Minor League Wrap: Ethan Flanagan pitches Pelicans past Cannon Ballers, 3-2

South Bend and Myrtle Beach won matinees, but Iowa and Knoxville couldn’t keep pace in the nightcaps.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were excommunicated by the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 5-3.

The I-Cubs went with an opener today as Luke Little threw the first inning. He issued a one-out walk, but no other baserunners. Little struck out one.

Connor Noland came out for the second inning and allowed just two runs on four hits over the next 5.2 innings. Noland walked three and struck out five.

Unfortunately Keegan Thompson gave up a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to Carson McCusker and got the loss. Thompson’s final line was three runs on two hits and a walk over 1.1 innings. Thompson struck out three.

Catcher Moisés Ballesteros gave the I-Cubs an early lead with a two-run double in the top of the first inning. Ballesteros went 1 for 3 with a walk.

First baseman Jonathon Long added a third run in the third inning with an RBI double that scored Owen Caissie. Long doubled twice tonight in a 2 for 4 game. He also scored on Ballesteros’ double in the first.

Caissie went 0 for 3 with two walks and two runs scored.

Iowa managed just five hits tonight.

You don’t normally associate Ballesteros with a “hustle double,” but that’s certainly what this was. He’s not fast, but he’s a smart baserunner.

Long’s RBI double was more conventional.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies were battered by the Montgomery Biscuits (Rays), 7-5.

Grant Kipp allowed two runs on four hits over the first 3.1 innings. Kipp walked one, hit four batters and struck out two. Hitting four batters in 3.1 innings is impressive. Not in a good way, however.

The Smokies broke out to a 5-0 lead, but then they stopped scoring and the pitching staff couldn’t hold the lead. Tyler Santana gave up two runs in the top of the eighth inning and got the loss. Santana’s final line was two runs, one earned, on two hits over two innings. Santana did not have a walk or a strikeout.

Shortstop Reivaj Garcia hit an RBI double in the third inning. Garcia went 2 for 4. He scored once and drove in the one run.

First baseman BJ Murray Jr. had an RBI single in the the four-run third inning. Murray went 2 for 5 and scored once.

Right fielder Andy Garriola drove in a run (and a second one scored on an error) with an RBI infield single in the third. Garriola went 2 for 4.

Some good defense by Murray and catcher Casey Opitz.

Garcia’s RBI double.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs defanged the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers), 3-1.

Evan Aschenbeck dominated Wisconsin for seven innings, permitting just one run on eight hits, all singles. He kept the ball in play as Aschenbeck only struck out one and walked no one.

Jackson Kirkpatrick pitched the ninth and got a save. He allowed a two-out single, but no one else reached. Kirkpatrick did not strike anyone out.

South Bend had just three hits today and all of them were singles, but they were helped out by drawing six walks. First baseman Cameron Sisneros had an RBI single in the fifth inning. He was a perfect 1 for 1 with three walks and two steals. Sisneros scored once.

Right fielder Ivan Brethowr was 0 for 2 with two walks and two steals. He scored twice, including once on a steal of third that he scored on after a bad throw from the catcher.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

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

Ethan Flanagan is off to a great start to his professional career, allowing just one run on three hits over five innings. The one run came on a solo home run in the fifth. Flanagan walked four and struck out two. After four starts in Myrtle Beach, Flanagan has a 0.86 ERA.

Luis A. Reyes gave up the tying run in the bottom of the seventh and got the win when the Pelicans scored in the top of the eighth. The final line on Reyes was one run on two hits and a walk over 1.2 innings. He also hit two batters. Reyes struck out three.

Brayden Spears didn’t allow a run over the final 1.1 innings for the save. He gave up one hit. Spears struck out one and walked no one.

Left fielder Leonel Espinoza scored on an ground out by Eli Lovich in the top of the eighth with what turned out to be the winning run. Espinoza was 3 for 4. Lovich was 0 for 4.

Second baseman Christian Olivo doubled twice in a 2 for 4 day. Olivo’s first double in the second inning drove in a run.

Olivo’s RBI double.

ACL Cubs

Lost to the Diamondbacks 3-2.