Recently-signed right-hander Tommy Romero joined the Iowa Cubs today and made his Cubs debut.

I really don’t know what’s wrong with South Bend, although I should point out that winning games is probably fourth or fifth on a list of priorities for a minor league team. But pitching seems to be a problem and it’s not going to get better with Jaxon Wiggins’ promotion to Knoxville.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs excommunicated the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 10-5.

Tommy Romero’s Cubs’ debut went well, with the only issues popping up when he started to tire in the fifth inning. Romero’s final line was two runs on five hits over 4.1 innings. He walked four and struck out three.

The win was awarded to Nate Pearson for some reason, although Pearson relieved Romero in the fifth inning and allowed one inherited runner to score and one of his own. His final line was one run on two hits over one inning. He walked two and struck out no one.

Luke Little probably should have been given the win, since he stranded two runners inherited from Pearson in the sixth and allowed no runs on no hits over 1.2 innings. he walked two and struck out two.

First baseman Jonathon Long continues to impress, as he was 3 for 4 with a triple, a sacrifice fly and six total runs batted in. Long’s batting average is now .353.

Third baseman Matt Shaw was 2 for 4 with a walk and two steals. Shaw scored three times and drove home one.

Left fielder Christian Franklin went 1 for 2 with two walks and two steals. Franklin scored twice.

Long’s RBI triple.

Long’s two-run single.

An RBI single for Matt Shaw.

A spectacular outfield assist by Christian Franklin.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies were pitted by the Columbus Clingstones (Braves), 4-3 in ten innings.

Starter Sam Armstrong was touched for three runs, two earned, on six hits over six innings. Armstrong struck out two and walked one.

Reliever Brad Deppermann still hasn’t allowed a run in 12.1 innings this season. Tonight, he pitched two innings and gave up one hit. He did not walk or strike out anyone.

Mitchell Tyranski gave up the unearned run in the top of the tenth and got the loss when Knoxville failed to answer in the bottom of the inning. Tyranski gave up no hits, but he walked three batters while striking out one.

Center fielder Brett Bateman sent the game to extra innings with an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth. He was 1 for 5.

Second baseman Corey Joyce was a perfect 3 for 3 with a double and a walk. Joyce drove in a run with a single in the sixth and scored once.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were stripped by the Lansing Lugnuts (Athletics), 4-1. The loss drops South Bend’s record on the season to 9-26, which is the worst record in all of full-season ball in the minors.

Evan Aschenbeck had his best appearance out of four games in South Bend this year, but he still got his first loss in HIgh-A. Aschenbeck allowed two runs on eight hits over 6.1 innings. He struck out two and walked one.

Both of Aschenbeck’s runs scored after he left the game and reliever Kenyi Perez allowed the Lugnuts to score four runs in the seventh. Perez allowed two runs on two hits, two walks and a hit batsman over 1.2 innings. He struck out two.

You can’t blame shortstop Jefferson Rojas for South Bend’s rough season, as he hit two more doubles today in a 2 for 4 effort. He scored South Bend’s only run. Rojas is now hitting .326 with a .402 on-base percentage as a 20-year-old in High-A.

DH Ivan Brethowr went 2 for 5 with a stolen base.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans split a doubleheader, winning the continuation of yesterday’s game 3-2 and losing the regularly-scheduled game 3-2 in eight innings.

Game one started yesterday, and Brooks Caple threw four scoreless innings before the rains came. Caple allowed just two hits, walked no one and struck out four.

Luis Martinez-Gomez came on to pitch the sixth inning and gave up two runs and the lead. But he stayed in the game, pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning and got the win when the Pelicans scored in the top of the seventh. Martinez-Gomez’s final line was two runs on two hits over two innings. He struck out three and walked one.

Dominic Hambley threw the eighth and ninth innings and got the save. He allowed no hits. He walked one and struck out two.

Left fielder Jose Escobar hit a two-run single in the top of the fifth inning yesterday in the last at-bat before the rains came. Escobar went 3 for 4. He doubled in the seventh inning and scored the go-ahead run on a single by right fielder Leonel Espinoza. Espinoza was 1 for 4.

Shortstop Yahil Melendez went 2 for 4 in game one.

Here’s Escobar’s 2-run single.

Espinoza’s RBI single today.

Hayden Frank started game two and surrendered two runs on five hits over five innings. Frank walked two and struck out six.

Jackson Kirkpatrick relieved Frank and pitched the rest of the way. After the Birds failed to score in the top of the eighth, he got the loss when he gave up a two-run single in the bottom of inning. Kirkpatrick allowed one unearned run on one hit over 2.2 innings. Kirkpatrick walked two and struck out six.

Center fielder Leonel Espinoza went 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI single. He scored once.

Catcher Owen Ayers singled Espinoza home in the fourth inning. He went 1 for 2 and was hit by a pitch.

Another RBI single for Espinoza.

ACL Cubs

Off day