Chiefs Walk off Cubs 3-2, Sweep Peoria Leg of Series
MWL South Bend Cubs

Chiefs Walk off Cubs 3-2, Sweep Peoria Leg of Series

July 3, 2025 - Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release


Peoria, IL - Following Wednesday's 21-2 loss, the South Bend Cubs (28-50) dropped a nailbiter to the Peoria Chiefs (33-44) on Thursday. The Chiefs walked off the Cubs by a 3-2 score in 10 innings, earning their third consecutive win to open the series. Both teams will now head to South Bend and finish the set with three games at Four Winds Field this weekend.

The Cubs and Chiefs mirrored one another until the 10th inning, beginning with their starting pitchers. Right-hander Brandon Birdsell, the top Chicago Cubs pitching prospect, threw for South Bend on a rehab assignment. Though he allowed two runs, one of them unearned, on hits from catcher Graysen Tarlow, Birdsell completed four strong innings with five strikeouts.

Opposite Birdsell, No. 13 Cardinals prospect Chen-Wei Lin also completed four innings, striking out seven. The Cubs scored two runs against him, rallying with two outs in the third inning. After shortstop Jefferson Rojas singled to extend the inning and his 15-game on-base streak, designated hitter Cristian Hernandez roped a game-tying double down the right-field line, pushing his own on-base streak to 16 games. Two batters later, catcher Miguel Pabon gave the Cubs the lead, rolling an RBI single into left-center field.

After another walk with two outs in that third inning, Peoria pitching locked the Cubs down. The Chiefs retired 22 of the final 23 South Bend hitters, conceding one single in the seventh inning. Right-handers Hunter Hayes and Tyler Bradt each contributed two perfect innings, while righty Mason Burns spun a single scoreless frame in his High-A debut.

The Cubs used a different approach to post bullpen zeroes, leaning on scheduled piggyback pitcher Evan Aschenbeck, their usual Thursday starter. The lefty repeatedly worked out of danger, first with a fifth-inning double play that erased a leadoff hit by pitch. He then left the bases loaded with a strikeout in the seventh inning. Finally, in the eighth, Aschenbeck loaded the bases with nobody out before using a strikeout and double play to escape and preserve the 2-2 tie. All told, he finished with four shutout frames in long relief. Right-hander Vince Reilly relieved him with a perfect ninth, forcing extra innings at Dozer Park.

Entering the night, neither team had fared well in extra innings in 2025, South Bend going 2-6 and Peoria 3-6. The Cubs hit first but couldn't solve right-hander Tanner Jacobson, who comfortably retired all three hitters he faced and kept the automatic placement runner at second base.

With the game still tied, Peoria's automatic runner became the winning run in the bottom of the 10th. South Bend ran Reilly back out to the mound for a matchup with Peoria designated hitter Josh Kross. Despite his status as one of the Midwest League's RBI leaders since his June 2 promotion from Single-A, Kross had struck out swinging four times in the game. He found redemption on a 2-2 pitch, slicing it over Cubs left fielder Rafael Morel and up against the wall for the game-winning hit.

Friday's Independence Day game at Four Winds Field will begin at 7:05 PM. The Cubs are scheduled to throw right-hander Erian Rodriguez against Peoria righty Jose Davila.

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Midwest League Stories from July 3, 2025


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