Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs were sent to the netherworld by the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 8-2.
Starter Thomas Pannone took the loss after he got tagged for six runs on ten hits over four innings. Three of the six runs were unearned. Pannone walked two and struck out four.
Frankie Scalzo Jr. pitched 2.2 innings of scoreless relief. Scalzo allowed one hit and one walk while striking out three.
Another day, another two hits for catcher Moises Ballesteros. Ballesteros was 2 for 5 with a double. He drove in one run with a single in the seventh inning and scored Iowa’s other run in the same inning.
Second baseman Chase Strumpf went 2 for 2 with two walks. He scored on Ballesteros’s single.
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies overthrew the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 4-2.
Connor Noland started and got the win after allowing just one run on three hits over six innings. Noland walked two and struck out four.
Eduarniel Nunez threw the ninth and got the save. He walked a batter with two outs, but allowed no other baserunners. Nunez struck out one—the final batter of the game.
DH William Simoneit hit a two-run double in the sixth inning. He was 1 for 3 with a walk.
First baseman Luis Verdugo was 1 for 1 with three walks. He scored on Simoneit’s double.
South Bend Cubs
Drew Gray got ambushed in game one, taking the loss after he surrendered seven runs on four hits over the first 2.2 innings. Gray had trouble finding the strike zone as he walked six batters and struck out three.
The one South Bend run in game one came on a fifth-inning home run by left fielder Rafael Morel. Morel was 1 for 3.
Third baseman Pedro Ramirez and shortstop Ed Howard were both 2 for 3.
Will Sanders started game two and got the loss. Sanders gave up five runs, but only two earned, on four hits over 2.2 innings. Sanders struck out two and walked two.
DH Jonathon Long was 2 for 3 in game two. South Bend had just four hits in game two.
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans got drilled by the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Astros), 8-7 in ten innings.
JP Wheat made his Pelicans debut. He pitched the first inning and had some issues finding the strike zone, although his defense didn’t help him out. Wheat allowed two runs on no hits over one inning. Wheat walked four and struck out one. Both of the runs were unearned thanks to a two-out error by first baseman Drew Bowser.
Mason McGwire pitched the next four innings and allowed four runs on six hits. He struck out four and walked no one, so I consider that a good outing for McGwire. Throwing strikes is his big issue.
Angel Hernandez was one pitch away from closing out the game in the bottom of the ninth when he allowed a two-out, two-strike home run game-tying home run. Hernandez stayed in the game, pitched the tenth and took the loss. Hernandez’s final line was two runs, one earned, on two hits over four innings. Hernandez walked two and struck out three.
Center fielder Alfonsin Rosario hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning, his tenth in 55 games. Rosario was 2 for 5 with two runs scored.
DH Frank Hernandez went 3 for 5 with an RBI single as part of a four-run fifth inning. Hernandez also scored in that inning.
Right fielder Andy Garriola was 2 for 4 with an RBI double and a walk. He scored two runs.
Catcher Miguel Pabon was 2 for 4 with a walk and an RBI single in the first.
Recap:
ACL Cubs
Lost to the Rangers, 6-4.
