Minor League Wrap: Matt Shaw homers, but Iowa comes up short 6-4

Some thrilling games on the farm tonight, but the Cubs came up short in all of them. Except for the one where it rained.

Right-hander Jaxon Wiggins was promoted to Double-A Knoxville from High-A South Bend.

Utility player Christian Olivo was demoted from South Bend to Low-A Myrtle Beach.

South Bend right-hander Carlo Reyes was released.

South Bend’s Jefferson Rojas was named Midwest League Player of the Week and South Bend’s Ryan Gallagher won the Pitcher of the Week Award.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were cast out by the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 6-4.

Jordan Wicks got the start and the loss. He allowed four runs on six hits over 4.2 innings. The positive aspect was that Wicks struck out six and walked just one.

Ryan Brasier gave up one run on one hit and one walk in his one-inning rehab appearance. Brasier struck out one.

Third baseman Matt Shaw hit a solo home run in the seventh inning. Shaw went 1 for 5.

Catcher Carlos Pérez was the big bat for Iowa tonight, going a perfect 2 for 2 with a double, a triple and two walks. Pérez drove in one.

Right fielder Owen Caissie was 2 for 5 and scored twice.

First baseman Jonathon Long went 2 for 4 with an RBI double and was hit by a pitch. Long also scored once. Long raised his batting average to .341 tonight.

Left fielder Christian Franklin was 2 for 3 with a walk.

Shaw’s home run.

Pérez’s RBI double.

Long’s double was off the right-field wall.

Franklin with a great catch in left.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies were pulped by the Columbus Clingstones (Braves), 9-7 in ten innings.

Starter Chris Kachmar allowed four runs on six hits over four innings. Kachmar struck out four and walked one.

Tyler Santana threw two innings of relief and retired all six batters he faced. He did not strike any of them out, however.

A.J. Puckett gave up two runs in the top of the tenth, his second inning of work, and took the loss. Puckett’s final line was two runs, one earned, on three hits over two innings. Puckett struck out three and walked one.

First baseman BJ Murray Jr. singled home Brett Bateman with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings. Murray was 4 for 5 with a double and one run scored. Bateman was 2 for 5.

Left fielder Jaylen Palmer crushed a grand slam in the second inning, his sixth home run this year. Palmer was 1 for 5.

Second baseman Corey Joyce went 3 for 4 with a walk. He scored on Palmer’s slam.

Third baseman Pedro Ramirez went 2 for 5.

Palmer’s slam

Murray showed some leather too.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were nailed by the Lansing Lugnuts (Athletics), 7-6 in ten innings.

Tyler Schlaffer gave up three runs on four hits over the first five innings. One of those hits was a two-run home run in the fourth inning. He walked two and struck out no one.

Joe Nahas blew a save in the bottom of the ninth, giving up two runs. His line was two runs on four hits over two innings.

After South Bend failed to score in the top of the inning, Sam Thoresen came on to pitch the ninth inning. He retired the first two batters on a ground out (that sent the automatic runner to third) and a shallow fly. But after a walk, he gave up a two-out walk-off single.

Second baseman Jefferson Rojas stayed red hot, going 3 for 5, raising his batting average to .318. Rojas scored once.

Catcher Miguel Pabon hit a two-run double in the third inning. Pabon went 2 for 5 with one run scored

Third baseman Reivaj Garcia went 2 for 4 with a double and he scored once.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Pelicans were leading the Lynchburg Hillcats 2-0 in the top of the fifth inning when the rains came.

ACL Cubs

Lost to the Angels, 8-7.

Shortstop Ronny Cruz, the Cubs’ third-round pick last year, hit his first professional home run.

The ACL Cubs are 0-8 on the season.