Cubs Minor League News: Smokies rally, Pelicans roll, Iowa stuns Vegas

Jerry Lai - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 5 hours ago

Saturday was a significantly different night on the diamond for the Cubs and their minor league system, as the results are starting to trend upward. After a pair of rough nights, the Cubs managed to come away with a 2-2 mark on Saturday, which isn't great, but is still good enough to keep fans engaged.

IOWA CUBS 10 - LAS VEGAS AVIATORS 8

Of all the games on Saturday, this was by far the most exciting one, as the offense dominated the game. Trailing by a run late, the Cubs scored four times in the ninth to secure the lead before holding on for the 10-8 win. Despite his overall impressive season in AAA, Will Sanders hasn't looked sharp as of late, and with six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings, his ERA is now approaching 7.00 for the season.

After watching the Cubs grab a quick 2-0 lead on a pair of first-inning hits from Carlos Perez and Kevin Alcantara, it was Bryan Lavastida's single in the bottom of the first that tied things up 2-2, as this had the potential to be an offensive onslaught. After retaking the lead 3-2 on a third-inning Jonathon Long single, it was a Drew Smith long ball in the fourth that gave Las Vegas the lead as the Cubs found themselves down 5-3 after that shot.

It was in the fifth when the Cubs put together their first of what was two big innings as the Long RBI forceout started a three-run inning to put the Cubs back on top. Alcantara tied things up with his single, while the Chase Strumpf sacrifice fly put Iowa back on top 6-5. Once again, it was a short-lived lead for the Cubs as the Max Schuemann double tied things back up in the bottom of the fifth, only to have the Alejo Lopez homer put Vegas in front 7-6 in the seventh.

That score would hold until the ninth when the Cubs' bats erupted at the perfect time. All it took to secure the win was one big swing from Hayden Cantrelle, who connected for a Grand Slam to put the Cubs on top for good, 10-7. Vegas did manage to add a run in the bottom of the ninth, but that was it as the Cubs took care of business 10-8.

KNOXVILLE SMOKIES 4 - BIRMINGHAM BARONS 2

The Smokies bounced back from an ugly showing on Friday by doubling up the Barons on Saturday for the 4-2 win. This was a game dominated by the pitching as the flame-throwing Jaxon Wiggins was on the mound for the Smokies as they continue to monitor his innings.

Wiggins didn't last long, going just three innings, but with no runs allowed and two strikeouts, his ERA now stands at 1.93, which has been an impressive overall season. Following his exit from the game, Chase Watkins took over, and with Sam Antonacci delivering a sacrifice fly in the fourth, it was a 1-0 Barons lead.

Birmingham continued to do damage against Watkins in the sixth, using a Wilfred Veras single to double the lead to 2-0, which was looking to be enough considering how Hagen Smith was pitching. The left-hander dominated the Smokies through five innings, holding them to two hits and striking out eight as Knoxville had no answers for him.

It was in the seventh when all that changed as all four of the Smokies runs came into score during that inning. Jaylen Palmer got the scoring started with a huge RBI double that tied things up, and just like that, the Smokies were in business. His double was followed by a clutch Jefferson Rojas single to bring home the final runs of the game as his hit secured the 4-2 Smokies win.

PEORIA CHIEFS 5 - SOUTH BEND CUBS 4 (F/10)

Despite an early offensive outburst that saw both teams score four runs in the first few innings, it was the Cubs' offense that went cold as they fell to the Chiefs in extra innings. The loss keeps South Bend in second place as they have now dropped all five games in this series.

Making the start for South Bend was Kenten Egbert, who wasn't sharp, allowing four runs and striking out one, but he did give the Cubs five innings, which is all you can ask for this late in the season. Egbert was back by an offense that opened the scoring in the third off a double steal, while a Christopher Paciolla grounder pushed the lead to 2-0 in the fourth.

It didn't take the Chiefs long to respond as all four of the runs charged to Egbert came in the bottom of the fourth to put Peoria on top 4-2. Tre Richardson started the scoring with a sacrifice fly, while Andrew Sojka's double tied things up 2-2. The big blow in that inning came from Anyelo Encarnacion, who laced another single to push home two more runs, putting the Chiefs up two.

The back-and-forth affair continued into the fifth, where it was the Cubs' offense continuing to produce. This time, it was Edgar Alvarez coming through with a clutch single as the Cubs were within a run, 4-3. Ariel Armas would add another RBI grounder later in the inning to tie things up 4-4, but that was it for the Cubs' offense as they went silent the rest of the way.

With things still tied 4-4 through nine, this was going to take extras to get the job done. Unfortunately, that is just what the Chiefs needed to secure the win as Won-Bin Cho came through with a walkoff single to secure the 5-4 Chiefs win.

MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS 5 - FAYETTEVILLE WOODPECKERS 3

Friday was clearly one of those games where the Pelicans were still recovering from their celebration the previous night. Saturday was more like the team the fans have seen throughout the entire second half, as the Pelicans took care of business 5-3.

This was one of those games dominated by pitching early, while the Pelicans' offense started to show signs of life late. Once again, it was Ethan Flanagan delivering a strong start, and although he only lasted three innings, they were shutout innings as his ERA is now 2.02 for the season.

Facing off against Rainy Rodriguez, who was also strong through his four innings, this was a scoreless game up until the Angel Cepeda single that put the Pelicans in front 1-0 in the fifth. Myrtle Beach would tack on another run later in the inning on a wild pitch as they opened up a 2-0 lead.

Fayetteville did its best to battle back in the bottom of the inning, using a Justin Thomas double to pull within a run, only to have the Pelicans add a run in the seventh to take a 3-1 lead. The Woodpeckers continued to battle back against the Pelicans' bullpen as German Ramirez's single brought things back to even 3-3, and suddenly, this was a ballgame.

That was as close as the Woodpeckers would get as the Pelicans took the lead for good off an eighth-inning Christian Olivo single before the Alexey Lumpuy homer in the ninth closed out the scoring in the Pelicans' 5-3 win. Olivo and Cepada were two of the three players to record multiple hits, with Jose Escobar leading the way with three.