Iowa right-hander Tyler Schlaffer and catcher Daniel Campos were placed on the development list to make room for the returning Antoine Kelly and Kevin Alcántara.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs downed Indianapolis (Pirates), 9-3.
Starter Kohl Franklin, who is still working his way back from elbow surgery, went three innings and gave up three runs on just two hits. However, two of the three runs were unearned. Franklin walked two and struck out three. It was Franklin’s first appearance for Iowa since 2024.
Paul Campbell
pitched the next three innings without allowing a run and got the win. Campbell gave up just one hit. He walked two and struck out four.
DH Chas McCormick hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, his tenth on the season. McCormick went 2 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.
Catcher Owen Ayers was 2 for 4 with a walk. He scored twice and drove home one.
Second baseman Owen Miller went 2 for 5 with an RBI.
Shortstop Ben Cowles was 2 for 4 with a stolen base. He drove in two.
Left fielder Jordan Nwogu’s first Iowa hit was a two-run single. He was 1 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
McCormick’s home run.
Knoxville Smokies
The Knoxville Smokies were narced on by the Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds), 13-4.
Luis Martinez-Gomez started and took the loss after getting knocked around for six runs on five hits over 4.2 innings. Two of the six runs were unearned. Two of the five hits were home runs. Martinez-Gomez struck out five and walked three. He also hit one batter.
Knoxville managed just three hits, but one of them was a solo home run in the ninth inning by second baseman Drew Bowser. It was Bowser’s third Smokies home run and eighth overall. He was 1 for 3 with a walk.
DH Miguel Useche went 1 for 2 with a double and two walks. Useche scored one run.
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs were harvested by the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins), 15-2.
Starter Alfredo Romero turned in a good outing, giving up just two runs on four hits over five innings. Romero struck out four and walked two.
The wheels came off in the sixth inning when Romero was relieved by Eli Jerzembeck. Jerzembeck, who took the loss, pitched just two-thirds of an inning and he surrendered four runs on two hits and three walks. He struck out just one.
South Bend managed just four hits, all singles. First baseman Josiah Hartshorn was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans split a doubleheader with the Columbia Fireflies (Royals), losing game one 6-5 and winning the nightcap 14-3.
David Avitia started game one and gave up four runs on five hits over three innings. He struck out five and walked two.
Sam Mettert walked the bases loaded with no outs in the bottom of the seventh and then allowed a walk-off sacrifice fly. The final line on Mettert was one run on one hit and three walks over 1.1 innings. He struck out one.
First baseman Jan Reyes went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.
DH Jose Silva went 1 for 2 with an RBI double and a walk. He scored twice.
Silva’s RBI double.
Noah Edders pitched the first three innings of game two, allowing just one run on three hits. He did struggle with control as he walked five while striking out three.
Cubs tenth-round pick Luke Alwood made his professional debut in the fourth inning and got his first professional win. Alwood struck out the first four batters he faced before giving up a one-out double in the fifth. But he got out of that inning with another strikeout and a pop up. Alwood’s line was no runs on one hit over two innings. He struck out five.
Center fielder Caden Sorrell hit his first professional home run to lead off game two. Sorrell was 2 for 4 with a walk. He had two overall RBI and two runs scored.
Third baseman Derniche Valdez continues to smack the ball around after getting glasses about five weeks ago. Tonight he hit his eighth home run of the year with a man on later in the first inning. Valdez went 3 for 5 with three RBI and three runs scored.
DH Ivan Cespedes cranked a two-run home run in the third inning, his eighth on the year and third with the Pelicans. Cespedes was 1 for 3 and was hit by a pitch. He scored twice.
Left fielder Ethan Conrad was 2 for 4 with a walk. He scored once and drove in one.
Right fielder Eli Lovich went 3 for 5. He scored twice and had one RBI.
Sorrell’s first home run. May there be many more.
Stay hot, Derniche Valdez.
