Caissie Crushes Walk-Off Slam to Beat Wisconsin 8-6
July 7, 2022 - Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release
South Bend, IN - For as long as Owen Caissie walks on this planet, he can now always think back to one of his most thrilling moments as a baseball player. Sure, many of those moments are going to come at Wrigley Field someday. But not this one, not tonight. In Downtown South Bend on Thursday night, Caissie crushed a two-out, walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 9th inning to propel the South Bend Cubs over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers by a final of 8-6.
The lead-up, however, to one of the most important swings of Caissie's life was a winding road. It will, in fact, be the final cut he'll ever take as a teenager. Caissie is going to celebrate his 20th birthday on Friday night.
Thursday night began with Kohl Franklin taking the hill for South Bend. In his last start, Franklin pitched four innings for the first time since July of 2019. Tonight, he looked in command for most of the night, but the Timber Rattlers struck first on an RBI triple from Tristan Peters. Along with a throwing error, Peters hustled home for a 2-0 lead.
The Cubs were quick to answer, though. With one run in each of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd innings, South Bend clawed back to take the 3-2 lead. Caleb Knight singled in Yeison Santana in his return from the injured list, BJ Murray delivered an RBI single, and Casey Opitz tapped a ground ball back to lefty Antoine Kelly with the bases loaded to score South Bend's third run.
These two clubs both started the second half of the Midwest League season with a 9-2 record. Wisconsin just missed out on a first half division title, and it seems like South Bend will be there right along with them battling for a playoff spot in this half.
As the game went to the late innings, Wisconsin combined for four runs between the 6th and 7th frames, featuring a home run by Joe Gray Jr. On Monday, Gray also homered. Down 6-3, the Cubs would need a major comeback on a Thirsty Thursday.
Yohendrick Pinango had all three RBI's last night for South Bend, and he started the comeback train on Thursday with a double in the 7th, scoring Santana. It was a three-run game as we went to the 9th.
Out of the bullpen, Zac Leigh provided 2.2 innings of shutout work with no walks and two strikeouts to give the Cubs a chance. The game skipped to the bottom of the 9th with South Bend needing two to tie, and three to win.
The 9th began with a walk from Murray as he almost immediately picked up an 0-2 count against righty Taylor Floyd. Pete Crow-Armstrong then flew out to center, and Santana popped out to second base.
With two down and still needing a runner on to win it, Pinango slapped a single into center field, and Knight worked a walk. The next batter was Caissie with the bases loaded, and he put together the best swing of his teenage years.
In front of a crowd of nearly 4,000 at Four Winds Field, Caissie had them roaring on a ball laced over the right field wall, and colliding with the 1st Source Bank Performance Center. As he rounded the bases, his teammates waiting for him at the plate. He had won the game for the Cubs by a final of 8-6.
With the victory, South Bend takes sole possession of first place in the West Division, one game ahead of Wisconsin. They will have the chance for three straight wins in the series tomorrow night at 7:05. Lefty DJ Herz is the expected starter for the Cubs.
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