The Cubs claimed left-handed reliever Doug Nikhazy off of waivers and assigned him to Triple-A Iowa. Infielder Ben Cowles was designated for assignment.
Left-hander Jackson Brockett was promoted from Low-A Myrtle Beach to High-A South Bend.
Shortstop Yahil Melendez was promoted to Myrtle Beach from Mesa.
The Iowa Cubs were declared heretics by the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 9-5.
Jordan Wicks made a rehab start today and he was greeted with a leadoff home run and things didn’t get much better from there. The first four batters reached and then after a ground out to first, Wicks gave up a three-run home run. Overall, he gave up five runs in the first inning and one more solo home run in the second.
The final line on Wicks was six runs on seven hits, including three home runs, over two innings. Wicks walked one and struck out no one. I suppose in his defense, the wind was howling out to dead center. In fact, Iowa allowed six home runs total and hit four themselves.
Ethan Roberts pitched the fifth inning on a rehab assignment and gave up a home run to the first batter of the inning. But then he settled down and struck out the next three batters to end his day.
Minnesota native center fielder Brett Bateman led off the top of the third inning in front of his family and connected for his first home run of the year. Bateman was 1 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base.
Third baseman BJ Murray singled after Bateman’s home run and then second baseman James Triantos clobbered a two-run home run. It was Triantos’ fourth on the year. Triantos went 1 for 3 with a walk and Murray was 1 for 4.
In the sixth inning, left fielder Kevin Alcántara crushed his ninth home run of the year with the bases empty. Alcántara was 1 for 4.
Finally, Hayden Cantrelle took over for Ben Cowles at shortstop when Cowles was designated for assignment mid-game. Cantrelle hit a solo home run in his only time at bat in the top of the ninth. It was Cantrelle’s second this season.
Iowa had five hits today. Four of them were home runs.
The hometown kid Brett Bateman gets his first Triple-A home run and gets the I-Cubs on the board! pic.twitter.com/xIfSgHE216
Triantos went to the opposite field and just barely got over the wall.
Two-run shot from James Triantos! pic.twitter.com/GX1ZyrmSu2
Kevin Alcántara belts his ninth home run of the season! pic.twitter.com/MNfUPxEI4q
Solo shot from Hayden Cantrelle! pic.twitter.com/xOvhVjrSDU
Postponed for inclement weather. A makeup date has not been announced.
The South Bend Cubs boiled the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 6-4.
Kenton Egbert started and gave South Bend three scoreless innings, permitting three hits. Egbert struck out one and walked no one, so he kept the ball in play.