Minor League Wrap: I-Cubs sweep Storm Chasers with 2 shutouts

Lots of strong pitching in the system today. The I-Cubs sweep a doubleheader.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs swept a doubleheader from the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals) 1-0 and 4-0.

Connor Noland allowed just one hit over six innings in game one as he picked up his fifth win. Noland did walk three batters and hit one while striking out three.

Michael Fulmer pitched the seventh inning and got the save. He walked the first batter he faced, but he was thrown out trying to steal and Fulmer retired the other two batters on a fly out and a swinging strike out.

The only run of the game came in the bottom of the sixth as left fielder Owen Caissie doubled home center fielder Christian Franklin with two outs. Caissie and Franklin were both 1 for 2 with a walk.

Despite game one being played in Omaha, the Cubs were the home team as it was a makeup of a rainout in Des Moines from earlier this year.

Caissie’s double.

Reports of Kenta Maeda’s (professional) death have been greatly exaggerated. In game two, Maeda got the win after tossing five scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits and two walks. Maeda struck out three.

Phil Bickford came on to pitch in the sixth inning with two outs after Ethan Roberts walked two batters. He stayed in to pitch the seventh and got the save. The final line on Bickford was no runs and one hit over 1.1 innings. He struck out two and walked no one.

All four of the I-Cubs runs in game two came on two home runs in the fifth inning. Catcher Caleb Knight opened the scoring with his first home run of the season (and only his third hit). Knight was 1 for 3.

The other three runs came home later in the fifth on first baseman Moisés Ballesteros’ sixth home run. Ballesteros was 1 for 4.

Knight’s home run.

Ballesteros’ home run.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies were found by the Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds), 3-1 in ten innings.

Grant Kipp was brilliant tonight with six scoreless innings, allowing just two singles. Kipp struck out a career-high ten batters and walked just one.

Mitchell Tyranski gave up the game-tying run in the seventh inning. He pitched two innings and allowed one run on one hit and one walk. He struck out one.

Sam Thoresen gave up two unearned runs in the top of the tenth and got the loss. Thoresen pitched just one inning and gave up one hit. He struck out one and walked no one.

The Smokies had just four hits and the only run scored on an error. Right fielder Parker Chavers went 1 for 3 with a double and a walk. He scored Knoxville’s only run.

Here’s an example of Kipp’s dominance. He struck out the side in the first.

Here’s Chavers scoring the only Smokies run on a single by Casey Opitz and an error by the right fielder.

South Bend Cubs

Rained out. Doubleheader tomorrow (Thursday).

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were broadsided by the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (White Sox), 3-2.

Starter Will Frisch did not allow a run over 4.1 innings. Frisch allowed just two hits, but he did have control issues as he walked five and hit one batter. Frisch struck out two.

Ethan Bell pitched a scoreless eighth inning, but he allowed a game-tying home run to lead off the ninth and then a walk-off single later in the inning. The final line on Bell was two runs on three hits over 1.2 innings Bell walked two and struck out four.

First baseman Matt Halbach singled home the first run of the game in the fourth inning. Halbach went 1 for 3 and was hit by a pitch.

Right fielder Leonel Espinoza went 2 for 4 with a double and scored on Halbach’s single.

Halbach’s RBI single.

ACL Cubs

Off day.