Cubs Minor League News: Caissie with three RBIs, Smith still raking, Pagan homers, more

Photo courtesy: I-Cubs

by Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - Wed Aug 28 10:18:18 GMT-04:00 2024

The Cubs Minor League system has gone seven days without posting a losing record after going 2-2 on Tuesday. That is all you can ask for this late in the season, and it shouldn't come as a surprise when you look at how the MLB team is performing.

Winning is contagious, and the more the Chicago Cubs win down the stretch, the more likely their minor league affiliations will follow.

You could start to see a bit of a decline once the September call-ups roll around, but until then, the fans are enjoying what they are watching at this point.

IOWA CUBS 4 - MEMPHIS REDBIRDS 3

Who doesn't love a good Cardinals and Cubs rivalry, no matter what level it is at? Tuesday saw the Cubs and Cardinals AAA affiliates take the field as Iowa used a pair of early two-run innings to pick up a 4-3 win. Caleb Kilian made another start and continues to show he may be worthy of a September call up by going 5 1/3 innings.

He walked one, struck out four, and allowed two runs as his resurgence this year has been impressive. Kilian was backed by some instant offense as Owen Caissie provided the thunder as he drove in three of the Cubs four runs. Two of those runs came off of the Redbirds starter Steven Matz as a first-inning RBI double put the Cubs in front for good, 2-0.

Owen Caissie picks up right where he left off! Four hits and 12 bases in his last five at-bats! pic.twitter.com/kH3eDPZMIb
— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) August 28, 2024

Caissie would add an RBI single in the third, which followed a James Triantos RBI forceout as it was all Iowa early, 4-0 through three.

That's another for Owen! Two hits and three RBI today and five hits two homers, and six RBI in his last six at-bats. pic.twitter.com/tmSwkwfkiX
— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) August 28, 2024

From that point on, the Redbirds' offense began to chip away at the Cubs' lead, and it all started with Matt Koperniak's double in the sixth to make this a 4-2 game.

Memphis continued their comeback bid in the seventh when Jordan Walker picked up an RBI double off of Riley Martin to make this a 4-3 game. That was as close as they would get as Michael Arias came on to toss a scoreless eighth, with Trey Wingenter shutting the door in the ninth.

Caissie led the Cubs with two hits and three RBIs in the win as the top five hitters in the lineup collected all six hits.

Started the homestand with a W! pic.twitter.com/BynzpKhNFi
— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) August 28, 2024

TENNESSEE SMOKIES 8 - ROCKET CITY TRASH PANDAS

The beat goes on for the Smokies, who have now won seven straight games. This was a mix of strong pitching and a trio of multiple-run innings as the Smokies made quick work of Rocket City 8-2. Antonio Santos has been one of the biggest surprises in the Cubs system, and with his 5 1/3 innings of one-run three-hit ball, he improved to 8-3 on the season.

He walked one and struck out eight, and some are wondering if he will be heading to AAA before the season ends. Santos was backed by plenty of offense, including a massive four-RBI game from Cole Roederer, who has hit the ball well since returning to AA. Roederer opened the scoring in the second with an RBI single, only to have Fabian Pertuz follow with one of his own to push the Smokies' lead to 3-0.

Those would be the only runs of the game for quite awhile a John O'Reilly came in to strike out four and tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief for Rocket City. Eventually, the Smokies offense started to get rolling again with Luis Verdugo picking up the third RBI single from the Smokies to push the lead to 4-0 in the sixth with an RBI forceout from Haydn McGeary making this a 5-0 game.

It took the Trash Pandas six innings to cash in, and with the Ben Gobbel double, they ended the shutout as they were now trailing 5-1. That was as close as Rocket City would get, as Roederer delivered the big blow of the game with a bases-loaded double in the eighth to break things open. The Smokies opened up an 8-1 lead before winning 8-2.

Roederer may only be hitting .180 in AA this season, but since returning from AAA, he has hit .333 and seen the ball well. Jonathon Long and Verdugo added multi-hit games, with Verdugo leading the Smokies with three.

Another day, another W! | @zips3mincarwash
Box Score: https://t.co/Jg0Tqis2fG pic.twitter.com/iQsVNnulK5
— Tennessee Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) August 28, 2024

GREAT LAKES LOONS 12 - SOUTH BEND CUBS 7 (F/8)

Despite only going eight innings due to massive storms in the area, this game was dominated by the offense as 19 runs crossed home plate on 23 hits. That shows the struggles both pitching staffs had as Grant Kipp labored through his four innings by allowing six runs before handing things off to his pen.

While the struggles for the Loons weren't as bad, they went through three different pitchers, and each pitcher allowed at least two runs during their outing. Both teams came out of the gate strong with a pair of RBI doubles from Sam Mongelli and Jake Gelof, putting the Loons up 2-0 in the first, only to have the Ezequiel Pagan single pull the Cubs within 2-1.

The Cubs continued to battle back in the third, with Brian Kalmer tying things up with an RBI double and had the offense threatening for more before coming up empty. Once the fourth inning rolled around, it was all Great Lakes as they responded for five runs the next two innings. Four of those runs came in the fourth as a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly led to the first two runs, while the Dylan Campbell single gave the Loons a 6-2 lead.

They would tack on another run in the seventh off the Jordan Thompson single, but with the Cubs scoring three times in the fourth to keep things close, this was a 7-5 game through five. Cristian Hernandez then added an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth as the Cubs continued to take their shots, only to battle back to keep things close 7-6.

South Bend continued their comeback effort into the sixth as Pagan was right in the middle of it again. His solo shot brought things back to even 7-7, but it would be the final run the Loons would score as they ended the game with five unanswered runs to pick up the win.

Welcome back Ezequiel Pagan!!
Pagan ties the game with a @hoosierlottery home run to right field.
Cubs and Loons tied at 7 in the bottom of the 6th. pic.twitter.com/tUOh0irbVt
— South Bend Cubs (@SBCubs) August 28, 2024

Three of those runs came home in the seventh as the Sean McLain single put them in front for good 8-7, with Thompson adding a double to push the lead to 10-7.

Great Lakes then went on to add two more runs in the eighth as a bases-loaded walk and another sacrifice fly closed out the scoring in the Loons 12-7 win.

Pagan paced the Cubs offense with two hits and two RBIs as he was joined by the rookie Cam Smith. In his first game with High-A, Smith continued to hold his own as he added two hits. He didn't homer, ending his string of six straight games with a homer, but he still looks comfortable at the plate.

Due to inclement weather in the area, tonight's game is an official game. Final score Loons 12 Cubs 7 in a rain shortened 7 inning game. pic.twitter.com/5jdabWSbkP
— South Bend Cubs (@SBCubs) August 28, 2024

DOWN EAST WOOD DUCKS 2 - MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS 1

Tuesday was a very interesting day for the Pelicans. They played two games, but only one counts against the overall record. That is because the first game of the day was a completion from a previously suspended game, one in which the Wood Ducks opened an 8-0 lead before winning 13-0.

The second game of the day was much more competitive, but the Pelicans still found themselves on the losing end, 2-1. Yenrri Rojas was on the losing end of this one, allowing just two runs in 4 2/3 with four strikeouts as the offense struggled to get anything done.

Rojas found himself down 1-0 in the first after a Down East sacrifice fly, but he was immediately backed by Leonel Espinoza, who connected for his fifth homer in the bottom of the first to tie things up 1-1.

Espinoza goes yard! #MBPelicans | #YouHaveToSeeIt pic.twitter.com/ZdHT7D7Fdr
— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) August 27, 2024

It was the only run Thomas Ireland would allow as he struck out four across four innings.

Cameron Sisneros with his first professional hit!#MBPelicans | #YouHaveToSeeIt pic.twitter.com/EqqylpNxK3
— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) August 28, 2024

With things still tied 1-1 in the fifth and Rojas still on the mound, it was Down East getting the last laugh as the Echedry Vargas single brought home the winning run in the Wood Ducks' 2-1 win.