MWL South Bend Cubs

Cubs Rally Late to Win Fifth Straight

Published on May 26, 2021 under Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release


Better late than never. South Bend got off to another slow start offensively but a three-run eighth catapulted them to 5-3 win over the Fort Wayne TinCaps Wednesday night.

Derek Casey retired the first two batters of the game but a pair of two out walks came around to bite the Cubs starter when a single up the middle off the bat of catcher Jonny Homza drove in the first run of the ballgame.

South Bend answered quickly with Delvin Zinn singling on a grounder back up the middle on an 0-2 pitch, and then stealing second base. Cole Roederer got the green light on a 3-0 pitch from Moises Lugo and drove Zinn in on a hard hit ball through the right side of the infield.

Both starters settled in matching each other over the next four scoreless innings.

For the second night in a row Fort Wayne made the move to bullpen in the sixth inning, and once again it came back to hurt them. Zinn was hit by a pitch as he squared around attempting to bunt for a hit. That started the inning, and despite being hit on the left leg Zinn stole second and third in quick succession. Making him 17-for-17 on the year swiping bags.

With two outs and Zinn still at third Chase Strumpf delivered an RBI single to center to give South Bend their first lead, 2-1.

It was a short-lived lead. Michael Ryan made the move to the 'pen to start the next half-inning going to another right-hander in Brad Deppermann. Deppermann, making his second appearance with South Bend since joining the club on May 18, allowed a pair of runs on back-to-back two-out RBI hits from Grant Little and Agustin Ruiz.

The TinCaps missed a golden opportunity to add on in the eighth. With two runners in scoring position and just one down the Cubs were forced to bring the infield in. Deppermann induced a groundout to short and former second-rounder from 2020 Burl Carraway came in and struck out Ethan Skender to end the inning.

It was a missed opportunity that would prove costly.

Roederer singled to start the bottom of the eighth and then Cubs number two prospect Brennen Davis persuaded the home plate umpire that he was hit by a pitch after it was originally ruled a foul ball. Davis took off a batting glove and showed the mark where the ball hit him, which was enough for home plate ump Justin Juska to award him first base. Strumpf followed with a four-pitch walk to load up the bases with no outs.

Tyler Durna hit a grounder to second, Fort Wayne got the force out at home but Jonny Homza tried to complete the double play with a throw to first but it got by Luis Almanzar and first and scored Davis to tie thing up 3-3. Nelson Velazquez skied a ball to shallow left that off the bat didn't appear it would get Strumpf home from third but Dwanya Williams-Sutton and Justin Lopez collided and the ball fell to the ground, giving South Bend the lead.

Jake Slaughter drove in an insurance run on a groundout to short and Burl Carraway, who finished the eighth, shut the door in the ninth in order to pick up his first professional win. Carraway has yet to allow a hit this season.

Mason Feole exited the game for Fort Wayne with an undisclosed injury after throwing a breaking ball in the dirt to Durna. Two innings later left fielder Williams-Sutton exited the game after the collision in the outfield.

Next Up: RHP Anderson Espinoza (0-1, 16.88 ERA) vs. RHP Ryan Jensen (1-1, 3.75 ERA).

Tomorrow night is Thirsty Thursday at Four Winds Field which means that 24 oz. fountain sodas and 16 oz. domestic drafts are $2. First pitch for tomorrow's game is at 7:05 ET and tickets for tomorrow's game and every Cubs game can be purchased at SouthBendCubs.com.

Check out the South Bend Cubs Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from May 26, 2021


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