Cubs Out-Hit River Bandits But Fall 5-3
April 29, 2022 - Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release
Davenport, IA - For a second straight day, the South Bend Cubs put the first runs on the Modern Woodmen Park scoreboard in Downtown Davenport, Iowa, but the Quad Cities River Bandits steamed back to defeat the Cubs by a final of 5-3. It was another windy night on the banks of the Mississippi River, and Quad Cities was able to hold on to take the lead in the six-game series.
Also for the second day in a row, South Bend led off the game with a sharp single. Scott McKeon started things with a solid base knock up the middle. Against River Bandits starter Tyson Guerrero, Luis Verdugo then walked in the at-bat following McKeon. Eventually, both runners stood in scoring position, and McKeon was thrown out at the plate after a ground ball was hit to third baseman Morgan McCullough.
Later in the 1st inning, Matt Mervis tied the team lead for RBI with 14 after he pounded a single past second baseman Peyton Wilson. The Cubs led 1-0 as Kohl Franklin prepared to take the mound for his fourth start of the season.
Franklin started things on an unlucky note as Quad Cities lead-off man Tyler Tolbert chopped a ball back to the mound, and Franklin deflected the ball to the Cubs second basemen McKeon. He attempted a barehanded play on the ball, but with Tolbert's speed, he had an infield hit.
Quad Cities ended up piling three runs on the board all courtesy of one swing. Wilson cracked his first home run in the Midwest League deep over the right field wall for a 3-1 lead.
The tall righty Franklin took the mound for one more inning, as he tossed a scoreless bottom of the 2nd. In the top of the 3rd, the Cubs added another run when Alexander Canario extended his on-base streak to 14 consecutive games. His single plated Luis Verdugo, putting the Cubs within a run. In the next half inning, the River Bandits took that tally right back when Luca Tresh scored on a throwing error.
In a rare feat, the River Bandits only needed to use two pitchers in the entire game. Guerrero made it through the first 4.2 innings, even though the Quad Cities bullpen was working in the 1st inning due to his pitch count being above 25 in that lone inning. He was able to grind through being one out away from being in line for the win.
The first and only man out of the River Bandit bullpen was hard throwing righty Adrian Alcantara. The Cubs had their chances against Alcantara, as they left nine men on base in the game and went 4-for-19 with runners in scoring position. They put themselves within a pair of runs in the 8th when Ed Howard smashed a double off of the right field wall, scoring Canario.
Out of the South Bend bullpen, Joe Nahas pitched five innings of two run baseball and struck out five batters, His long relief gave the Cubs the opportunity to make a comeback. In the bottom of the 8th, Hunter Bigge worked a 1-2-3 inning. He has not given up a run in six total frames tossed this year.
It was also a unique case where the Cubs had double the amount of hits as Quad Cities, as South Bend out-hit their Midwest League West Division foe 10-5.
With the loss, the Cubs fall to 8-10 on the season and can tie the series at two games apiece tomorrow night with a victory. First pitch from Davenport is set for 7:30 PM EST.
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