Around the horn with the Cubs organization
CHICAGO CUBS (MLB): The Cubs had a strong home stand that concluded Sunday. Chicago went 5-1 against the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds. They have the best record in baseball since May 11, going 14-4 in their last 18 appearances, and are sitting four games atop the National League Central ahead of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs begin a three-game series today at Washington.
Advertisement
IOWA CUBS (Triple-A affiliate in Des Moines): Iowa is coming off a series loss to the Syracuse Mets, losing five of six games and falling to fifth place in the International East, five games behind the Nashville Sounds as of Monday. Iowa begins a six-game road trip today at Omaha.
SOUTH BEND CUBS (High-A affiliate in South Bend, Indiana): South Bend went 2-4 in a series at the Quad Cities River Bandits, who are sitting first in the division. The Cubs are last in the Midwest League East standings. South Bend hosts the Great Lakes Loons in a six-game series beginning today.
MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS (Single-A affiliate in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina): No team battled the weather last week more than the Pelicans. Hosting the Augusta GreenJackets, the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday games were all postponed due to weather, and the Pelicans scrambled to get in five games during the home stand. Myrtle Beach went 1-4, dropping to 18-31 and last place in the Carolina League North. The Pelicans begin a six-game series today at Kannapolis.
Meet our Smokies and One Knox reporter Covering the Smokies and One Knox is part of childhood dream come true for University of Tennessee grad Gabriel Jackson
Smokies’ last series
The Knoxville Smokies hosted the Birmingham Barons for seven games (a six-game home series plus a makeup road game played at home). The Smokies went 4-3.
Advertisement
May 29 (doubleheader): Won 1-0; lost 0-2
May 31 (doubleheader): Won, 2-0; Lost, 1-2
The Smokies returned to Covenant Health Park after a week on the road. The toughest opponent was the weather, which forced the teams into playing two doubleheaders on Thursday and Saturday, splitting both days. The highlight of the week was an 8-7 comeback, walk-off win on May 30.
Smokies’ current series
The Knoxville Smokies (24-26) host the Chattanooga Lookouts (24-23) at Covenant Health Park for six games June 3-8.
June 4: 7 p.m., All-You-Can-Eat Wednesday
June 5: 7 p.m., Racing Night
June 6: 7 p.m., Princesses in the Park
June 7: 7 p.m., ’90s Night
June 8: 2 p.m., Splash Sunday
Last week’s series was a pivotal point for the Smokies. Knoxville and Chattanooga both enter the series with 24 wins and within striking distance of Southern League North-leading Birmingham (28-22).
Advertisement
– Complied by Knox News reporter Gabriel Jackson, who covers the Knoxville Smokies and One Knox SC.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Your week with the Knoxville Smokies