Cubs Minor League Wrap: Owen Ayers leads South Bend past Peoria

Nov 9, 2025; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs catcher Owen Ayers during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Iowa Cubs

Rained out. The game with the Omaha Storm Chasers will not be made up. Maybe they shouldn’t have run towards the rain.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies were left on the launchpad by the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels), 7-4 in ten innings.

Jake Knapp started and gave the Smokies four strong shutout innings. Knapp surrendered three hits. He struck out five and walked no one.

Erian Rodriguez then pitched two scoreless innings, but Nick Dean allowed a three runs in the eighth. Dean pitched 1.2 innings and gave up three runs on three hits and no walks. He struck out three.

But the Smokies managed to come back and send the game into extra innings. But Vince Reilly ran out of gas in the tenth and took the loss. Reilly’s final line was four runs, two earned, on three hits over two innings. Reilly struck out two, walked one and hit two batters.

Devin Ortiz connected on a solo home run in the fifth inning. It was his second of the season and second in as many days. Ortiz went 1 for 4.

DH Haydn McGeary sent the game to extras with an RBI double in the bottom of the ninth. McGeary went 2 for 4 with a walk.

Karson Simas was 2 for 5 with two steals.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs reassigned the Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals), 5-4.

Koen Moreno bounced back from his disastrous first start of the year by tossing four scoreless innings, allowing just three hits. He struck out four and walked no one.

Kenten Egbert relieved Moreno and got roughed up for four runs in the fifth. That included a three-run home run to Tai Peete, who was a key part of the Brendan Donovan trade this winter. Egbert finished with four runs on four hits over two innings. He struck out two.

Marino Santy pitched the final three innings without allowing a run and got the win. Santy allowed two hits and one walk. He struck out two.

DH Owen Ayers gave the Cubs the lead with a two-run home run in the top of the ninth. It was his second home run this year. Ayers went 2 for 5.

Third baseman Matt Halbach homered in his second-straight game. His blast came with the bases empty in the fourth inning. Halbach went 1 for 5.

Center fielder Kane Kepley was 2 for 4 was hit by a pitch. Kepley doubled to lead off the top of the first and then scored when the next batter, right fielder Leonel Espinoza, singled him home. Espinoza went 2 for 5 with a double. He scored on Ayers’ home run in the ninth.

Left fielder Brian Kalmer was 3 for 4 with a double.

First baseman Cameron Sisneros was 2 for 4 with an RBI single in the fourth inning.

Halbach’s home run.

Owen Ayers’ game-winning blast.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans had their wings clipped by the Columbia Fireflies (Royals), 8-3.

Starter Riely Hunsaker was a last-minute replacement for Victor Zarraga and he may not have been ready as he was jumped on for four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Hunsaker took the loss after allowing four runs on one hit, three walks and one hit batsman over two-thirds of an inning. He did not strike anyone out.

Zarraga came to relieve Hunsaker in the first inning and he gave up four runs on three hits over 2.2 innings. Zarraga walked two and struck out four.

Third baseman Cole Mathis hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning. Mathis went 2 for 3 and was hit by a pitch. It was his third home run this season.

Right fielder Eli Lovich chipped in a solo home run in the top of the ninth. Lovich was 2 for 4.

First baseman Josiah Hartshorn went 2 for 5.