Cubs Pitching Has Down Night in 8-3 Loss to Fort Wayne
MWL South Bend Cubs

Cubs Pitching Has Down Night in 8-3 Loss to Fort Wayne

Published on August 7, 2025 under Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release


South Bend, IN - The South Bend Cubs (42-62) lost the third game of their series against the Fort Wayne TinCaps (50-54) on Thursday night at Four Winds Field. In their 8-3 victory, the TinCaps scored five runs in the first four innings and snapped the Cubs' four-game win streak.

For the third consecutive game to start the series, Fort Wayne jumped out to an early lead, building a 5-0 advantage in the first four innings. The TinCaps scored all five runs against South Bend starting pitcher Kevin Valdez, who provided 3.1 innings with six strikeouts. The opening run crossed the plate quickly in the first inning, as the TinCaps began the game with a single, a double, and an error.

The home run ball began to fly out a few innings later, starting with a three-run Fort Wayne shot in the third. Valdez, after allowing each of the first two hitters to reach base, punched out back-to-back TinCaps. However, he couldn't record a third consecutive out to escape the inning, allowing the three-run blast to first baseman Jack Costello. Center fielder Kai Roberts followed with an opposite-way solo blast in the fourth frame, pushing the TinCaps into a 5-0 lead.

Fort Wayne starting pitcher Sam Whiting threw the ball well with the early lead, posting three shutout innings to begin his night. The right-hander then recorded the first two outs of the fourth innings before the Cubs rallied. After falling behind 0-2, catcher Ariel Armas singled for his seventh hit of the series, setting up first baseman Brian Kalmer for a two-run blast. The home run, Kalmer's sixth of the year, barely cleared the left-field wall and put the Cubs on the board.

South Bend's bullpen initially kept the Cubs in the game, holding the TinCaps scoreless through the middle innings. Right-hander Kenten Egbert relieved Valdez and recorded five consecutive outs, stranding TinCaps on the corners to end the top of the fourth. Righty Dominic Hambley climbed the mound for his High-A debut in the sixth inning, working through a 1-2-3 frame with two strikeouts. Meanwhile, the Cubs clawed within a 5-3 score against the Fort Wayne bullpen, as shortstop Cristian Hernandez ran his way to a run in the bottom of the sixth. Hernandez stole both second and third base before scoring on a groundout.

Fort Wayne would break the game back open in the final three innings, first scoring an unearned run against Hambley in the seventh. After Hambley walked the first two to start the inning, he induced a double play to get himself back on track. However, he hit a man to put runners on the corners, and Fort Wayne forced a Cubs error and scored a run by attempting a double steal. The TinCaps then took an 8-3 lead in the eighth inning, as right fielder Braedon Karpathios doubled in two runs.

TinCap relievers Harry Gustin and Luis Germán quieted the Cubs to finish the ballgame, combining for three scoreless innings with three strikeouts. However, Armas did smash a double in the ninth inning, making him 9-for-9 with 8 RBI and a trio of 3-hit games to start the series. Armas has reached base safely in all 11 of his plate appearances against Fort Wayne this week.

The Cubs and TinCaps will match up again on Friday at 7:05 PM. Right-hander Brooks Caple is scheduled to pitch for South Bend against Fort Wayne righty Isaiah Lowe.

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