Everyone loses tonight. Sorry.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs were boarded and seized by the Columbus Clippers (Guardians), 7-2.
Adrian Houser turned in a great start and got the loss anyway. Houser allowed just one run on two hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out three.
Columbus scored four runs in the seventh inning—including three off of Daniel Palencia in just a third of an inning—to put this game out of reach.
Iowa only had two hits in this game and both runs were scored in the bottom of the ninth. Left fielder Trayce Thompson singled home Kevin Alcántara with two outs in the ninth for the first Iowa run. Thompson was 1 for 4 and later scored on an error. Alcántara went 0 for 4.
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies were vassalized by the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 4-1.
Matthew Thompson gave up three runs in the second inning and got the loss. His line was three runs on two hits and two walks over 1+ innings. Thompson also hit a batter. He did not strike anyone out.
Left fielder Christian Franklin was 3 for 4 with a double.
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs were grilled by the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins), 4-1.
Starter Nick Hull took the loss after going three innings and surrendering two runs on five hits. Hull walked one and struck out two.
Shortstop Cristian Hernandez went a perfect 2 for 2 with two walks. Hernandez is now 9 for 24 with three walks since his promotion to High-A.
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were blinded by the Columbia Fireflies (Royals), 6-4.
JP Wheat gave up one run on two hits over three innings. Wheat walked two and struck out four.
The Pelicans committed four errors in this game and they led to three unearned runs. Alfredo Romero got the loss after allowing three runs, one earned, on two hits over three innings. Romero struck out two and walked one.
Connor Schultz was one pitch away from an immaculate inning in the bottom of the seventh when he gave up a single second baseman Eriandys Ramon couldn’t corral. The next batter doubled and it turned into a Little League two-run home run after a throwing error by catcher Owen Ayers. Schultz pitched three innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits. He struck out four and walked no one.
The Pelicans attempted a comeback in the ninth inning when left fielder Jose Escobar and first baseman Drew Bowser both hit solo home runs. It was Escobar’s first Myrtle Beach home run and fourth overall. It was Bowser’s fourth home run.
Escobar went 2 for 3 with a triple and the home run. He also walked once and scored twice.
Bowser was 1 for 4.
Center fielder Leonel Espinoza was 2 for 4 with a double and a triple. He also walked once and scored once.
