Cubs Minor League Wrap: Kade Snell hits a walk-off HR in South Bend

Left-hander Doug Nikhazy joins Triple-AIowa from the ACL Cubs.

Iowa right-hander Connor Noland goes to the Development List.

Smokies left-hander Jackson Brockett was activated off the Development List.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs sunk the Columbus Clippers (Guardians), 4-2.

It was a bullpen game today for the I-Cubs. Evan Taylor started and gave Iowa 2.2 scoreless innings. He allowed one hit, walked one and struck out three.

Jaxon Wiggins relieved Taylor in the third inning and posted his seventh-straight scoreless relief appearance. He did, however, allow two hits and walked one over 1.1 innings. Wiggins struck out one.

The win went to Jayden Murray, who relieved Wiggins and pitched two scoreless innings. Murray allowed one hit. He walked one and struck out three.

Ethan Roberts pitched a scoreless ninth and got the save. Roberts gave up one hit. He did not walk anyone and struck out two.

The big blow in this game was a three-run double by catcher Ethan Hearn in the top of the seventh. Hearn went 2 for 4.

Left fielder Jordan Nwogu went 2 for 4 with a run scored.

DH Chas McCormick was 2 for 3 with a walk and one run scored.

Hearn’s triple.

The other run scored on an RBI single by Kevin Alcántara, who was 1 for 3 with a walk.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies were extinguished by the Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds), 13-3.

Grant Knapp turned in a great start, giving the Smokies five scoreless innings on just three hits. Knapp struck out four and walked no one.

Jackson Brockett gave up two runs in the sixth and five more in the seventh as part of a ten-run seventh inning for the Lookouts. Brockett took the loss with seven runs, six earned, on two hits over 1+ innings. Brockett was wild, walking six and striking out four.

Left fielder Carter Trice was 2 for 5 with an RBI double. He also scored one run.

Second baseman Alex Madera went 2 for 4 with a walk and an RBI single.

Here’s all three Smokies runs that scored in the third.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs grilled the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins), 7-5.

Starter Nazier Mulé pitched 3.1 innings and surrendered two runs on three hits. It was the kind of start that Mulé used to have a lot as he struck out five and walked six. It took Mulé 76 pitches to get through 3.1 innings and he only had 44 strikes.

Ethan Bell pitched the final 1.2 innings. He gave up the go-ahead run for Cedar Rapids in the eighth when he allowed an inherited runner to score on a single. However, Bell struck out the other five batters he faced.

Kade Snell hit a pinch-hit, walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth. Snell now has nine home runs this year.

Third baseman Matt Hallbach was 2 for 3. He reached to lead off the bottom of the ninth on catcher’s interference and then scored on Snell’s home run.

Center fielder Leonel Espinoza was 1 for 3 with a walk and an RBI single. He scored twice.

Here’s Espinoza’s single.

Snell’s walk-off blast.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans turned off the Columbia Fireflies (Royals), 5-1.

Kevin Camacho started and picked up the win after going five innings and allowing just one run on six hits. Camacho struck out six, walked one and hit one batter.

Fenuel James had three scoreless innings of relief. James gave up just one hit. He walked one and struck out four.

For the second-straight night, DH Caden Sorrell homered. Tonight he hit a three-run home run in the third inning. It was Sorrell’s fifth home run of the year. Sorrell went 1 for 4.

Third baseman Juan Tomas was 2 for 4 with a steal. He scored on Sorrell’s home run.

Highlights.