Cubs Minor League News: Iowa erupts for 15, South Bend scores 12 in big day

Patrick Gorski - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - 5 hours ago

Technically speaking, Friday was a full slate of Minor League action, but with South Bend picking up a suspended game, eight results were expected. When it comes to the seven main results, the Cubs went (4-3) while the suspended game gave them an overall record of (4-4) for the day.

IOWA CUBS 15 - COLUMBUS CLIPPERS 6

It has been a frustrating week for the Cubs when you look at how they lost their last two games. Friday saw the Cubs take that frustration out on the Clippers as they used a trio of massive innings to deliver a 15-6 blowout win. It's the type of victory this team needed after starting the second half 0-3.

Although he was charged with six runs in five innings, Connor Noland did manage to get the win, which is all you can ask for. He struck out four, but also walked four, which is unlike him. You got a sense of how things were going to go early as CJ Kayfus connected for his third homer of the week in the first to put the Clippers in front 1-0, only to have a bases-loaded hit by pitch extend their lead to 2-0 in the third.

It was the bottom of the third that saw the Cubs' offense start to come to life as James Triantos connected for his second homer of the week to give the Cubs a 3-2 lead. Their lead didn't last long as the Clippers responded with four runs in the fourth to take a 6-3 lead. Milan Tolentino started the big inning with an RBI single, while the Brayan Rocchio three-run blast was the big blow that had the Cubs searching for answers.

Their answers could be found from the offense as Iowa ended the game with 12 unanswered runs, 10 of them coming in the span of two innings to break the game open. Trailing 6-4 in the fifth after Chase Strumpf picked up an RBI single, the Cubs grabbed the lead for good as they pushed across four runs to take an 8-6 lead. Carlos Perez was responsible for one of those runs with a double, but it was the three-run shot from Kevin Alcantara that gave the Cubs the lead for good.

Iowa continued to do damage in the sixth, scoring six more times as a two-run Christian Franklin homer and a bases-loaded double from Greg Allen drove in five of the six runs. Strumpf picked up a bases-loaded walk as part of that inning to put the Cubs up 14-6 with Alcantara closing out the scoring with a seventh-inning RBI single.

BIRMINGHAM BARONS 6 - KNOXVILLE SMOKIES 5

Despite scoring five times in the eighth to take the lead, the Smokies were unable to hold on as the Barons rallied for two runs off Brad Deppermann in the ninth to secure the 6-5 win. This was a game dominated by pitching early, as all of the offense came after the fifth inning.

With Frank Scalzo Jr getting the start and going two innings, this turned into a bullpen game with Grant Kipp taking over in the third and going four innings. Kipp continues to have his good moments, striking out four, but he also allowed three runs, bringing his ERA to 3.22. Considering Shane Murphy allowed no runs through five innings, you had to wonder if the three runs Kipp allowed were going to haunt the Smokies, as the Barons' pitching was very good early.

With things tied 0-0 in the sixth, it was the Barons who finally broke through as a pair of RBI singles from Caden Connor and Jacob Gonzalez led to three runs and a 3-0 lead. Gonzalez would tack on another RBI single in the eighth to make this a 4-0 game, which is when the Smokies offense came to life.

It took long enough, but the Knoxville offense had a big inning up their sleeve as they erupted for five runs in their half of the eighth to jump in front 5-4. A Jaylen Palmer sacrifice fly and a BJ Murray Jr walk led to two of those runs while singles from Pedro Ramirez and Pablo Aliendo brougth in the other three with the Smokies on top 5-4.

Those were the only runs of the day for the Smokies, and with only three outs to go, they were unable to hold that lead as the Barons found a way to score twice off Deppermann in the ninth to complete the 6-5 win. Ramirez and Aliendo had two of the three hits for Knoxville, with Parker Chavers having the final one.

SOUTH BEND CUBS 12 - CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS 4

After blowing a 5-0 lead to fall 6-5 in the resumption of a suspended game, the Cubs came out swinging to score 12 times in three innings, including an eight-run third inning to blow past the Kernels. This is a Cubs team that has been playing very well in the second half, and you have to wonder if they can keep that up to reach the postseason.

Erian Rodriguez wasn't perfect, but anytime you can strike out eight across five innings, you are doing something right, as he earned the win. He did allow four runs, three of them earned in what was otherwise a strong outing for him as Grayson Moore took over for the final two innings. What made things easier for Rodriguez was a pair of two-run homers in the first two innings as Cristian Hernandez and Brian Kalmer had the offense rolling early to put the Cubs up 4-1.

It was in the third inning that the Cubs' offense not only stayed hot but also delivered numerous knockout blows, scoring eight times in that inning after the Kernels had pulled within 4-3 in the second. Ivan Brethowr started the big inning with a bases-loaded hit by pitch, only to have Drew Bowser follow suit with a two-run double to make this a 7-3 game.

Kalmer kept the line moving with an RBI single to bring home two more runs, with Jefferson Rojas delivering the big blow with a three-run shot that had the Cubs on top 12-3. Those would be the final runs of the day for the Cubs, but that was fine as Kyle Hess closed out the scoring for either side with an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth to give the Cubs a 12-4 win.

MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS 4- COLUMBIA FIREFLIES 1

It's amazing what happens when you can get good starting pitching. That is what the Pelicans have been doing lately, as strong pitching mixed with late-game offense led them to a 4-1 win. Jostin Florentino was back on the mound for the Birds and was in search of his first win.

Not only did he accomplish that, but he also did it in style, pitching six shutout innings with eight strikeouts to lower his ERA to 3.45. He needed to have that kind of effort, as Hiro Wyatt was just as good, allowing one hit through five shutout innings. With things still knotted 0-0 in the seventh, the Pelicans' offense finally broke through as they used a three-run seventh to take a 3-0 lead and never looked back.

Dilan Granadillo opened the scoring with an RBI double, while singles from Christian Olivo and Ty Southisene made this a 3-0 game. Columbia did manage to respond in the bottom of the seventh on a sacrifice fly, but that was it for their offense as Yahil Melendez closed out the scoring with an eighth inning double to give the Pelicans a 4-1 win.

ACL ROCKIES 2 - ACL CUBS 1

It's rare to have a pitcher's duel in Arizona, which is what went down on Friday. Whether it was Darian Rivero or Kevin Camacho, pitching wasn't an issue as each of them tossed three innings of one-run ball, combining for nine strikeouts. Normally, that would be enough pitching to win, but when the Rockies struck out 12 through seven innings, including nine from Jordy Vargas in four innings, offense was going to be tough to come by.

With the Rockies grabbing the lead in the second on a sacrifice fly, it was the Cubs tying this one up in the fifth as Joan Delgado picked up an RBI fielder's choice to make this a 1-1 game. That was it for the Cubs and their offense as the Rockies came through in the clutch on the Bairon Ledesma single in the sixth to pick up the 2-1 win.

DSL PIRATES 4 - DSL CUBS BLUE 0

Despite an 8-10 record, the Cubs are still in third place in their division and have an excellent opportunity to make the playoffs. Friday wasn't one of their better showings, as the Cubs were held to four hits in a 4-0 loss.

Cristopher Aranguren had the ball for the Cubs as he allowed one earned run in three innings to bring his ERA to 3.86. He was charged with two runs in total, but one of those was an unearned run that came as part of the Brayln Brazoban single that put the Cubs in a 2-0 hole in the third.

The Pirates tacked on two additional runs later in the game, both off errors, as they were in control from start to finish and made their 4-0 lead hold. Daniel Campos had a great day at the plate, picking up two of the Cubs' four hits.

DSL CUBS RED 9 - DSL BLUE JAYS 8 (F/11)

Fans were treated to some extra baseball on Friday as the Cubs picked up a 9-8 11-inning win. This was a game that not only featured plenty of offense, but also instant offense, as Juan Cabada unloaded for a three-run homer in the first inning to put the Cubs ahead 3-0.

Cabada was just getting started, and after the Blue Jays tacked on two runs in the bottom of the first to pull within 3-2, he added an RBI single in the second to bring home Freiker Betancourt, who had an RBI triple earlier in the inning, as the Cubs led 5-2 early. Despite the Cubs' offense, the Blue Jays had all the answers as they responded for two more runs in the bottom of the second on singles from Rafael Flores and Franklin Rojas to pull within 5-4 before tying things up in the third on a wild pitch.

Surprisingly, the offense went quiet after that as that score would hold as an RBI fielder's choice gave the Blue Jays their first lead of the game, 6-5, in the sixth. With Jhon Lucena tying things with an RBI single in the seventh, it was the Cubs retaking the lead in the ninth as Ivan Cespedes unloaded for his second homer of the year to put the Cubs back on top 7-6.

Down to their final three outs, it was the Blue Jays staying alive as JT Bain worked a bases loaded walk to tie things up and helped send this thing into extras. In the extras, neither team was able to get a run in the 10th, but with Cabada adding another RBI single in the 11th to cap off a five RBI day, it was the Cubs back on top for good 8-7.

Saul Ramirez tacked on what went down as the game winning RBI double later in the inning before holding off the Blue Jays 9-8 for the win. Cabada had his best game as a pro, leading the Cubs with four hits and driving in five.