Matt Swarmer (Photo by Stephanie Lynn)
AAA
Omaha 4, Iowa 3 (11 innings)
Game Recap
Iowa took a 3-0 lead into the 7th behind a second straight stellar outing by starter Matt Swarmer. The pen couldn’t hold it though, as recent veteran addition Marcus Walden gave up a solo homer in the 8th and then again in 9th, allowing the Storm Chasers to tie it up. Juan Gámez kept them off the board in the 10th, but Blake Whitney was unable to do so in the 11th as the inherited runner scored. Iowa’s offense was unable to respond. They mustered just two hits against the Omaha pen over the final 7 innings of the game.
Top Performers
Matt Swarmer: 6 IP, H, R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K (5.40)Levi Jordan: 2-3, R, RBI, 2 BB (.197)Ian Miller: 2-5, 2B, R, HBP (.275)Johneshwy Fargas: 1-4, 2B, R, BB (.286)Nick Martini: 1-4, 2 HBP (.267)Taylor Gushue: 1-3, BB, HBP (.223)Jared Young: 1-4, 2 RBI (.293)
Injuries, Updates, and Trends
Matt Swarmer had a really rough 5 start stretch when he first returned to Iowa at the beginning of June (19.1 IP, 32 H, 28 R, 9 BB, 18 K, 12.57 ERA), but in his 10 games since (6 GS), he’s quietly rebounded to become one of the I-Cubs most reliable arms (2.47 ERA over 47.1 IP). He’s been great his last two times out: 12 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 14 K
AA
Tennessee CANC
High-A
Game Recap
Starting pitcher Joe Nahas was having a great month of August, and though he had some high notes in this outing (5-1 K-to-BB ratio), he was catching a bit too much plate and Peoria made him pay to the tune of five runs. Meanwhile, it was a similar story for the Cubs offense. The good: they kept getting people on (6 H, 9 BB); the bad: they couldn’t get the big hit (0-for-7 with RiSP).
Top Performers
Bryce Windham: 3-4, 2B, RBI, BB (.279)Yohendrick Pinango: 1-3, R, 2 BB (.391)Bryce Ball: 1-3, 2 BB (.193)Yonathan Perlaza: 1-4, R, BB (.269)Burl Carraway: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K (6.21)
Injuries, Updates, and Trends
In his 11 games back with South Bend since returning from a nearly two-month long injury absence, catcher Bryce Windham (.279/.348/.426, 112 wRC+) has not only shown his versatility by filling in at 2B/3B, but he’s been on fire at the plate (.400/.489/.675, 213 wRC+). Add in his 3 rehab appearances and he’s gone just one game without recording a hit. A college IF/OF, he’s taken to catching pretty well as a pro from my eye, but he’s also a good enough athlete to be able to fill in at multiple positions, and should retain that versatility even as he fills out and takes more reps behind the dish.
Even with the blip in this final appearance, August was still a good month for Joe Nahas, with a 3.71 ERA and 27 Ks in 26.2 IP. Yesterday was the only time he failed to throw 5+ innings during the month. A late bloomer who wrangled a high signing bonus as a 2019 UDFA is now stretched out as a starter to get him more innings and face more situations (and also because of all the injuries to Cubs starters this year they just need innings from somewhere), but the righty will move back to the pen in the future. He’s a guy to keep an eye on though. He’s got good velo and movement on his pitches.
I’m not going to say he’s been great (still 10 BB over his last 10 appearances), but Burl Carraway has at least returned to being effective (and nearly unhittable) despite his wildness over that span (13 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 20 K).
Low-A
Game Recap
Myrtle Beach took a 4-1 lead after the 1st inning, but the game quickly unraveled from there. Hard throwing starter Daniel Palencia struggled badly with his control (6 BB, 4 WP in 1.2 IP) and the first reliever out of the pen, Dawel Rodriguez (6 R in 3 IP), couldn’t stop the bleeding. In all the Pelicans staff would walk twelve batters on the afternoon.
Top Performers
Jonathan Sierra: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, BB (.259)Ed Howard: 1-4, 2B, R (.212)Josue Huma: 1-3, RBI (.157)Gabriel Jaramillo: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (2.33)
Injuries, Updates, and Trends
With his 1st inning double Ed Howard (.212/.273/.306) now has reached base in 11 of his last 12 games, a streak which has raised his batting average more than 25 points.
Ed Howard keeps hitting. pic.twitter.com/tAQYCkD30e
Frankie Scalzo Jr., the Cubs 14th round pick, made his Pelicans debut. He gave up a homer and two runs in 1.1 innings. The former Grand Canyan closer had made one scoreless appearance in the ACL earlier in the week.
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Daily Cubs Minors Recap
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