Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: May 21

So only the Pelicans won today. All four teams are still over .500. The Pelicans are way over .500 at 27 and 11.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were blockaded by the Columbus Clippers (Guardians), 3-2.

Matt Swarmer threw the first five innings and allowed three runs on three hits. One of the three hits was a two-run home run in the second inning by David Fry. The run Swarmer allowed in the fourth inning was unearned. He walked two and struck out three.

Both Wyatt Short and Brandon Little pitched two scoreless innings of relief and allowed just one hit. Short struck out two and walked no one while Little struck out four and walked one.

Both of Iowa’s runs came on a two-run home run in the fourth inning by center fielder Nelson Velazquez. It was his second Triple-A home run and 11th overall. Velazquez was 1 for 4.

Iowa had just three hits in this game.

On the two Cubs players rehabbing in Iowa, David Bote played seven innings at second base and went 0 for 3.

Clint Frazier played the whole game at DH and went 0 for 3 with a walk and he scored on Velazquez’s blast.

Here’s Velazquez’s home run. He absolutely crushed it.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were caged by the Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds), 8-7.

Starter Max Bain put the Smokies behind early as he allowed one run in each of the first three innings. Bain’s final line was three runs on seven hits over four innings. He struck out six and walked one.

The Smokies fell behind 8-1 after Nicholas Padilla allowed three runs and two more came off of Burl Carraway, who failed to retire a single batter after relieving Padilla. But the Smokies stormed back by scoring six runs in the seventh inning. Unfortunately, that just made it 8-7 and they didn’t score again after that.

The big blow in the seventh inning was a three-run home run by third baseman Chase Strumpf. It was Strumpf’s seventh home run this season. He was 2 for 4 with a double, the home run and a walk.

Right fielder Alexander Canario had a two-run double in the seventh. He was 1 for 5.

DH Bryce Ball went 2 for 3 with two walks. Ball drove in the Smokies first run with a single in the first inning and scored on Strumpf’s home run.

First baseman Matt Mervis went 2 for 5 with one run scored.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were snakebit against the WIsconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers), 9-2.

Starter Joe Nahas didn’t make it out of the second inning after giving up three runs in the first and three more in the second. The final line on Nahas was six runs, five earned, on seven hits over 1.2 innings. Nahas walked two and struck out two.

Shortstop Fabian Pertuz kept the Cubs from being shut out with a two-run double in the top of the ninth. He was 2 for 4.

Right fielder Owen Caissie went 2 for 3 with a walk. He scored on Pertuz’s double.

Center fielder Jordan Nwogu went 2 for 5.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans doused the Columbia Fireflies (Royals), 5-1. It was the Pelicans’ seventh-straight win.

Luke Little started and allowed no runs and just one hit over three innings. Little struck out four and walked one.

Tyler Santana pitched the middle five innings and got the win. Santana allowed one run on a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning by Guillermo Quintana. Santana gave up four total hits and he issued one walk while striking out three.

The Pelicans blew this game open with a four-run sixth inning that featured three triples and a double.

Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong started out the sixth inning with the first triple. Crow-Armstrong went 2 for 5 and scored twice.

After second baseman Juan Mora doubled Crow-Armstrong home, third baseman James Triantos hit the second triple of the inning to score Mora. Triantos went 2 for 4.

After first baseman B.J. Murray Jr. singled home Triantos, catcher Ethan Hearn tripled home Murray for the third triple of the inning. Hearn went 2 for 4.