Four Cubs pitching prospects combine for no-hitter with South Bend
The South Bend Cubs made a bit of history Thursday night.
The High-A affiliate of the Cubs combined to throw a no-hitter against the Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals), with four pitchers linking up to complete the feat in the 4-0 win.
🚨 It's a no-hitter in South Bend! 🚨@Cubs prospects Michael Arias, Jarod Wright, Eduarniel Nunez and Frankie Scalzo Jr. combine on the @SBCubs' first such feat since Aug. 12, 2021: pic.twitter.com/sy27sdj3tX
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) July 7, 2023
Hard-throwing righty Michael Arias started it by striking out 5 in 3 innings of work with 4 walks. Arias was making his second start with South Bend after opening the year in Low-A Myrtle Beach. Arias has pitched to a 2.90 ERA in 49.2 innings across 13 starts this season.
Righty Jarod Wright pitched 4 shutout innings in relief, striking out 2 with a walk. Wright has been effective in relief for the South Bend Cubs this season, pitching to a 3.27 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 21 games.
Eduarniel Nuñez pitched a perfect 8th inning with 2 strikeouts and Frankie Scalzo Jr. pitched a perfect 9th with a strikeout. Scalzo Jr. is a 14th-round pick from the 2021 draft.
Catcher Moises Ballesteros, one of the Cubs’ more intriguing prospects, was behind the plate for the no-hitter. He is the 24th-ranked Cubs prospect by Marquee Sports Network’s Lance Brozdowski.
With dominant pitching, the South Bend offense didn’t need to do too much. In the 2nd inning, 2020 first-round pick Ed Howard (No. 14 prospect) had an RBI single to score No. 2 prospect Kevin Alcántara. Howard would score two batters later on a single by Felix Stevens.
South Bend added an insurance run in the 7th inning. With the bases loaded, Alcántara delivered an infield single to plate Fabian Pertuz. Pertuz would deliver an RBI double in the 8th to plate Ballesteros.
Alcántara was 3-for-4 in the game and is riding an 11-game hitting streak and has a .323/.447/.613 slash line in that time. Outfielder Alexander Canario, who is rehabbing from a gruesome ankle and shoulder injury was 1-for-3 in the game. He’s hitting .250 in 7 games with South Bend.
Howard, Stevens and Pertuz all had 2 hits in the win.
Photo credit: Ethan Levy/South Bend Cubs