Minor League Wrap: Tyler Schlaffer and South Bend shut out Ft. Wayne, 5-0

South Bend shuts out Ft. Wayne. Iowa and Myrtle Beach also win.

The Cubs signed catcher Sammy Sass and assigned him to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. Sass last played for Wright State in 2024.

Right-hander Tyson Miller has cleared waivers and has been assigned to the Iowa Cubs.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs broke the Louisville Bats (Reds), 7-4.

Kenta Maeda started today’s matinee and he surrendered three runs on three hits over 4.1 innings. Control was Maeda big issue, as he walked five and hit two batters while strikeing out three.

Brandon Hughes relieved Maeda in a rehab appearance and he got the win in relief. Hughes pitched 1.2 innings and allowed just one hit and no runs. Hughes struck out one and walked nobody.

Jack Neely pitched the ninth and picked up the save. The only baserunner Neely allowed was a one-out hit batsman. Neely struck out two.

Shortstop Dixon Machado hit a solo home run in the second inning, his first on the campaign. Machado went 1 for 4.

Next up, left fielder Darius Hill went back-to-back with Machado for his third home run on the year but first with Iowa. Hill was 1 for 2 with two walks.

Right fielder Christian Franklin hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning, his fourth. Franklin went 2 for 5 with a triple and the home run. He scored twice.

Franklin’s unusual triple, which led off the bottom of the first inning.

Machado’s home run.

Back-to-back jacks with Darius Hill.

Nice defensive play by Machado.

Franklin’s home run.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies were juiced by the Columbus Clingstones (Braves), 6-4.

Starting pitcher Chris Kachmar allowed three runs on four hits over five innings. Kachmar commanded the strike zone, striking out eight and walking just one.

The loss went to Brad Deppermann, who gave up two runs on three hits in the bottom of the eighth inning, the only inning he threw. He did not have a strikeout or a walk.

Right fielder Parker Chavers hit a two-run home run in the third inning, his first on the campaign. Chavers went 2 for 3 with a walk.

Center fielder Brett Bateman then went back-to-back with his first home run of the season. Bateman went 3 for 4 with a double, the home run and a walk. He scored twice.

First baseman Ethan Hearn was 2 for 4 with a walk.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs scrubbed the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 5-0.

Tyler Schlaffer went seven innings and gave up just five hits and three walks. Schlaffer struck out seven. It was his first win of the season.

Luis Rujano and Brayden Risedorph both pitched one inning without allowing a hit or a run. Rujano walked two and struck out one while Risedorph walked one and struck out one in a non-save situation.

Third baseman Edgar Alvarez doubled twice in a 2 for 4 night. He scored once and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Right fielder Ivan Brethowr was 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. Brethowr drove in a run with an RBI single in the third inning and scored one run.

Shortstop Cristian Hernandez went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He scored on the sac fly in the second inning by Alvarez.

Here’s all seven of Schlaffer’s strikeouts.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans cracked open the Hickory Crawdads (Rangers), 4-3.

Chris Clarke started this game on a rehab assignment and went 3.2 innings, giving up three runs on seven hits. Clarke struck out four and walked no one.

Cole Reynolds threw the next 3.1 innings without allowing a run and picked up the win. Reynolds gave up just one hit. He struck out five and walked just one.

Jackson Kirkpatrick threw a scoreless final two innings for the save. Kirkpatrick surrendered one hit and issued one walk. Kirkpatrick struck out three.

The Pelicans won on just six hits tonight. Left fielder Eli Lovich went 2 for 4 with a two-run single in the fifth inning that gave the Pelicans the lead for good.

DH Jose Escobar went a perfect 2 for 2 with two walks. Escobar drove in a run with a single in the bottom of the first.

Catcher Owen Ayers was 1 for 3 with a double and a sacrifice fly. He scored once.

Second baseman Ty Southisene went 1 for 3 with a walk and three steals.

Lovich’s two-run single.

ACL Cubs

Beat the Reds, 3-2 in eight innings.