Minor League Wrap; I-Cubs pound Storm Chasers, 7-3

Wins for Iowa and South Bend. Knoxville falls in extras and the Pelicans are walked off.

It’s been widely reported that right-hander Brody McCullough will undergo season-ending surgery. McCullough hasn’t pitched since May of last season.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs cleared the skies of the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 7-3.

It was a bullpen game for both sides in Omaha today. Nominal starter Michael Fulmer pitched 2.2 innings and gave up two runs, both coming on a two-run home run in the third. Fulmer surrendered two hits. He walked two, hit one batter and struck out three.

The win went to Brooks Kriske, who relieved Fulmer in the third inning and pitched 1.1 innings without allowing a run or a hit. Kriske walked one and struck out one.

Nate Pearson and Jack Neely both pitched two scoreless innings. Luke Little pitched the ninth and gave up one run.

Iowa jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning when center fielder Christian Franklin led off the inning with a walk and then the next two hitters, right fielder Owen Caissie and catcher Carlos Pérez, hit back-to-back home runs.

It was Caissie’s eight home run this year and the eleventh for Pérez. Caissie went 1 for 5 and Pérez went 1 for 3 with two walks.

Center fielder Christian Franklin went 2 for 4 with a walk. He scored once.

Left fielder Darius Hill was 2 for 4 with a triple and two runs scored.

Here’s Caissie’s home run.

Pérez goes back-to-back.

A fantastic catch by Christian Franklin.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies were put out by the Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds), 3-2 in ten innings.

Jaxon Wiggins was terrific today, throwing five scoreless innings and giving up just four hits. Wiggins struck out eight and walked nobody.

Cayne Ueckert gave up a two-run home run in the eighth inning to blow Knoxville’s lead. Ueckert’s final line was two runs on two hits over 1.1 innings. He walked two and struck out two.

Mitchell Tyranski gave up a walk, hit a batter and then gave up a sacrifice fly in the top of the tenth. After the Smokies failed to score in the bottom of the inning, Tyranski took the loss. His final line was one unearned run on no hits over 1.1 innings. He struck out one.

Shortstop Eriandys Ramon hit his first Double-A home run in the fifth inning with the bases empty. Ramon went 1 for 4.

Left fielder Jaylen Palmer was 2 for 4.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs stuffed the Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers), 11-2.

The start and the win went to Kenton Egbert, who kept the Loons off the board for 5.2 innings. Egbert allowed three hits and walked one. He struck out two.

Center fielder Andy Garriola had a solo home run in the sixth inning, his eighth on the year. Garriola went 1 for 3 with a walk and a sacrifice fly. He scored twice and drove in two.

Shortstop Cristian Hernandez went 1 for 3 with two walks and two stolen bases. He scored once and drove home two.

First baseman Brian Kalmer was 1 for 2 with three walks. He scored twice.

DH Carter Trice didn’t homer today, but he went 1 for 2 with three walks and three steals. He was also hit by a pitch. He scored three runs and had one RBI.

Iowa scored eleven runs on just seven hits, thanks in large part to drawing 13 walks and getting hit by pitches twice.

Garriola’s homer.

Full highlights without commentary.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were knocked over by the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (White Sox), 5-4.

Starter Hayden Frank gave up two runs on four hits over five innings. Frank did walk four and he struck out no one.

Brayden Spears started the ninth inning. Although Spears retired the first batter he faced, the next two reached on a single and a hit batsman. Jackson Kirkpatrick was summoned from the pen for the save at that point, but Kirkpatrick let both inherited runners score. The winning run came on a wild pitch.

The final line on Spears was two runs on five hits over 2.1 innings. He struck out one and walked no one. Kirkpatrick allowed one hit over one-third of an inning.

Third baseman Angel Cepeda went 3 for 5 with a stolen base. He scored once.

Left fielder Jose Escobar was 3 for 5 with an RBI single in the sixth inning. Escobar scored once. He also stole two bases.

First baseman Cameron Sisneros went 3 for 4 with a walk and a steal. Sisneros drove in one and scored one run.

Here’s an RBI double by Leonel Espinoza. He was 1 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.

RBI single for Jose Escobar.

ACL Cubs

Off day.