We’ll start with South Bend tonight.
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs were hijacked by the Quad Cities River Bandits (Royals), 3-1. The River Bandits win the best-of-three Division Series 2 games to 0 and advance to the Midwest League Championship Series. South Bend season ends now.
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Nazier Mulé started and took the loss, although he pitched well. Mulé allowed one run on two hits over three innings. The one run scored on a pop fly that landed just fair down the line in left in the second inning for a double. Mulé walked two, hit one batter and struck out three.
South Bend’s bad luck continued in the sixth inning when reliever Cole Reynolds gave up another RBI double on a soft pop up that landed near the line just beyond first base.
South Bend could not do much against Quad Cities starter and the Royals’ top prospect Kendry Chourio. He held South Bend without a hit through four innings and while he did give up a pair of singles in the fifth, the Quad Cities bullpen bailed him out.
The only South Bend run came in the seventh inning when center fielder Caden Sorrel, playing in his first game in High-A, singled home second baseman Reginald Preciado. Both Sorrell and Preciado were 2 for 4.
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Reliever Anhuar Garcia hit a batter with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth to give the River Bandits their two run lead back. South Bend went quietly in the eighth and ninth to end the season.
It was a disappointing loss for South Bend, who had one of their best seasons in memory. But that happens in baseball.
Here’s Sorrell’s RBI single. His first hit looked a lot like this one too.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs were stuck in the mud against the Toledo Mud Hens (Tigers), 9-1.
Connor Noland started and took the loss. Noland gave up three runs on four hits over four innings. One of those hits was a two-run home run. Noland struck out three and walked one.
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Justin Steele came on to pitch the fifth inning in a rehab assignment. His first inning went poorly as he allowed two runs on three hits. He was better in the sixth inning as Steele hit a batter, but that runner was thrown out trying to steal. He then gave up another hit before recording a strikeout to end the inning without any more damage.
The final line on Steele was two runs on four hits over two innings. He struck out three and walked no one while hitting that one batter.
You can take this as you wish.
I agree that center fielder Justin Dean misjudged that fly ball into a triple.
Shelby Miller threw the seventh inning and did well. He allowed a leadoff bunt single, but that runner was thrown out trying to steal and he retired the other two batters, striking out one.
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But Jaxon Wiggins struggled in relief, allowing four runs on four hits in just two-thirds of an inning in the eighth. He also walked two while striking out no one.
The only Iowa run came on an RBI groundout in the fourth inning by right fielder Kevin Alcántara. Alcántara went 1 for 4.
Left fielder Chas McCormick was 1 for 3 with a double and a walk.
Iowa only had four hits tonight.
Omaha was 1 for 3 trying to steal off of Owen Ayers.
Steele’s second strikeout.
Steele’s three strikeouts [VIDEO]
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Knoxville Smokies
The Knoxville Smokies overthrew the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 4-1.
Brody McCullough was strong tonight as he got the win after giving up five scoreless innings. McCullough allowed three hits. He walked three and struck out seven.
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Jackson Brockett then gave the Smokies three more scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and walking just one. He struck out four.
DH Alex Ramírez was the hero tonight, going 3 for 4 with a walk and two RBI.
Second baseman Alex Madera went 2 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored.
Knoxville banged out ten hits tonight, but all of them were singles.
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