Cubs Minor League News: Perlaza homers, Devers impressive, Stevens still sizzling, more

Cubs Minor League News: Perlaza homers, Devers impressive, Stevens still sizzling, more
by - Senior Writer - Mon Aug 07 10:30:21 GMT-04:00 2023

For the most part, this past week was successful, even if the end of the week wasn't as good as the first. With a chance to end the week on a positive note and carry over some momentum into the first full week of August, the Cubs posted a 3-2 record across their five games, as all five were very competitive games.

That alone is a positive sign, especially after having so many blowout games the past few days. One thing that fans should be paying attention to is how different these rosters are starting to look and how different they will look the rest of the way. Player promotions continue to go through the system and will continue for the next five weeks.

TOLEDO MUD HENS 6 - IOWA CUBS (F/10)

After news broke that Caleb Kilian was getting promoted back to the Cubs, it left a gaping hole in their rotation that they must fill. Add that to Ben Brown being on the IL, and things could be a struggle as the Cubs continue to battle for a postseason spot.

Records aside, Toledo gave the Cubs problems all week, and they concluded that with an extra-inning win on Sunday. Shane Greene and Chris Clarke stood out the most in what was a bullpen day for the Cubs, as they allowed no runs in their six-plus innings. The problem was Keegan Thompson's season-long struggles continuing as he allowed two runs in his one inning of work, with Riley Martin and Cam Sanders also taking a beating.

Iowa did manage to crack the scoreboard first as Pete Crow-Armstrong showed incredible patience to work a bases-loaded walk in the first to put the Cubs in front 1-0. They managed to hold that lead until the third when Colt Keith came through with an RBI double off of Thompson to put Toledo in front 2-1. With the Cubs still trailing in the fifth, David Bote evened things up with a sacrifice fly before a wild pitch gave Iowa the 3-2 lead.

Like in the first when Iowa took an initial lead, Toledo responded two innings later using a sacrifice fly to tie things up before Justyn Henry-Malloy came through with the go-ahead RBI single. Immediately after falling behind, Yonathan Perlaza connected for his 16th homer as the Cubs were back to even 4-4.

After neither team could get the job done the next few innings, it would take extras for someone to win this game. Unfortunately, that someone was Toledo as another double from Keith gave them the lead for good while Wenceel Perez added an additional RBI to lift the Mud Hens 6-4.

TENNESSEE SMOKIES 6 - CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS 3

Despite the Lookouts giving the Smokies their best shot, Tennessee left the series in first place and still hold a five-game lead in their division. Looking to close out the series in a big way, the Smokies received a strong pitching performance from Walker Powell and a balanced offensive attack as they doubled up their in-state rivals 6-3.

Powell has had an up-and-down season this year but has turned it around to lower his ERA to 4.06. He picked up his team-leading eighth win on Sunday, giving the Smokies six innings of work and allowing three runs with seven strikeouts. With Sam Benschoter matching Powell pitch for pitch to keep the game scoreless through three, this would come down to who could break through first.

Fortunately, that was the Smokies as Haydn McGeary unloaded for a two-run blast to put the Smokies in front 2-0 in the fourth. The Smokies never looked back as bases-loaded walks from BJ Murray Jr and Owen Caissie extended the lead to 4-0 in the fifth, as that would have been enough to win this game.

All it took for the Lookouts to climb back into this game was one big swing from Miguel Hernandez, whose homer made it 4-3 in the sixth. That would be all the offense from the Lookouts on the afternoon as Murray JR added an RBI groundout in the bottom of the sixth before the Nelson Maldonado double closed out the scoring in the eighth.

Maldonado led the Smokies with two hits and was joined by Pablo Aliendo.

WISCONSIN TIMBER RATTLERS 5 - SOUTH BEND CUBS 2

Ending the week with a doubleheader is always challenging, and the Cubs were hoping to earn a split. Things didn't start well as the Rattlers responded with a 5-2 win to take game one on the afternoon. Connor Noland was the losing pitcher in this one as his strange season continued.

Despite posting a 3.77 ERA this season, Noland is sitting at 1-6 as he often is a victim of low run support. That was the case again Sunday as he gave the Cubs five innings allowing just three runs. South Bend managed to back Noland with a Moises Ballesteros sacrifice fly in the first, only to have the Rattlers tie things up with a Hendry Mendez grounder in the second.

That 1-1 score held until the fourth when Felix Stevens put the Cubs back in front with his solo blast.

That was the game's final run for the Cubs as Wisconsin used a massive three-run fifth inning to take the lead for good. Alex Hall and Jose Acosta set the tone in that inning with solo shots as the Rattlers took the lead 3-2.

Ernesto Martinez added an RBI double later in the inning to push the lead to 4-2, with Acosta closing out the scoring with another RBI in the sixth for the 5-2 win. The Cubs were held to four hits in the loss, with Jacob Wetzel leading the way with two. Stevens and Ezequiel Pagan added the other two as Pagan continues to lead the team with a .313 average.

SOUTH BEND CUBS 3 - WISCONSIN TIMBER RATTLERS 0

Despite another challenging game offensively for the Cubs, they managed to battle back to earn a split with the Rattlers to end the week. Luis Devers was a big reason why the 2022 organizational pitcher of the year is starting to look like his old self. Devers may have an ERA of 4.97, but that was primarily inflated due to his first few starts.

After giving the Cubs five shutout innings and allowing just two hits, Devers appears to be back and is now 3-3 for the season. He walked one and struck out eight as the Rattlers couldn't solve him.

Devers didn't need much support as the RBI single from Christian Franklin off of Edwin Jimenez in the third put the Cubs in front 1-0, proving to be all the offense they would need.

South Bend wasn't quite satisfied with that as Matt Shaw returned to the lineup and added a two-run single in the fifth to close out the scoring as the Cubs picked up the 3-0 win. Franklin and Shaw did most of the heavy lifting, picking up four of the Cubs six hits with three RBIs.

Liam Spence and Ed Howard had the remaining hits.

MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS 2 - DOWN EAST WOOD DUCKS 0

The Pelicans are fortunate to have one of the first-half titles, as things were a struggle this week. Just like in 2022, the Pelicans play declined during the second half as a rash of promotions affected this team. This season is no different, but the Pelicans closed out a tough week with a strong 2-0 win.

Marino Santy got the start, and despite lasting only four innings, he did his job and lowered his ERA to 3.39. Starlyn Pichardo took over and earned his fourth win in relief by striking out five in three shutout innings. Opposing Santy was Brayan Mendoza, who gave Down East five strong innings. He allowed one run and struck out four as his ERA fell to 3.12.

All the Pelicans would need in this one was a single run as they took a 1-0 lead on a double play ball in the second inning. That was the game's only run until the ninth, when Pedro Ramirez was in the middle of the action again, using a sacrifice fly to cap off the scoring.

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