4-1 Victory vs Whitecaps Puts Cubs Above .500
June 9, 2018 - Midwest League (MWL1)
South Bend Cubs News Release
Comstock Park, MI: For the first time since April 21 when they faced the Lansing Lugnuts at Four Winds Field, the South Bend Cubs are back above .500. With a record of 30-29 after a 4-1 win over the West Michigan Whitecaps on Friday night, they have won six straight games.
Coming into the first game of the road trip fresh off a five win homestand, and riding a five game winning streak, South Bend has played their best baseball of the season as the first half begins to come to a close. After a sweep of the Fort Wayne TinCaps, the Cubs have won four series in a row.
Tonight in Comstock Park was much of the same for South Bend as they received.a quality start from right hander Erich Uelmen. Additionally, much like the past week, they opened the scoring.
Two runs scored in the top of the 3rd inning, to go along with two more in the top of the 4th were all South Bend needed to defeat the Whitecaps on Friday. The Cubs got on the board courtesy of first baseman Jared Young, who hit a RBI single up the middle to score Christian Donahue. South Bend added their second run of the inning when Austin Filiere walked with the bases loaded against West Michigan starter Jose Vasquez.
In the 4th, the Cubs kept their foot on the pedal. On two RBI sacrifice flies from Zach Davis and Jhonny Bethencourt, South Bend plated their final two runs of the night.
Strong pitching and defense kept the game under South Bend's control. Coming off a loss where he tossed seven innings in a quality start, Uelmen took the mound at Fifth Third Ballpark looking for his fourth victory on the campaign. With a career high nine strikeouts in 5.2 innings and no runs allowed, Uelmen earned the win and now drops his ERA to 3.99.
Enrique De Los Rios tossed the final 3.1 innings of the contest and gave up just one run on a solo home run from Ulrich Bojarski. De Los Rios received the defensive help of his center fielder Davis, who made a dazzling diving play in left center field to rob Colby Bortles of an extra base hit.
In the bottom of the 9th, West Michigan was threatening and eventually had the tying run come to the plate. Bethencourt handled all the defensive outs in the inning by captaining a 6-4-3 double play for the first two outs, and ending the game with a 6-3 put-out of Brady Policelli.
With the win, South Bend's record sits at 30-29, their first time above .500 in nearly two months. Tomorrow will feature a day-night doubleheader to make up the postponed game from April 6. First pitch for game one is set for 1:05 p.m.
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Midwest League Stories from June 9, 2018
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