinoza allowed two runs on two hits over five innings. He walked two and struck out four.

Cayne Ueckert entered the game with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the eighth inning. He walked the first batter he faced to force in a run, but he then got a fly out to end the threat. Ueckert stayed in to pitch the ninth inning and got the save. His final line was no runs on no hits and two walks over 1.1 innings. He also hit one batter. Ueckert did not have a strikeout.

Left fielder Cole Roederer hit a solo home run in the sixth inning, his sixth of the year. Roederer was 1 for 4 with a walk.

Right fielder Owen Caissie went 1 for 2 with an RBI double and two walks.

The Smokies only had five hits in this game, but they walked ten times and were hit by pitches twice.

Caissie’s double in the first inning.

An RBI double from Scott McKeon

Roederer’s home run.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were demoted by the Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals), 5-1.

Luis Devers gave up a two-run home run in the second inning and that would be all the runs Peoria would need. Devers got the loss after allowing the two runs on three hits over four innings. He walked two and struck out two.

Center fielder Kevin Alcántara went 2 for 3 with a walk. He scored the only South Bend run of the game on a fourth-inning single by Ed Howard. Howard went 1 for 3 with a walk.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans bogied against the Augusta GreenJackets (Braves), 6-5.

Starter Jackson Ferris allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits over 3.1 innings. Ferris did strike out five and he walked no one.

Stephen Gonsalves, pitching in Myrtle Beach on a rehab assignment, gave up a run in the bottom of the eighth and took the loss. Gonsalves final line was one run in one hit and one walk over one inning. He struck out two.

Second baseman Reivaj Garcia hit his first home run of the year with the bases empty in the third inning. Garcia went 2 for 4 with a walk. He scored twice.

Left fielder Andy Garriola also connected for a solo home run in the fourth inning, his sixth of the season. Garriola was 1 for 3 with a sacrifice fly for two total runs batted in.

Shortstop Jefferson Rojas went 2 for 4. He scored one run.

ACL Cubs

Lost to the Athletics, 14-3.