Minor League Wrap: Edgar Alvarez’s home run the difference as South Bend wins 1-0

South Bend wins a 1-0 game. Myrtle Beach scores 19 over the RiverDogs.

RHP Kenta Maeda has opted out of his contract with the Cubs and was released.

LHP Victor Zarraga was promoted to Low-A Myrtle Beach from Mesa.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs lost to Indianapolis (Pirates), 5-2.

Spencer Turnbull started and took the loss. Turnbull allowed three runs on six hits over five innings. He struck out six and walked one.

Iowa had just four hits in this game, all singles. DH Moisés Ballesteros was 1 for 3 with a walk. He scored once and had one run batted in.

Miguel Amaya played just two innings behind the plate and drew a walk his only time up. Word is that Amaya will catch Jameson Taillon in Iowa tomorrow, so they may have just not wanted him to play more than that the night before a day game.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies got spotted by the Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds), 11-1.

Starter Antonio Santos took the loss after surrendering three runs on six hits over five innings. Santos walked three and struck out three.

The Lookouts blew this game open with a seven-run seventh inning. The scored three runs off of Evan Taylor and four off of Johzan Oquendo in that inning.

DH Corey Joyce was 2 for 4 with one run scored.

Right fielder Jaylen Palmer returned to the lineup and went 1 for 3.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs apprehended the Quad Cities River Bandits (Royals), 1-0.

Evan Aschenbeck and Kenten Egbert combined on the shutout. Aschenbeck threw the firts 5.2 innings and gave up just two singles. He struck out five and walked no one.

Egbert took the win with 3.1 innings of relief. He allowed two singles and a walk while striking out three.

The only run came on a solo home run by left fielder Edgar Alvarez, his sixth on the season. Alvarez went 4 for 4 with a double and the home run.

The rest of the South Bend lineup managed just three singles.

The home run by Alvarez.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans put a muzzle on the Charleston RiverDogs (Rays), 19-1.

Ethan Flanagan improved his record to 5-0 with five scoreless innings, giving up three hits. Flanagan walked four and struck out four.

Shortstop Angel Cepeda hit his fifth home run of the year with the bases empty in the third inning. Cepeda went 2 for 6 with two runs batted in and two runs scored.

The first Low-A home run by left fielder Derik Alcantara was a grand slam in the fourth inning. It was his second overall home run. Alcantara was 2 for 5 with a double, the grand slam and a walk. He drove home five runs and score three times.

Right fielder Alexey Lumpuy doubled twice and walked twice in a 2 for 5 game. Lumpuy scored two runs and drove in two.

First baseman Matt Halbach was 4 for 5 with a double, a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Halbach batted in four runs and scored two of them.

Second baseman Ty Southiesene went 3 for 5 with a double, two walks and a stolen base. Southisene had two RBI and scored two runs.

Center fielder Leonel Espinoza was 2 for 6 with a walk. He scored once and drove in two.

Catcher Dillon Granadillo was 3 for 5 with a double and a walk. He had one RBI and scored twice.

RBI single for Espinoza.

Cepeda’s home run.

Alcantara’s grand slam.