Cubs Minor League News: Canario injured, Hearn raking, Mule impressive, more |
It was another overall good day on the diamond for the Cubs' Minor League system, as they are finally starting to get some consistency in their play. Good pitching will always do that for you, and for the most part, the Cubs have had good pitching this week.
You also have the offensive side of things, where suddenly, the Cubs are not only hitting the baseball but pounding it, leading to more runs than normal. The end result was a 2-2 showing on Wednesday, as the wins are starting to come more consistently.
The only team struggling to win games right now is the Iowa Cubs, who got rocked again on Wednesday. The Indians have scored 27 runs in the first two games of this series, making it two blowout wins in a row. This was a game in which the Cubs led early, only for the Indians to score seven times in the second inning to blow the game open. They cruised from there. The Cubs couldn't have asked for a better start against Bailey Falter in the first as Owen Caissie and Alexander Canario opened the game with back-to-back singles before Moises Ballesteros answered with another one to put the Cubs in front 2-0. Moises Ballesteros gives us the lead in the first! pic.twitter.com/JxUcEcLgdF Not only was that their only lead of the game, but it came at a price. Canario suffered a lower leg injury and had to be removed from the game as he left the game in a cart. Following their hot start, things began to crumble quickly, especially in the second when the Indians scored seven times. A pair of singles from Matt Frazier and Ji Hwan Bae tied things up 2-2 while a bases-loaded walk gave the Indians the lead for good 3-2. The big blow of the inning came off the bat of Liover Peguero as he took Dan Straily deep for a grand slam to break the game open 7-2. Straily would be done after that second inning in what was his worst outing in a month. After adding an additional RBI single on an Andres Alvarez single in the third, the Indians played long ball again in the seventh as Frazier connected for their second grand slam of the day to make this a 12-2 game. They would extend their lead to 14-2 by the time the ninth inning rolled around before Fabian Pertuz ended their scoring run with a single in the bottom of the ninth to close out a 14-3 loss. Eight different players had one hit for the Cubs. If there were a positive to take away from this game, the performance of Sam McWilliams would be it, as he allowed just one run in 3 1/3 innings of relief. Final pic.twitter.com/MItXYNhoJ3 Tonight's game has been postponed due to rain. The make-up game will take place on Friday, July 26 as part of a double-header. Tickets for Friday's game are good for both contests. Gates open at 5:00pm. pic.twitter.com/Zrz6a51FIx
Don't look now, but the Cubs have gotten off to a great start after the break, including this series against the Chiefs. Backed by a three-run sixth inning, the Cubs have won their first two games of this series and have taken four of five since the break. Anytime you can get great pitching, you're setting yourself up for success, and Drew Gray picked a great time to have his best start of the season. The highly regarded lefty gave the Cubs five innings of one-run ball, walking two and striking out six. It's the kind of outing they have been waiting on from him, especially with Darlin Saladin holding the Cubs to just one run through five innings. That came off a fourth-inning Ethan Hearn single, which tied things up. With things still tied in the sixth, Johnfrank Salazar put the Chiefs back in front with a sacrifice fly as they took the 2-1 lead. That was the game's final run for them offensively, as a massive bottom of the sixth put the Cubs in front for good. That all started with another big hit from Hearn as his RBI double put the Cubs in front for good 3-2. Brian Kalmer would bring Hearn home later in the inning with a single, only to have Hearn add his fourth RBI later in the game to cap off the Cub's 5-2 win. Saw what you will about Hearn and his season, but with three hits and four RBIs he was the engine that made the Cubs go in this one. You also had Pedro Ramirez pick up a pair of hits in the win, while Ben Leeper and Nick Hull continued to pitch well in relief. Cubs take the first 2 games of the series with today's 5-2 victory!#FlyTheW #YouHaveToSeeIt pic.twitter.com/mpyMRnXSiD You tie a career high with 4 RBIs... you get the postgame interview! pic.twitter.com/liMcvTS3B7
It didn't come easy, but the Pelicans managed to pick up another win and have now won eight of their last 11 games. This is the way they have been hoping to play for quite some time, but it just took a bit longer than they expected it to happen. The story of the day comes on the pitching front, where Nazier Mule picked up his first career Low-A win. The right-hander has steadily gotten better with each start, and after allowing two hits in five scoreless innings and three strikeouts, he is starting to show what he can do. Mule had to be good as Didier Fuentes was locked in through four innings, giving up just a Miguel Pabon RBI double while striking out eight. Holding their 1-0 lead in the fifth, the Pelicans began to generate some separation between them and the Greenjackets, as the Christian Olivo big fly brought home two runs and made this a 3-0 game. Going, going, gone! #MBPelicans | #YouHaveToSeeIt pic.twitter.com/dlep0iOmwg With Mule out of the game after five, Augusta started to rally off the Pelicans' pen. That came in the seventh inning with RBI doubles from Noah Williams and Leider Figueroa, and just like that, this was a 3-2 game. Needing a clutch hit in the bottom of the seventh, Cristian Hernandez didn't pick up the hit, but he did drive in the game-winning RBI with a fielder's choice as the Pelicans remained in front 4-2 before winning 4-3. Myrtle Beach only had four hits in the game, but they made those hits count, as three of the four runs came on two hits. Never a doubt.#MBPelicans | #YouHaveToSeeIt pic.twitter.com/M4zOKLAUHE Pelicans Manager Buddy Bailey was presented with a framed W flag, signed by the entire team, to commemorate his 2,391st victory, recorded on July 14 against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, to become the 3rd winningest manager in @milb history! pic.twitter.com/mNVyFOpIbH
INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS 14 - IOWA CUBS 3
SOUTH BEND CUBS 5 - PEORIA CHIEFS 2
MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS 4 - AUGUSTA GREENJACKETS 3
ACL ATHLETICS 6 - ACL CUBS 4
