The Cubs claimed left-handed reliever Doug Nikhazy off of waivers and assigned him to Triple-A Iowa. Infielder Ben Cowles was designated for assignment.
Left-hander Jackson Brockett was promoted from Low-A Myrtle Beach to High-A South Bend.
Shortstop Yahil Melendez was promoted to Myrtle Beach from Mesa.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs were declared heretics by the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 9-5.
Jordan Wicks made a rehab start today and he was greeted with a leadoff home run and things didn’t get much better from there.
The first four batters reached and then after a ground out to first, Wicks gave up a three-run home run. Overall, he gave up five runs in the first inning and one more solo home run in the second.
The final line on Wicks was six runs on seven hits, including three home runs, over two innings. Wicks walked one and struck out no one. I suppose in his defense, the wind was howling out to dead center. In fact, Iowa allowed six home runs total and hit four themselves.
Ethan Roberts pitched the fifth inning on a rehab assignment and gave up a home run to the first batter of the inning. But then he settled down and struck out the next three batters to end his day.
Minnesota native center fielder Brett Bateman led off the top of the third inning in front of his family and connected for his first home run of the year. Bateman was 1 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base.
Third baseman BJ Murray singled after Bateman’s home run and then second baseman James Triantos clobbered a two-run home run. It was Triantos’ fourth on the year. Triantos went 1 for 3 with a walk and Murray was 1 for 4.
In the sixth inning, left fielder Kevin Alcántara crushed his ninth home run of the year with the bases empty. Alcántara was 1 for 4.
Finally, Hayden Cantrelle took over for Ben Cowles at shortstop when Cowles was designated for assignment mid-game. Cantrelle hit a solo home run in his only time at bat in the top of the ninth. It was Cantrelle’s second this season.
Iowa had five hits today. Four of them were home runs.
Bateman’s home run.
Triantos went to the opposite field and just barely got over the wall.
No doubt on the Jaguar.
Cantrelle’s home run.
Knoxville Smokies
Postponed for inclement weather. A makeup date has not been announced.
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs boiled the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 6-4.
Kenton Egbert started and gave South Bend three scoreless innings, permitting three hits. Egbert struck out one and walked no one, so he kept the ball in play.
Brayden Spears took over for Egbert in the fourth inning and got the win. Spears allowed a solo home run to the second batter he faced, but that was the only hit and the only run he gave up over three innings. Spears walked one and struck out one.
Jackson Kirkpatrick had an ugly save in the ninth. First, he loaded the bases with no outs on two hit batsmen and a walk. After getting a strikeout, he walked another batter to force in a run. But with the tying run on second and just one out, Kirkpatrick got a second strikeout and a grounder to second base to end the game.
DH Cameron Sisneros hit his third home run of the year with the bases empty in the fifth inning. Sisneros went 1 for 2 with three walks and two runs scored. One of the three walks was intentional.
First baseman Cole Mathis was 2 for 4 with a double and a bases-loaded walk in the fourth inning for the Cubs first run. Mathis also scored once.
Shortstop Miguel Olivo was 3 for 4 with an RBI double.
Some great defense for Matt Halbach at third base. He was 1 for 5.
The Sisneros home run.
Olivio’s RBI double.
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans extinguished the Columbia Fireflies (Royals), 7-6.
Starter Noah Edders went four innings and allowed just two runs, both unearned, on five hits. He struck out two and walked no one.
Daniel Avitia pitched the next three innings and allowed four runs in the seventh inning, coughing up the Birds 6-2 lead. Avitia’s final line was four runs, three earned, on three hits over three innings. Avitia struck out four, walked one and hit two batters.
Eli Jerzembeck was activated off the injured list, pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth inning and got the win. Jerzembeck allowed no hits, but he did walk three while striking out five.
Shortstop Ty Southisene broke up the 6-6 tie with an RBI double in the bottom of the eighth. Southisene went 1 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base.
First baseman Michael Carico hit a solo home run in the second inning. It was his third of the year. Carico finished the night 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.
Next up, catcher Logan Poteet went back-to-back with Carico to make it 2-0. Poteet was 1 for 3 with two walks.
In the fifth inning, DH Eli Lovich connected with the bases empty for his second home run of the year. Lovich was 2 for 4 with two runs scored.
The back-to-back home runs by Carico and Poteet.
Lovich’s home run.
Southisene’s double.
