Cubs Minor League Wrap: Jefferson Rojas HR leads Smokies to 6-5 win

Knoxville Smokies infielder Jefferson Rojas (2) scores a run during a Minor League baseball game between the Knoxville Smokies and Birmingham Barons at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tenn., on June 2, 2026. | Angelina Alcantar/ News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After everyone lost yesteday, everyone won today! OK, the Pelicans actually split a doublheader.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs stuffed and mounted the Gwinnett Stripers (Braves), 7-3.

Grant Kipp turned in a solid start, earning the win after allowing one run on four hits over five innings. Kipp walked three and struck out two.

DH Moisés Ballesteros hit a two-run home run in the top of the first inning, his second with Iowa. Ballesteros went 1 for 5.

Center fielder Brett Bateman went 3 for 4 with a double and a walk. Bateman also stole a base. He scored three times and had one RBI.

In the month of July, Bateman is hitting .397/.466/.628 over 19 games.

First baseman Jonathon Long doubled twice in a 2 for 5 game. He had two runs batted in.

Catcher Owen Ayers was 3 for 4 with a double and a walk. Ayers scored once and had one RBI.

Second baseman Owen Miller went 2 for 4 with a double and one run scored. He was also hit by a pitch.

Right fielder Kevin Alcántara was 0 for 3 with a walk and a sacrifice fly. The walk gives Alcántara a 36-game on-base streak for Iowa, which is a new team record. At least going back to 2005, the first year that full game data is available.

Mo Baller’s home run.

BALLY GOES YARD! pic.twitter.com/TdLCW00Hn6

— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) July 26, 2026

Owen Ayers’ guns down a runner trying to steal.

Owen Ayers guns him down! pic.twitter.com/kxSW4s6NrK

— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) July 26, 2026

Long’s RBI double.

Jonathon Long doubles home another run! pic.twitter.com/N9H33WjIxc

— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) July 26, 2026

And Long drives home another runner with a double.

Another RBI double for Jonathon Long! pic.twitter.com/QcSU4FnL27

— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) July 26, 2026

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies took out the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels), 6-5 in ten innings.

Starter Kevin Valdez went five innings and allowed two runs on just three hits. Both runs came on a fourth-inning home run. Valdez struck out four, walked one and hit two.

Luke Little retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth and got the win. Little struck out one.

Jacob Wallace came on to pitch the bottom of the tenth and allowed the automatic runner on second to score on no hits. Wallace walked one and struck out two to collect his first save in the Cubs organization.

Third baseman Jefferson Rojas hit a two-out, two-run home run in the top of the tenth that proved to be the winning blast. It was his 15th home run this year. Rojas was 2 for 5 with a double and the home run.

DH Ariel Armas hit a solo home run in the second inning, his second on the season. Armas went 1 for 3 with a walk and scored twice.

First baseman Edgar Alvarez hit an RBI double in the sixth inning. Alvarez went 2 for 4.

Right fielder Andy Garriola was 2 for 5 with a double and a run scored.

The Armas home run.

Ariel Armas launches his second homer of the season 🚀 pic.twitter.com/blEpW6zMP0

— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) July 26, 2026

RBI single for Carter Trice and then the RBI double by Alvarez. Trice went 1 for 4.

Carter Trice and Edgar Alvarez drive in a combined 3 runs in the 6th to take the lead 🤝 pic.twitter.com/dFlJdj0F9l

— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) July 26, 2026

Rojas’ clutch home run.

JEFFERSON ROJAS FOR THE LEAD 🚀 pic.twitter.com/wE60FOksu9

— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) July 27, 2026

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs stomped on the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers), 8-3.

Pierce Coppola pitched five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. He walked one, hit one batter and struck out four.

JP Wheat relieved Coppola to start the sixth and promptly let three runs score to tie the game and had two runners on when Jackson Brockett entered the game. Brockett stranded the two runners and then went the rest of the way, earning the win. Brockett’s final line was no runs on two hits over 3.1 innings. He struck out six and walked on.

Catcher Justin Stransky connected for a two-run home run in the eighth inning. It was Stransky’s fifth home run this season. He went 2 for 4 with three total RBI.

Right fielder Josiah Hartshorn went 2 for 4 with an RBI double. He scored two runs.

Center fielder Kane Kepley was 2 for 4 with a triple and scored on Hartshorn’s double.

Shortstop Angel Cepeda went 2 for 4. Both singles drove in a run, giving him two on the day.

Second baseman Michael Halquist broke the 3-3 tie with a two-run double in the sixth. He went 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Hartshorn’s RBI double.

Another pair of runs in the third! #SBCubs pic.twitter.com/GPZ26FvThS

— South Bend Cubs (@SBCubs) July 26, 2026

Halquist’s double.

Ope, let me grab that lead for ya! #SBCubs pic.twitter.com/SYii6Wdo7E

— South Bend Cubs (@SBCubs) July 26, 2026

Stransky’s home run.

An encore from Justin Stransky! @HoosierLottery Home Run | #SBCubs pic.twitter.com/ataWE9JVHo

— South Bend Cubs (@SBCubs) July 26, 2026

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans split a doubleheader with the Hickory Crawdads (Rangers), winning game one 4-1 and losing the second on 9-2.

Riely Hunsaker gave the Birds five scoreless innings, giving up just two hits. Hunsaker struck out seven and walked one.

Anhuar Garcia handled the other two innings for the save. Garcia gave up one run on two hits. The one run was a leadoff home run in the seventh. Garcia walked one and struck out two.

Second baseman Fernando Cruz hit his first Pelicans home run with the bases empty in the seventh in game one. It was his 14th overall home run. Cruz went 1 for 3.

Two batters later, first baseman Edward Vargas cranked a two-run home run, his first of the year and his first since 2023 in the Dominican Summer Lea...

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