MWL1 South Bend Cubs

Clifton, Crawford Lead South Bend to 8-3 Win

Published on August 19, 2015 under Midwest League (MWL1)
South Bend Cubs News Release


SOUTH BEND, Ind. - South Bend starter Trevor Clifton struck out seven and worked into the seventh inning, and the Cubs came to life in the middle innings to defeat Dayton, 8-3, on Wednesday night at Four Winds Field.

"I feel like we're playing really good as a team, defense, offensively, pitching's really done well," Clifton said. "Everything is coming together."

South Bend (27-24 second half, 56-62 overall) scored three runs in the fourth, one in the fifth and two in the sixth and seventh innings to win its third consecutive game and ensure a fourth straight series victory. The Dragons (22-29 second half, 61-60 overall) will look to salvage Thursday's finale.

Clifton worked 6.1 innings and surrendered just two runs, while fanning seven and walking none. The right-hander retired 11 in a row entering the seventh inning.

"I was just trying to keep the ball down," Clifton said. "My curveball was really working today, so I threw that a lot. Really just trying to let them put it in play and let my defense work.

"It's really night and day. If I have my curveball, I can be on."

In his last three starts, Clifton has logged 19.1 innings and only given up four earned runs.

"Really just working on breathing after every pitch," Clifton said. "Sometimes I rush myself, so I like to step off the mound and breathe and just figure out what I'm gonna pitch to the next guy."

All nine South Bend starters recorded at least one hit. Center fielder Rashad Crawford (2-for-4) drove in three runs, and second baseman David Bote (2-for-4) notched his sixth multi-hit outing in his last seven games.

The Cubs began the night 3.5 games behind West Michigan for second place in the Midwest League's Eastern Division.

In the top of the first, Dayton right fielder Aristides Aquino blasted a two-out RBI triple to deep center field, scoring third baseman Gavin LaValley and pushing the Dragons to an early 1-0 lead.

The Cubs loaded the bases on a pair of errors and a hit by pitch in the bottom of the fourth, and Dragons starter Tyler Mahle walked Cubs third baseman Matt Rose to plate first baseman Gioskar Amaya and tie the game, 1-1. Crawford then supplied a single to right field that scored two to lift South Bend up, 3-1.

South Bend stocked the bases again in the fifth, and catcher Erick Castillo thumped a sacrifice fly to left to score right fielder Ian Happ and make it 4-1.

In the bottom of the sixth, Cubs shortstop Gleyber Torres swatted a two-run home run to deep left-center field - his third long ball of the season and his first at Four Winds Field. Torres broke an 0-for-11 stretch with the shot.

The Dragons grabbed a run off of Clifton in the top of the seventh when left fielder Jimmy Pickens struck an RBI double to right field, making it 6-2 Cubs.

In the seventh, Crawford scorched a two-run triple into the right-field corner, bumping the lead to 8-2.

Dragons second baseman Cory Thompson made it 8-3 in the eighth with an RBI groundout off of Cubs reliever Jordan Minch.

South Bend and Dayton conclude their three-game series Thursday at 7:05 p.m. ET at Four Winds Field. Cubs left-hander Tommy Thorpe (3.33 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Dragons righty Wyatt Strahan (2.72 ERA).

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Midwest League Stories from August 19, 2015


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