Cubs Minor League Wrap: South Bend cruises to a 10-1 win

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies baked the Columbus Clingstones (Braves), 8-2. Starter **Yenrri Rojas** gave the Smokies 74 pitches and 3.1 innings. In that time he allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits. Rojas struck out four, walked one and hit one batter. **Tyler Ras** pitched the next 1.2 innings and earned the win, since Rojas didn’t go five. Ras retired all five batters he faced, striking out two of them. After **Marino Santy** pitched two innings of scoreless relief, **Vince Reilly** took it home the rest of the way with a two-inning save. Reilly allowed no hits and two walks. He struck out four. Second baseman **Karson Simas** drove the first pitch of the game over the left field wall for his fourth home run this season. Simas was 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored. After the Clingstones tied it up in the bottom of the first, right fielder **Alex Ramirez** put the Smokies up for good with a solo home run in the top of the second inning. It was his second home run this season. Ramirez went 2 for 4 with a sac fly. He scored twice and had four runs batted in, thanks to a two-run single in the ninth. DH **Andy Garriola** clubbed his eighth home run this year with no one one in the top of the eighth. Garriola was 2 for 5 with a double and the home run. First baseman **Edgar Alvarez** had a pair of doubles in a 2 for 5 game. He had one RBI. Center fielder **Carter Trice** was 3 for 5 with a double.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs skinned the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers), 10-1. **Koen Moreno** started and did not allow a single hit over four innings. He did give up one run thanks to three walks, a hit batter and a balk. Moreno struck out six. **Grayson Moore** threw the next two innings, didn’t allow a run and got the win. Moore gave up one hit. He struck out two and walked no one. Center fielder **Kane Kepley** hit his first South Bend home run in the top of the second inning with two men on. Kepley finished the game 2 for 5 with a walk and a steal. He scored twice. First baseman **Cole Mathis** doubled twice in a 3 for 5 night. He scored once and had one run batted in. Catcher **Justin Stransky** was 2 for 3 with two walks. He scored twice. DH **Cameron Sisneros** was 2 for 5 with two runs batted in. He also scored one run. RBI double for Mathis. He’s slugging .535 in 19 games since his promotion from Myrtle Beach. Kepley’s first Midwest League home run. Two-run single for Sisneros.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were stung by the Augusta Green Jackets (Braves), 4-3. **David Bracho** gave the Pelicans a strong start. Bracho allowed just one unearned run on two hits over four innings. Bracho walked three and struck out five. He also pitched an immaculate inning in the third. **Hayden Frank** pitched the next three innings and coughed up the lead after allowing two runs on three hits. He struck out six and walked two. **Victor Zarraga** gave up a run in the top of the ninth and got the loss. Zarraga’s final line was one run on one hit and three walks over two innings. He struck out two. The game-tying home run and go-ahead RBI single in the ninth were hit by Augusta’s Tate Southisene, the younger brother of the Cubs’ Ty, who was just promoted from Myrtle Beach to South Bend. First baseman **Michael Carico** was 2 for 4 with an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning. DH **Josiah Hartshorn** was a perfect 1 for 1 with four walks. Hartshorn scored once. Bracho’s immaculate inning.

ACL Cubs

Beat the Rangers, 6-5. First baseman **Henniel Alcala** was 3 for 4 with three doubles.