Minor League Wrap: Jaxon Wiggins, A.J. Puckett, Sam Armstrong combine on Knoxville no-hitter

Knoxville and South Bend both complete doubleheader sweeps. Iowa gets blasted and Myrtle Beach is rained out.

The second no-hitter this week in the system!

Shōta Imanaga had a successful rehab appearance in Mesa.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were battered by the Louisville Bats (Reds), 14-2.

Tommy Romero got knocked around for seven runs on eight hits over 3+ innings. Romero walked four and struck out two.

Third baseman Dixon Machado went 2 for 3 with a walk and one run scored.

A great outfield assist by Owen Caissie in right.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies swept the Columbus Clingstones (Braves), winning the completion of yesterday’s game 3-2 and throwing a combined seven-inning no-hitter in game two, 5-1.

Nick Dean did not allow a hit or a run over the first 2.1 innings yesterday before the rains came. He did walk one and struck out four.

Zac Leigh threw 2.1 scoreless innings in the middle of this game and got the win. Leigh gave up one hit. He walked no one and struck out one.

Mitchell Tyranski threw the bottom of the ninth and got the save. Tyranski gave up a leadoff walk, but retired the next three batters to end the game. He struck out one.

A.J. Puckett actually came on to pitch the ninth and was ejected for a foreign substance on his glove by the home plate umpire without throwing a pitch. Puckett very animatedly disputed the ejection, but he wasn’t going to win that argument.

Third baseman Reivaj Garcia led off the top of the eighth with a double and broke a 2-2 tie when he scored on a sacrifice fly by second baseman Pedro Ramirez. Garcia went 1 for 5.

Ramirez doubled twice in addition to the sac fly in a 2 for 4 game.

Catcher Ethan Hearn went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He scored one run.

Jaxon Wiggins started game two and was dominating, going 5.2 innings, striking out nine and walking three. Wiggins began to tire in the sixth inning and walked two batters and then uncorked a wild pitch before getting an RBI groundout for the second out of the inning. So the one run was charged to Wiggins.

A.J. Puckett returned from his ejection in game one to get the final out of the sixth on a ground out to third.

Sam Armstrong pitched the ninth inning and got in a bit of trouble with a walk and a hit batsman, but he finished off the no-hitter. Armstrong did not strike anyone out.

Catcher Casey Opitz hit a two-run single in the fourth inning. He was 1 for 3.

DH Pablo Aliendo was 2 for 4 with one run scored.

Wiggins highlights.

The final out of the no-hitter.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs swept a doubleheader from the Ft. Wayne TinCaps, 3-1 and 4-0. South Bend has now won six straight.

Right-handed starter Ryan Gallagher continues to impress, allowing just one run on four hits over 102 pitches and 5.2 innings. The one run he gave up was a solo home run in the sixth inning. Gallagher struck out eight and walked just one.

Gallagher left with the score tied 1-1, so the win went to Joe Nahas, who gave up a double to the first batter he faced and then hit the next batter. But then Nahas retired the next four batters. He did not strike anyone out over his 1.1 innings.

Center fielder Carter Trice hit a two-run single in the top of the seventh to break the deadlock. Trice went 1 for 3 with a walk.

James Triantos played the entire seven innings at second base in a rehab assignment. He was 1 for 4 with a double.

Triantos’ double.

Gallagher’s seventh strikeout.

Erian Rodriguez tossed a seven-inning complete game shutout in game two, which is going to be overshadowed by the Smokies’ no-hitter. Rodriguez allowed four hits and issued one walk. He struck out four.

Center fielder Andy Garriola had a three-run double in the third inning. Garriola went 1 for 3.

First baseman Brian Kalmer doubled in a run in the fourth inning. Kalmer was 1 for 3.

Third baseman Drew Bowser was 1 for 3 with a walk. He scored twice.

Garriola’s three-run double.

Some pitching highlights.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Unplayable field conditions. Doubleheader on Sunday.

ACL Cubs

Beat the Reds, 12-7.

Shōta Imanaga pitched the first four innings and gave up no runs and just three hits. He struck out four and walked no one.