Cubs Fight Back, Then Hold on for Series-Opening 6-5 Win
August 5, 2025 - Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release
South Bend, IN - For the first time since early June, the South Bend Cubs have won three consecutive games at home. On Tuesday at Four Winds Field, the Cubs (41-61) downed the Fort Wayne TinCaps (49-53) by a 6-5 score in their series opener. South Bend now owns a .500 record in second-half play at 18-18.
Right-hander Connor Schultz delivered a hot-and-cold outing as the Cubs' starting pitcher, covering five innings. Even though he allowed three earned runs, Schultz struck out six and posted a trio of 1-2-3 innings.
The TinCaps struck right away against Schultz and company, ending the Cubs' 22-inning streak without an earned run allowed in the first frame. With two outs, first baseman Lamar King Jr. dropped a run-scoring single into left-center field. Then, in the third inning, third baseman Rosman Verdugo and right fielder Braedon Karpathios went back-to-back with solo home runs to left field. Each slugger picked up his 12th long ball of the season during the sequence.
Meanwhile, after a slow start against Fort Wayne righty Ian Koenig, South Bend's offense activated in the fourth inning. Debuting right fielder Kade Snell led off the inning with a hustle double for his first professional hit, reaching third base as back-to-back singles loaded the bases with nobody out. First baseman Cameron Sisneros scored him, dunking an RBI single into right center. Catcher Ariel Armas followed with a two-run single up the middle that tied the game at 3-3. Third baseman Reggie Preciado smacked another RBI single to right-center, giving the Cubs their first lead of the night to complete a four-run, six-hit inning.
The Cubs would add on in the sixth thanks to a couple of multi-hit players. Sisneros singled with one out for his second hit of the night, eventually reaching second base for Armas, who already had two hits. His third knock went a long way, sailing over the left-field wall for a two-home run. The fifth Armas long ball of the season stretched the Cubs' lead to 6-3 at the end of six innings. Fort Wayne would ride out Koenig for another frame, as he completed seven innings with six runs allowed.
Left-handers Cole Reynolds and Marino Santy combined to cover three innings out of the South Bend bullpen after Schultz finished his start. Though they each surrendered a run, they kept the Cubs' lead intact at 6-5 through eight innings. South Bend's defense made a key play to end the top of the eighth, catching the tying runner as he aggressively rounded third base on an infield hit. That throwout set up right-hander Luis Rujano for a save situation in the ninth, and he converted despite allowing the leadoff man to reach.
The second game of the series is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Wednesday. Right-handers Erian Rodriguez of South Bend and Clark Candiotti of Fort Wayne are the probable pitchers.
Midwest League Stories from August 5, 2025
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- 'Caps Pop Kernels, 6-0 - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Captains Shut out Dragons 6-0 in Series Opener Tuesday - Dayton Dragons
- Cubs Fight Back, Then Hold on for Series-Opening 6-5 Win - South Bend Cubs
- Whitecaps Blank Kernels 6-0, Take Series Opener - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- TinCaps Transactions & Game Information: August 5 at South Bend Cubs - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Dayton Dragons GameDay Notes for Tuesday (7:05 PM vs Lake County) - Dayton Dragons
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