Cubs Minor League News: Rookie League |
For the first time this season, Rookie League Monday featured a full slate of Rookie League games as the DSL opened up their 2024 season. That means not one, not two, but three Rookie League teams will be on display for the Cubs, along with the rest of their minor league system. Monday saw mixed results as the Cubs posted a 1-1 record as one game was suspended due to weather.
By far, the most offensive explosion of the night came in the Desert, where the Cubs and Rockies combined for 15 runs scored. This was a two-sided game, where the Rockies did most of their damage early on, and the Cubs were forced to rally late. With Yahil Melendez putting the Cubs in front 1-0 in the first ahead of a wild pitch, the Rockies went on a scoring binge, scoring three times in each of the first two innings to take the 6-2 lead. Roynier Hernandez and Brad Cumbest had RBI doubles in the first, with the Kelvin Hidalgo RBI single helping to make things 3-2. One inning later, it was the same story for the Rockies. Their relentless offensive attack had the Cubs guessing, as an Erick Bautista RBI triple helped ignite another three-run inning, with a wild pitch and an RBI groundout leading to the other runs. After a pair of solo shots from Angel Cepada and Cumbest in the third, it was the Cubs turn to flip the switch as they went on a late-game scoring binge. That all started with an error in the fourth before a Joan Delgado RBI single made things 7-5 in the fifth. Delgado came home to score on the Jairo Diaz double to pull the Cubs within one before tying things up in the sixth. Colorado did end up getting the last laugh as Roiyner Hernandez delivered the walkoff single in the Rockies 8-7 win.
Coming off a rough 2023 season, the DSL teams were hoping to start strong and give the fans something worth following this season. They did that on Monday as DSL Blue used a four-run inning to pull away from the Mariners 6-3. David Bracho took the ball for the Cubs, going just 2 1/3 innings, but doing a great job limiting the damage. Opposing him was Gregori Arrieche, who struck out three in three strong innings. It took the Cubs only two innings to open up the scoring, with Julio Valdez doubling home a run to make things 1-0. Following a wild pitch that tied things up in the third, Manuel De Cesare gave the Mariners the lead with an RBI single, making things 2-1. A Sandy Sanchez walk tied things back up in the fourth, only to have the Mariners retake the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a groundout. Once the fifth inning rolled around, the Cubs' offense stole the show as they scored four runs. A bases-loaded walk to Josias Ramirez tied the game, while a wild pitch put the Cubs in front for good. The Cubs added an additional run on another wild pitch, along with a Valdez sacrifice fly, to pick up the win.
Like DSL Blue, the 2023 season was a struggle, to say the least, for DSL Red as they turned the page to 2024. Things weren't looking too good early, with the Cubs allowing four runs in two innings, but with Mother Nature suspending this game until later on, the Cubs will pick things up trailing 4-2. Both teams came out firing offensively, with the Guardians pushing across two runs in the first, with one coming on the Wuinder Torres single and the other one crossing home on an error. It didn't take the Cubs long to answer, with Daniel Campos showing off the legs with a two-run triple to bring things back to even 2-2. The Guardians would add two more runs off a wild pitch, and Gabriel Rodriguez would double as they hold a 4-2 lead once this game resumes. ACL ROCKIES 8 - ACL CUBS 7 (F/8)
DSL CUBS BLUE 6 - DSL MARINERS 3
DSL GUARDIANS 4 - DSL CUBS RED 2
