Cubs Minor League Wrap: Palencia rehabs with Iowa

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies disposed of the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Padres), 6-1. Starter **Jake Knapp** allowed just one unearned run on one hit over 4.1 innings. Knapp walked three, hit one batter and struck out four. **Tyler Ras** relieved Knapp in the fifth and while he did allow an inherited runner to score and tie the game, he ended up getting the win after the Smokies scored two runs in the top of the sixth and re-took the lead. Ras’s final line was no runs on three hits over 1.2 innings. Ras struck out one and walked no one. Right fielder **Carter Trice** opened the scoring with a solo home run in the third inning,. Trice was 1 for 5. Left fielder **Andy Garriola** hit a solo home run in the sixth to break the 1-1 tie in the sixth inning. It was his fifth home run of the year. Garriola went 1 for 4. DH **Owen Ayers** broke the game open with a three-run home run in the seventh inning. It was his second home run for the Smokies and eighth overall. Ayers was 1 for 5. Center fielder **Jordan Nwogu** was 1 for 4 with a double and a walk. He scored once.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were smelted by the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 6-2. **Brooks Caple** started and gave up no runs over the first three innings. Caple allowed three hits and three walks while striking out two. **Alfredo Romero** relieved Caple and allowed just one run over his first three innings of work. But he came out to pitch the seventh and after retiring the first two batters, he walked the next two and then left for **Jackson Kirkpatrick**. Kirkpatrick let in both of those runners, so Romero got tagged with the loss. The final line on Romero was three runs on just one hit over 3.2 innings. He did walk five batters and struck out just one. Kirkpatrick officially allowed one run on one hit over 1.1 innings. He walked one, hit one batter and struck out three. Center fielder **Kane Kepley** went 1 for 2 with two walks and an RBI. Catcher **Justin Stransky** was 1 for 2 with a walk and a run batted in. Here’s a nice defensive play by Kepley.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans won their fourth-straight by walking off the Columbia Fireflies (Royals), 8-7. **Mason McGwire** continued his big start to the season by allowing just one run on one hit over four innings. McGwire struck out four and walked two. After **Riely Hunsaker** got rocked for six runs, five earned, over the three middle innings, the Pelicans came back. **Elis Jerzembeck** threw the final two innings without allowing a run and got the win. Jerzembeck surrendered two hits and issued one walk. He struck out three. Catcher **Logan Poteet** was the hero tonight. Not only did he hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, he hit an RBI infield single in the bottom of the ninth to end the game. It was Poteet’s third home run this year. Poteet went 2 for 4 with a walk and the home run. He had two runs scored to go with the three RBI. Center fielder **Alexey Lumpuy** was 2 for 5 with a double and an RBI single. Third baseman **Derniche Valdez** went 2 for 4 and scored once. Here is a three-run double for second baseman **Alexis Hernandez** (1 for 4) and an RBI single for Lumpuy. An game-tying RBI triple for left fielder **Jose Escobar.** Here’s Poteet’s walk-off single.