Cubs Minor League Wrap: Owen Ayers goes wild

The Cubs released right-hander Jeff Brigham. Brigham was signed to a minor league deal in the offseason but was injured in Spring Training and never actually pitched for Iowa or any other minor league team.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were locked in a cave by the Louisville Bats (Reds), 20-5. Yikes.

Jordan Wicks started and took the loss. Wick gave up eight runs on eight hits over 3+ innings. However, only four of the eight runs were earned. Still, it was Wicks’ own error that opened the floodgates to four of the five runs scored in the third. Wicks walked three and struck out just one.

Shortstop Ben Cowles went 2 for 2 with a double, a walk and a sacrifice fly. He scored twice and had two total RBI.

Third baseman James Triantos was 2 for 4 with a double and one run scored.

Left fielder Justin Dean went 2 for 3 with a double and he was hit by a pitch. Dean had two RBI.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies split a doubleheader with the Montgomery Biscuits (Rays), losing game one 10-6 and winning game two 10-8. Although the doubleheader was played in Montgomery, the Smokies were the home team in game two.

Connor Schultz started game one, gave up two runs in the second and five in the third and took the loss. The final line on Schultz was seven runs, six earned, on five hits over 2.1 innings. Schultz walked four and struck out three.

Catcher Owen Ayers continues to tear up the Southern League. In game one, he went 4 for 4 with three doubles and three runs batted in.

Yenrri Rojas started game two, pitched two innings and allowed two runs on four hits. He walked one and struck out one.

Erian Rodriguez threw the next 2.1 innings and gave up four runs on four hits. Still, that was good enough for the win. Rodriguez struck out three, hit two batters and walked two.

Vince Reilly pitched the final 2.2 innings and collected the save. Reilly allowed two runs on four hits. He struck out three and didn’t walk anyone.

Left fielder Edgar Alvarez tied the game 5-5 in the third inning with a two-run home run, his seventh. Alvarez was 1 for 4.

DH Owen Ayers didn’t slow down much in game two. In the first inning, he hit an RBI single. In the bottom of the sixth, he hit a two-run home run, giving the Smokies two insurance runs that they would end up needing. It was Ayers’ 17th home run this year and 11th for the Smokies.

After a slow May when Ayers hit .191, albeit with six home runs, in his first full month in Double-A, Ayers is hitting .586/.657/1.138 over eight games in June. He has seven doubles and three home runs in those eight games.

Shortstop Karson Simas went 2 for 3 with a sacrifice fly. He scored one run and had three RBI.

Second baseman Hayden Cantrelle was 2 for 3 with two steals. He scored one run.

First baseman Cameron Sisneros went 2 for 3 with an RBI double in the third inning. He scored twice.

A two-run single for Simas.