Cubs Minor League News: 25 runs in I-Cubs game, Mervis homers off scoreboard, PCA raking |
Playing .500 ball was the theme most of the week as the Cubs minor league system had basically had a .500 week. They closed out the week following that trend as the system posted a 2-2 record on Sunday and now transitions to the final few weeks of the season.
Pitching was nonexistent in AAA on Sunday, and that was not a good thing considering Caleb Kilian was on the mound. After allowing seven runs (6ER) in just over three innings, his ERA rose to 4.26 and solidified his fate of reaching the majors again this season. There is a lot of work he needs to do this off-season. After Kilian, you had a rough outing from Jonathan Holder, who allowed four runs in one inning, but the rest of the Cubs pen was solid to help keep this team afloat. Kilian got off to a rough start allowing a Chris Williams RBI single in the first to put Saint Paul in front while the John Andreoli double put the Saints up 3-0. Fortunately, Iowa was up to the task early as they pushed across six runs in the first two innings, with five coming in the first. Two-run doubles from Narcisco Crook and Levi Jordan put Iowa in front 4-3, while the Erick Castillo single made things 5-3. Matt Mervis continues his quest to be named MiLB player of the year as his RBI single gave Iowa a 6-3 lead, and he now has more than 100 RBIs this season. Still holding that lead in the fourth, the Saints not only scored five runs to retake the lead but also pushed across eight runs in two frames to take the 8-6 lead. Singles from Mark Contreras, Jermaine Palacios, and Chris Williams pushed across those five runs in the fourth. Mervis answered with a solo shot in the bottom of the fourth ahead of the Luis Vazquez single to tie things up 8-8. Matt Mervis sends one off the scoreboard for your @GreatClips Clip of the Game. pic.twitter.com/UfpyLjsQIE The Saints took the lead for good in the fifth on the Nash Knight two-run shot, while the Matt Wallner single made things 11-8. Wallner helped push the lead to 13-9 before the Cubs made a furious comeback in the eighth. Led by another Vazquez single, the Cubs closed the gap to 13-12 as John Hicks added an RBI double ahead of the Darius Hill sacrifice fly. Iowa would fall by that score. Crook and Michael Hermosillo led the offense with three hits, with Mervis, Crook, Vazquez, and Jordan all driving in two. Mervis now has 27 HRs and 100 combined RBIs this season as his breakout season continues. 25 runs, 25 hits and four hours later, St. Paul takes the series finale at Principal Park. pic.twitter.com/7B0FxVT8Ow
Looking to even this week's series with Rocket City, the Smokies were unable to come away with a split falling behind early. Chris Clarke took the loss in this one as the right-hander allowed five runs (4ER) in his three innings. That proved too much as the offense was held to three runs in the loss. Rocket City jumped in front immediately in the first, with Livan Soto picking up another RBI single to build on a solid weekend, while the Zach Neto RBI groundout made things 2-0. One inning later, two more runs came across with an error and the Aaron Whitefield single contributing to those runs with Logan O'Hoppe going deep in the fifth to extend that lead to 5-0. That would be all the offense they would need as the Smokies offense was in for a tough afternoon. Homers from Jake Slaughter in the fifth and Harrison Wenson in the sixth put the Smokies on the board, but the Jeremiah Jackson RBI double in the eighth ended any hopes of a comeback bid. Yonathan Perlaza picked up an RBI single in the eighth to close out the scoring in the 8-3 loss. Tennessee had four hits, with Wenson leading the way with two. Harrison Wenson and Jake Slaughter both homer, but the Smokies drop the series finale 8-3. pic.twitter.com/WteMbVzeXU
South Bend closed out a great week and a crucial one in style by dominating West Michigan for the series win. Daniel Palencia got the ball, and although he lasted just four innings, he did it without allowing a run. He handed things over to Adam Laskey, Joe Nahas, and Sheldon Reed, who took care of the rest from there. BJ Murray Jr put South Bend in front for good with an RBI single in the second, as that was just the beginning for the Cubs offense. With that 1-0 still intact in the fourth, South Bend busted the game wide open, scoring five runs in the next two frames, with three coming in the fourth. Fabian Pertuz was responsible for two of those with an RBI double, while Pete Crow-Armstrong added a sacrifice fly. An RBI single from Pablo Aliendo in the fifth mixed with the Murray Jr groundout had South Bend in front 6-0, and they wouldn't look back. The game's lone run for West Michigan came in the eighth inning when Carlos Mendoza picked up a sacrifice fly. Owen Caissie added an RBI double in the ninth to cap off the scoring as the Cubs continue to lead the way in the Midwest League. Armstrong was one of three hitters with multiple hits joining Murray Jr and Aliendo. Division lead back up to 5 games. pic.twitter.com/mEFzVQrPCZ
It may have taken just two innings, but the Pelicans scored all seven of their runs in the first two innings before holding on for a much-needed win. Didier Vargas finally found himself on the winning side as he gave the Pelicans 5 1/3 innings of three-run ball. He walked three and struck out one as his ERA still sits at 3.03. The Cubs also saw their 12th-round pick make his season debut as Matthew Peters tossed a scoreless frame of relief. Vargas was down a run in the first when Ignacio Alvarez connected for an RBI double. That lead was short-lived as the Pelican's offense came out on fire in the first. Josue Huma tied things up with an RBI double before the Ezequiel Pagan single made things 3-1. Add in a James Triantos double and a Parker Chavers sacrifice fly, and the Pelicans pushed across five runs to take a 5-1 lead. Myrtle Beach continued to build on that lead in the second, with Moises Ballesteros connecting for an RBI single ahead of the Pagan single to put Myrtle Beach in front 7-1. Granted, that would be it for their offense; it would be all the Pelicans would need as their pitching was good enough to win. Augusta pulled within 7-3 in the third with a pair of runs before going the next five innings without scoring. The Kevin Kilpatrick Jr single and David McCabe sacrifice fly in the ninth made things interesting, but the Pelicans recovered to hold on 7-5. Huma and Triantos paced the offense with two hits, with Pagan leading the way with two RBIs. Great way to end the week.SAINT PAUL SAINTS 13 - IOWA CUBS 12
ROCKET CITY TRASH PANDAS 8 - TENNESSEE SMOKIES 3
SOUTH BEND CUBS 7 - WEST MICHIGAN WHITECAPS 1
MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS 7 - AUGUSTA GREENJACKETS 5
Pelicans capture the series finale. On to Charleston.#MBPelicans pic.twitter.com/NHZMeDKA13
