The Smokies show big power and the Pelicans stage a huge comeback. South Bend blows one.
Iowa Cubs
Rained out in Buffalo. A doubleheader is scheduled for Thursday.
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies compacted the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels), 10-4.
Connor Noland was the beneficiary of all this offense, as he got the win after allowing two runs on just two hits over five innings. Noland did walk four batters while striking out three.
The Smokies hit seven (!) home runs tonight while allowing zero. All ten runs Smokies scored on home runs.
Center fielder Kevin Alcántara continued his torrid streak after a miserable start to the season. Alcántara hit two solo home runs—the first one came as the leadoff hitter in the first inning and one came in the seventh. He was 3 for 5. Alcántara has now raised his batting average to .250 after 13 games. It was .000 after his first seven games. He now has four home runs this year.
Second baseman James Triantos also homered twice with a two-run home run in the third inning and a solo home run in the sixth. Triantos went 3 for 4 with three runs scored. Triantos has three home runs this season.
It was a triple-double for the Smokies this evening as catcher Pablo Aliendo also homered twice. Aliendo connected for a two-run home run in the sixth and a solo home run in the eighth. He was 2 for 4 this evening and also has four total home runs on the year.
Finally, first baseman Haydn McGeary “only” hit one home run, a two-run home run in the first inning. It was McGeary’s first home run this season. McGeary went 1 for 4.
Alcántara’s leadoff home run [VIDEO]
The Jaguar’s second home run [VIDEO]
First Kevin Alcántara. Now James Triantos.
MLB’s No. 66 prospect (@Cubs) joins the @smokiesbaseball home run party with his second roundtripper of the season. pic.twitter.com/jW4dUyFC8R
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) April 23, 2024
Aliendo’s first home run [VIDEO]
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs were robbed by the Quad Cities River Bandits (Royals), 8-5.
Nick Hull tossed the first five innings and surrendered two runs on five hits over five innings. He walked three and struck out four.
The Cubs had a 5-3 lead going into the top of the ninth but relievers Jack Patterson and Grayson Moore combined to allow five runs. Patterson had pitched a scoreless eighth inning, so his final line was three runs on one hit and three walks over 1+ innings. Patterson struck out two and got the loss.
Moore gave up two runs on three hits in one inning. Moore walked two and struck out two.
Left fielder Yohendrick Pinango was 3 for 4 with a double and a two-run home run in the seventh inning. Pinango also walked once and had three total RBI.
Center fielder Brett Bateman went 3 for 4 with a walk, a double and a stolen base. Bateman scored twice and drove in one.
Second baseman Ed Howard was 3 for 4 with a double and one run scored.
Shortstop Jefferson Rojas extended his hitting streak to ten games. Rojas was 1 for 3 with a walk and a sacrifice fly. He also scored one run.
Here’s Pinango’s home run.
Yohendrick Pinango (@ypinango_18) with a @hoosierlottery home run gives us the lead!#Cubs lead 5-3 after 7 innings pic.twitter.com/GzzyNk4qjz
— South Bend Cubs (@SBCubs) April 24, 2024
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans topped the Lynchburg Hillcats (Guardians), 8-6 in ten innings.
Alfredo Brown didn’t have much problem pitching the first and second inning, but he put the Pelicans in a big hole when he gave up six runs in the third inning. Brown’s final line was six runs on six hits over three innings. He walked one and struck out two. Brown also hit a batter.
Trailing 6-0 after three, the Pelicans bullpen shut the Hillcats down the rest of the way as the hitters got them back in the game. Garrett Brown pitched one scoreless inning and Kenten Egbert threw 3.1.
The Pelicans tied the game up in the top of the eighth inning and Kenyi Perez took over with one out in the bottom of the inning. He gave up one hit over 1.2 innings and got the win when the Pelicans scored in the top of the tenth. Perez walked one and struck out four.
Francisco Reynoso pitched the bottom of the tenth and got the save. Reynoso allowed no runs and no hits, but he did walk one and struck out one.
Center fielder Jacob Wetzel tripled in a run and later scored in the top of the tenth inning to complete the comeback win. Wetzel went 2 for 5 with a double and a triple. He had two total runs batted in.
Right fielder Jefferson Encarnacion hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh. Encarnacion went 2 for 4.
Second baseman Cristian Hernandez got the Birds within a run in the top of the eighth with a two-run home run. Hernandez was 3 for 5 with a double and his first home run this year. He scored three times.
Catcher Frank Hernandez doubled home third baseman Reginald Preciado later in the eighth inning with the tying run. Preciado was 2 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. He scored two runs and drove home one. Frank Hernandez went 1 for 5.
Encarnacion’s home run.
Jefferson Encarnacion goes yard!
His first home run of the season is a two-run shot to make it 6-3 Hillcats in the seventh.#MBPelicans | #YouHaveToSeeIt pic.twitter.com/Ag0tPfbZ72
— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) April 24, 2024
Crisian Hernandez’s home run.
BACK IN IT.
The Hernandez brothers both score as Cristian hits his first home run of the season!
6-5 Lynchburg in the eighth.#MBPelicans | #YouHaveToSeeIt pic.twitter.com/wRwLyEocjt
— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) April 24, 2024