Minor League Wrap: Iowa’s comeback in St. Paul falls one run short, 10-9

Just the Pelicans won tonight, although Iowa had an epic comeback and South Bend wasted a terrific start.

All-Star Futures Game

The National League beat the American League, 4-2.

Owen Caissie played the entire game in right field and went 1 for 2 with an RBI double and two walks. One walk had been a strikeout overturned on ABS review.

Dodgers prospect Josue De Paula hit a three-run home run and was named the game’s MVP.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were excommunicated by the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 10-9.

It was a bullpen game for the I-Cubs tonight and Luke Little threw the first two innings. Little allowed two runs on two hits and three walks. He did not strike anyone out.

Brandon Hughes pitched the third inning and took the loss after getting tagged for back-to-back solo home runs with one out. His final line was two runs on two hits over one inning. He struck out two.

Iowa trailed this game 10-5 going into the top of the ninth and their late rally fell just one run short. Left fielder Greg Allen hit a two-run home run in the ninth, his fifth of the year. Allen went 1 for 4 with a walk.

First baseman Chase Strumpf just missed a game-tying home run and settled for an RBI triple in the ninth. However, he was thrown out at the plate trying to score the tying run on a grounder to third. Strumpf went 1 for 3 with two walks. He scored one run.

Third baseman Jonathon Long hit a three-run home run in the third inning, his 14th on the year. Long also had an RBI double in the ninth. Long went 3 for 4 with the double, the homem run and he was hit by a pitch. He had four total RBI and he scored twice.

Long hits ‘em long.

Long’s double in the ninth.

Allen’s two-run blast in the ninth.

Off the bat, I really thought Strumpf tied the game here.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies were griddled by the Montgomery Biscuits (Rays), 6-3.

Antonio Santos started and took the loss. Santos surrendered three runs, but just two earned, on five hits over five innings. Santos struck out five and walked one.

Second baseman Corey Joyce was 3 for 4 with an RBI.

Third baseman Pedro Ramirez went 1 for 4 with a double and two runs scored.

Joyce singles home Ramirez in the first inning.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were bitten by the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers), 3-2.

Ryan Gallagher absolutely dominated this game until he didn’t. Gallagher retired the first 16 batters of the game before he gave up a one-out single in the sixth inning. He came out to pitch the seventh and he gave up a two-run home run with one out to tie the game and a solo home run with two outs to put Wisconsin ahead.

Gallagher got the loss after allowing three runs on four hits over seven innings. He struck out four and walked no one.

South Bend managed just four hits. Catcher Ariel Armas walked in the fourth inning and scored on a sac fly. Armas went 1 for 3 with a double and a walk.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans disarmed the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (White Sox), 5-0.

Three pitchers combined to two-hit the Cannon Ballers. Starter Kevin Valdez got the win after giving up the two hits over six innings. He struck out five and walked two.

Relievers Yoendris Gonzalez and Luis Martinez-Gomez combined to retire the final nine batters of the game in order. Gonzalez threw one inning and did not strike anyone out. Martinez-Gomez struck out five of the six batters he faced.

Catcher Owen Ayers hit a solo home run in the eighth inning, his fourth on the season. Ayers was 1 for 4.

Third baseman Christian Olivo hit a two-run single in the fourth inning. Olivo was 2 for 3 with a walk and he scored once.

Second baseman Alexis Hernandez went 2 for 4 and scored one run.

Ayers home run went 430 feet.

ACL Cubs

Lost to the Rockies, 10-3.