Cubs Smack 13 Hits and Clobber Chiefs 7-4
Published on April 30, 2023 under Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release
South Bend, IN - Saturday afternoon at Four Winds Field was a very important day for the South Bend Cubs. A game against the St. Louis Cardinals Midwest League affiliate, the Peoria Chiefs, was delayed briefly due to rain. But once things got rolling, South Bend put together one of their most complete performances of the season. Ending the day with 13 base hits, the Cubs defeated Peoria to take the series lead, and can go for the series victory Sunday afternoon.
Kohl Franklin took the ball for the Cubs, and just as he usually has to start this season, he brought his good stuff to the mound. Franklin, who was coming off an up-and-down start last Sunday at Great Lakes, laid three consecutive zeroes to start the game. The tall right-hander also struck out back-to-back hitters to end the 2nd inning.
By day's end, Franklin had fired 3.2 innings, while allowing just 1 unearned run. And South Bend brought the run support for him. Fabian Pertuz crushed a solo home run over the left field wall, and from that point, South Bend never relinquished the lead.
The scoring continued with Ezequiel Pagan ripping a two-run triple over the stretching mitt of first baseman Osvaldo Tovalin. They were the first runs batted in by Pagan since he was assigned to South Bend earlier this week. A batter later, Scott McKeon singled home Pagan to make it 4-0.
Peoria got on the board in the 4th as Thomas Francisco stole third base, and then scored on a throwing error. That did not deter the Cubs from their rallies though.
The 6th inning was the nail in the coffin as South Bend plated three more runs to go up 7-1. It started with a bouncing ball single up the middle for Liam Spence, then Kevin Alcántara singled to score Spence all the way from first base. Here's what happened though.
Peoria right fielder Elijah Cabell ran in to field the line drive single into right by Alcántara. As he put his glove to the grass, the ball skipped under the mitt, and rolled all the way to the wall. Spence scored, and Alcántara made it all the way to third.
Christian Franklin then singled home Alcántara, and South Bend had ripped the lead open. Out of the South Bend bullpen, Joe Nahas had his best outing of the season with 3.1 shutout innings, no walks, and five strikeouts. He earned the win.
Adam Laskey put together another shutout frame, and Sheldon Reed got the final three outs. Peoria did make it closer in the top of the 9th, thanks to a three-run home run by Victor Scott II. However, Reed was able to lock it down and end the game.
With the Cubs victory, and also the Beloit Sky Carp losing to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, South Bend will head into the series finale Sunday afternoon two games back of first place held by Beloit. First pitch is set for 2:05 PM, which righty Richard Gallardo on the mound.
Midwest League Stories from April 30, 2023
- Bigbie Is Grand in 13-1 Win - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Locos Rally to Split Sunday Double Dip, Win Series - Lansing Lugnuts
- Valenzuela Homers, But Loons Win - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Whitecaps Explode for 13 Runs, Take Series Finale 13-1 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- South Bend Secures Series with Sunday Victory - Peoria Chiefs
- Pilarski Secures Seventh Save, Great Lakes Win Five of Six in Fort Wayne - Great Lakes Loons
- Dunn Homers Again as Dragons Top Captains, 8-1 - Dayton Dragons
- Sunday's Wisconsin-Beloit Game Rained Out - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- TinCaps Transactions & Game Information: April 30 - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Dayton Dragons GameDay Notes for Sunday (1:10 PM Start) - Dayton Dragons
- Cubs Smack 13 Hits and Clobber Chiefs 7-4 - South Bend Cubs
- 'Caps Tightrope to Shutout Victory - West Michigan Whitecaps
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