Cubs Minor League News: Wisdom and PCA homer, Vasquez and Cantrelle play hero, more

Cubs Minor League News: Wisdom and PCA homer, Vasquez and Cantrelle play hero, more
by - Senior Writer - Wed Apr 17 11:15:07 GMT-04:00 2024

Tuesday marked the start of another week of Minor League Action, with all four Cubs Affiliates taking the field. Although the overall results saw the organization go 2-2, both wins came in walk-off fashion, as there was plenty of excitement from the top down.

IOWA CUBS 8 - LOUISVILLE BATS 7

Iowa is getting the reputation of being the cardiac Cubs, and for good reason. Not only have they had several close wins and losses, but they have also been involved in several walk-off games this season, with one of them going their way. This was another one of those games, as the Cubs rallied from three runs down in the ninth to score four times and walked off the Bats 8-7.

That came after a rough start from Tommy Pannone, who was hit hard across his four innings after being nearly untouchable over his few outings. Pannone lasted four innings and allowed five runs with four earned as he put the Cubs in an early hole. Mike Ford started the damage off Pannone as his first-inning homer put Louisville in front 2-0. Had it not been for the Patrick Wisdom homer in the bottom of the first, Louisville would've led by four early, as this was a 4-1 game two innings.

As if one homer wasn't good enough, why not make it two as Ford took Brad Wieck deep in the sixth for his second homer of the game to extend the Bats lead to 6-2. Luis Vazquez singled home the Cubs third run in the bottom of the sixth with Pete Crow-Armstrong adding a homer in the seventh, but it was in the ninth when the drama unfolded.

Trailing by three and trying to battle back, Iowa not only kept the pressure on but was down to their last out several times. David Peralta kept the rally going with an RBI single while BJ Murray Jr pulled the Cubs within 7-6 with a bases-loaded walk. Then came Mr. Clutch Vazquez who capped off the Cubs comeback attempt with an RBI single up the middle to lift Iowa to the 8-7 win. 1

Vazquez and Murray Jr. had five RBIs in the win, as they have gotten off to great starts this season.

TENNESSEE SMOKIES 6 - MONTGOMERY BISCUITS 5 (F/11)

As if one walk-off win wasn't good enough, why not make it two as the Smokies returned home to walk off the Biscuits in extra innings? Anytime Cade Horton is on the mound, it is must-see TV, and after allowing just one hit in four scoreless frames, he continues to impress.

Horton was backed by some early offense, with Matt Shaw opening the scoring with a first-inning RBI single.

Josh Rivera added a homer in the third to push the lead to 2-0.

Following Horton's departure after four, the Smokies bullpen took their lumps, especially in the fifth inning when Nick Schnell capped off a three-run inning with a two-run blast to give the Biscuits a 3-2 lead.

The long ball played a massive role for the Smokies the rest of the way, with Moises Ballesteros going deep to tie things up in the bottom of the fifth and James Triantos doing the same in the eighth as things were deadlocked 4-4 and heading to extras.

With neither team scoring in the 10th, it was the Biscuits breaking through in the 11th as the Kenny Piper sacrifice fly off Jake Reindl put Montgomery back in front 5-4.

Not to be outdone, the Smokies offense had the last laugh, and it came from an unlikely hero. Seeing Shaw tie things up with a single was no surprise, but having Hayden Cantrelle go deep for his first homer was a surprise as the Smokies walked off the Biscuits 6-5.

BELOIT SKY CARP 11 - SOUTH BEND CUBS 5

It has been a rough start to the season for the Cubs, especially from a pitching side of things. After allowing 11 runs in this one, those struggles continued as the Cubs staff needs to make it easier for this team. Nick Hull wasn't good, allowing nine runs in three innings, with six being earned runs, as Beloit jumped in front early and often.

Had it not been for Yohendrick Pinango early in the game, this would have been an even worse score as he was the offense early on. Pinango started the scoring for South Bend with a solo shot in the second before adding a two-run single in the third.

Jefferson Rojas also had an RBI single in that inning as the Cubs opened up an early 4-0 lead.

From there, it was all Beloit as they scored five times in each of the next two innings to break the game open. A bases-loaded double from Cameron Barstad was the big blow in the third to put Beloit in front for good, with Mark Coley II connecting for a grand slam in the fourth. Pedro Ramirez picked up the final RBI for the Cubs on an eighth-inning sacrifice fly as their early season struggles continued.

KANNAPOLIS CANNONBALLERS 3 - MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS 2

Another team that has struggled out of the gates this season has been Myrtle Beach, but that was to be expected when you look at their roster turnover. Unlike their previous losses where the pitching struggled, the Pelicans held Kannapolis to three runs, but fell 3-2 which is at least a mini-positive.

Kenten Egbert was the tough-luck loser in this one, getting through four innings and being charged with three runs. Only one of those runs was earned in the loss, as the bullpen dominated the rest of the way. Most of the damage against Egbert came on one swing, with Matt Hogen leaving the yard in the second to put Kannapolis in front 2-0.

The long ball provided most of the offense for both sides, with Andy Gariola picking up a solo blast in the second to make things 2-1, while Albertson Asigen answered with a solo shot in the third.

The Asigen homer will go down as the game-winner as a Cristian Hernandez single in the bottom of the third brought home the final run in the Pelicans 3-2 loss.

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