Minor League Wrap: Smokies stop Trash Pandas, 3-1

Good pitching leads to wins for Knoxville and Myrtle Beach.

Iowa right-hander Jake Woodford elected free agency and was released.

Iowa catcher Caleb Knight and right-hander Tommy Romero were activated off the Development List.

Right-hander Tyler Schlaffer and outfielder Andy Garriola were promoted to Double-A Knoxville from High-A South Bend.

Shortstop Alexis Hernandez was promoted to Low-A Myrtle Beach from the ACL Cubs. Alexis is the little brother of South Bend shortstop Cristian Hernandez.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs couldn’t catch the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 10-7.

Riley Martin got the emergency start after scheduled starter Jake Woodford was released. Martin gave up three runs on four hits over two innings. The big blow was a two-run home run in the first inning by Carter Jensen. Martin did not have a walk or a strikeout.

Tommy Romero took over for Martin in the third and got the loss. Romero gave up two runs on two hits over four innings. Both runs came on another two-run home run by Carter Jensen. Romero struck out four and walked no one, although he did hit one batter.

The I-Cubs staged a mini comeback in the ninth when center fielder Christian Franklin and first baseman Jonathon Long both hit solo home runs. It was the sixth of the year for Franklin and the tenth for Long.

Franklin went 1 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. He scored twice.

Long was 2 for 5.

Right fielder Kevin Alcántara was 2 for 4 with a walk and an opposite field double in the ninth inning. Alcántara scored once and had one run batted in.

Catcher Moisés Ballesteros was 1 for 3 with a double, a walk and a sacrifice fly. He also stole a base and scored once.

An opposite field RBI single for Alcántara.

Franklin’s home run.

Long’s long ball.

The Jaguar’s ninth-inning double just missed going out.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies took out the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels), 3-1.

Starter Antonio Santos took home the win after giving up just one run on three hits over five innings. Santos walked one and struck out one.

Tyler Santana pitched two innings of hitless relief and Brad Deppermann retired the side in order in the eighth before A.J. Puckett came on to get the save. Puckett allowed the first two batters to reach on a walk and a hit batsman. But he struck out the next batter and induced a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.

Right fielder Jaylen Palmer broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the sixth with an RBI double. Palmer was 1 for 4. He then scored the third run for the Smokies on a single by shortstop Corey Joyce. Joyce was 2 for 4 with a walk.

Center fielder Jordan Nwogu went 2 for 4 with an RBI single in the third inning.

DH BJ Murray Jr. went 2 for 3 with a double and a walk.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were fired by the Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals), 5-1.

Brooks Caple started and took the loss. He allowed three runs on six hits over five innings. Caple walked two and struck out four.

South Bend managed just three hits today, all singles. Shortstop Jefferson Rojas was 1 for 3 and was hit by a pitch. He scored the Cubs only run of the game in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by DH Cameron Sisneros, who was 0 for 2 with walk.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans brought the Charleston RiverDogs (Rays) to heel, 2-1.

Will Frisch allowed just one unearned run on three hits over five innings. Frisch struck out three and walked one.

Yoendris Gonzalez threw the next two innings without giving up a run or a hit and got the win in relief. Gonzalez walked one, hit one batter and struck out two.

Luis Martinez-Gomez pitched the final two innings for the save. He didn’t allow a run, but he surrendered one hit and issued two walks. Martinez-Gomez struck out two.

All of Myrtle Beach’s scoring came on a two-run home run by center fielder Leonel Espinoza in the eighth inning. It was his fifth home run of the year. He was 1 for 4.

First baseman Matt Halbach went 2 for 3 with a walk.

The Espinoza home run just snuck past the foul pole.

ACL Cubs

Losing to the Guardians, 2-1 in the fourth.