Minor League Wrap: Smokies shut out Barons, 2-0

Everyone but Iowa won. Iowa lost big, although it wasn’t Jordan Wicks’ fault.

ACL Cubs right-hander Anhuar Garcia was suspended for 60-days for testing positive for a banned substance.

Infielder James Triantos has been activated off the injured list and re-joins Triple-A Iowa.

Right-hander Jackson Kirkpatrick was promoted to High-A South Bend from Low-A Myrtle Beach.

Right-hander Luis A. Reyes was demoted to the ACL Cubs from Myrtle Beach.

Catcher Miguel Useche goes from the ACL Cubs to South Bend.

South Bend right-hander Joe Nahas was released.

Left-hander Génesis Cabrera has elected free agency.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were broadsided by the Columbus Clippers (Guardians), 12-0.

Jordan Wicks was good over his three-inning start, but he took the loss after allowing one run on three hits and a walk. Wicks struck out six.

The bullpen was not good. Tyson Miller gave up three runs in the inning he pitched. Ethan Roberts allowed two, one earned, in one inning. Jack Neely and Brandon Hughes combined to give up six runs in the top of the ninth. Neely failed to retire a single batter and was responsible for five of those runs, but three of them scored on a grand slam that Hughes allowed.

Only Brooks Kriske came out unscathed, retiring all six batters he faced. He struck out three of them.

Center fielder Christian Franklin was 2 for 3.

Here’s Jordan Wicks getting a strikeout.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies toppled the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 2-0.

Three Smokies pitchers combined on a two-hitter. Starter Sam Armstrong collected the win after allowing just one hit over six innings. He walked three and struck out three.

Chris Clarke moved his rehab assignment to Knoxville and pitched the next two innings, retiring all six batters he faced. Clarke struck out two.

Mitchell Tyranski pitched the ninth inning and got the save, but not without some real teeth-gnashing. Tyranski walked the first batter he faced and then the second one doubled off the top of the right field wall, just barely missing a game-tying home run. As it was, it put runners on second and third with no outs. But then Tyranski retired the next three batters without allowing the runner on third to score. He did not have a strikeout.

The first run of the game came on a fourth inning home run by second baseman Pedro Ramirez, his fifth of the year. Ramirez then drove in the game’s other run on a single in the eighth. Ramirez went 3 for 4 with the home run.

The Pedro Ramirez home run.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs detasseled the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins), 10-6.

Starter Brooks Caple got the win after allowing four runs on four hits and four walks over six innings. He struck out three.

First baseman Brian Kalmer hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning, his first of the season. Kalmer went 2 for 5 and scored twice.

Right fielder Ivan Brethowr tacked on an insurance run with a solo home run in the seventh, his fourth of the year. Brethowr went 1 for 2 with two walks and a hit-by-pitch. He scored four times tonight.

Second baseman Jefferson Rojas was 2 for 5 with a two-run single that was part of a five-run sixth. Rojas also stole two bases and scored once.

Left fielder Andy Garriola was 2 for 5 with an RBI double in the second inning. He scored one run.

Both Kalmer’s and Brethowr’s home runs.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were lights-out against the Columbia Fireflies (Rays), 12-1.

Starter Will Frisch gave up one run on just two hits over 4.1 innings. Frisch walked three and struck out two.

Yoendris Gonzalez got the win because Frisch didn’t go five innings. Gonzalez pitched the next 2.2 innings and allowed just one run. Gonzalez struck out three and walked no one.

The Pelicans scored nine runs in the top of the first inning tonight on just four hits. All nine runs came after the first two batters of the game struck out. The Birds were helped by two walks, two hit batters and two errors in the inning.

Center fielder Leonel Espinoza hit a three-run triple in the first inning. He was 3 for 5 and was hit by a pitch. Espinoza had five total runs batted in and scored once.

Third baseman Angel Cepeda came to the plate for a second time in the first inning (after striking out to lead off the game) and hit an RBI double. Cepeda doubled twice in a 2 for 6 game. He scored twice.

First baseman Matt Halbach was 2 for 4 with a walk and a double. He scored two runs.

Espinoza’s triple was hit hard, but it got a bit of help.

The two-run single by Espinoza didn’t need any help.

ACL Cubs

Beating the Padres 12-0 in the eighth inning.