Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: July 11

The Smokies shut out Montgomery. The Pelicans come close to history. But not quite.

Shortstop Hayden Cantrelle was promoted from Double-A Tennessee to Triple-A Iowa.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs couldn’t hear themselves think against the Nashville Sounds (Brewers), 10-4.

Riley Thompson started and took the loss. Thompson gave up six runs on nine hits over five innings. Thompson walked two and struck out four.

Third baseman BJ Murray Jr. hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning, his tenth on the year. Murray also doubled in the sixth inning. He was 2 for 3 and was hit by a pitch. He scored twice.

With Murray on second, DH Moises Ballesteros connected for a two-run shot in the sixth. It was Ballesteros’ second Iowa home run and his 11th overall. Ballesteros was 1 for 4.

Catcher Christian Bethancourt was 2 for 4 with an RBI single in the ninth inning in his Iowa debut.

Center fielder Trayce Thompson went 0 for 3 with a walk and he scored on Bethancourt’s single in his first game with Iowa since 2021.

Murray’s home run.

Ballesteros’ blast went 413 feet.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies ate the Montgomery Biscuits (Rays), 4-0.

Connor Noland is on a roll right now, going at least six innings and allowing zero or one run in each of his past three starts. Tonight, Noland went seven scoreless, giving up six hits. He struck out five and walked one.

Most of the damage in this game came on a bases-loaded, three-run double by center fielder Kevin Alcántara in the third inning. Alcántara was 2 for 4.

Right fielder Christian Franklin was 1 for 3 with two walks and an RBI. He also scored once.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs fled in terror from the Dayton Dragons (Reds), 6-1.

Sam Armstrong got the loss after getting knocked around for three runs on four hits and three walks over the first four innings. Armstrong struck out two.

South Bend had just four hits tonight, but one was a solo home run by first baseman Jonathon Long. It was Long’s tenth long ball of the year. Long was 1 for 3.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans turned the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (White Sox) into plowshares, 6-1. Because of a nearly two-hour rain delay before the start this game, this was a seven-inning contest.

Jaxon Wiggins was dominating tonight in what was easily the best outing of his young career. Wiggins pitched four no-hit innings, allowing just one walk and striking out six.

Tyler Schlaffer, in his first game after getting demoted from South Bend, took the no-hitter into the ninth. It was broken up when Luis Pineda hit an RBI double with one out in the seventh. The final line on Schlaffer was one run on one hit over three innings. He walked one and struck out three.

Coming into tonight, the Birds had not hit a home run in the entire month of July. But tonight, they crushed four of them, accounting for all six runs. Two of them came off the bat of right fielder Jacob Wetzel. Wetzel hit his first with a man on in the third inning and his second came with the bases empty in the fifth. Wetzel was 2 for 3. He now has seven home runs this season.

Later in the third inning, left fielder Andy Garriola hit another two-run home run, his 15th this year. Garriola was 2 for 3.

Two batters after Wetzel hit his second home run, center fielder Alfonsin Rosario connected for a solo home run, his 11th. Rosario was 2 for 2 and was hit by a pitch. He scored twice.

Highlights:

ACL Cubs

Losing to the Diamondbacks 8-5 in the fifth inning.