While we sit here in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin desperately needing rain, Myrtle Beach and Tennessee both got plenty, but they were not nice and did not share. The Smokies were unable to get their game underway in Kodak and Myrtle Beach’s game in Kannapolis was also canceled. So that left us with just two games to go over tonight.
If by chance you did not get updated on all the moves from today, make sure and go back to the transaction Tuesday post to get all the latest promotions and assignments around the league.
Rough Night for Devers
Tonight was going very smoothly for Luis Devers. After 2 IP, he had 4 Ks and had not allowed a hit. Then, that performance changed on a dime in the third. When Devers basically lost control of what he was throwing. Next thing you know, 3 runs were in and Devers was out of the game, replaced by Jarod Wright. Devers would end up being charged with 5 runs for his troubles.
As for the debuts, Moises Ballesteros and Felix Stevens were both in the lineup for South Bend. Both went hitless on the night.
The Cubs scored only 1 run on the night, losing 8-3. Luis Verdugo and Ezequiel Pagan both had two hits while Kevin Alcantara went 1-for-3 with a RBI and a walk.
As for Iowa
Ben Brown has been pitching pretty well this season. Last time, he struck out eleven. Tonight, it took him until the second inning to get his first K.
The offense meanwhile, got started right away with a Yonathan Perlaza HR. Then they continued adding on in the second when they loaded the bases with 1 out. Dom Nunez singled to bring in one. Unfortunately, the Cubs did not blow the game wide open that inning.
With South Bend in blow out mode, I tuned in to watch some Ben Brown starting in the third inning and I was not disappointed.
Brown did give up 2 runs in the fourth and then came back out of the fifth with 79 pitches under his belt. He gave up a double and struck out two more guys. At that point, Brown was pulled from the game. Ryan Jensen came in and struggled as the inherited runner scored along with one more to make it 4-2 Memphis. Jensen came back out for the sixth and it did not go well. He wound up being charged with 5 Runs.
Just based on the firepower of Iowa’s offense this year, they could get back into the game despite being down 8-2. BY the end of the sixth, the Cubs had scored 3 runs to close the gap. But that was all she wrote as Iowa got no closer.
Unfortunately, pitcher Codi Heuer suffered an injury in the eighth inning and had to leave the game.
Bonus Coverage: Well, Almost….
Since only two full season affiliates were playing, I thought I might give you some bonus coverage of some ACL. That game did not start out well either. Drew Gray did not make it through the first inning and he was replaced by my guy, Joel Machado. Gray was charged with 3 earned in 2/3 of an inning. So, that pretty much ended the thought of breaking down his start.
News of the Day
Brailyn Marquez pitched in a game that mattered….one where they actually kept score. He pitched one inning. He gave up a hit, a walk, and struck out one.
