Cubs Sting Timber Rattlers in Opener 10-1
Published on May 9, 2023 under Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release
Appleton, WI - In what was the most complete game played by the South Bend Cubs so far this season, it came at the right time following their first series loss of the season. South Bend dominated their way through the series opener from Fox Cities Stadium on Tuesday, hammering the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 10-1.
It was the seventh straight loss for Wisconsin after they got swept by the Peoria Chiefs this past week. The Cubs lost four of six games against the Cedar Rapids Kernels at home. Going into this new series at Wisconsin, South Bend remained 1.5 games of first place in the West Division. They'll match up with the Beloit Sky Carp in a battle for first next week.
Tuesday could not have started better for South Bend. They posted the most runs in an inning all season even before Brandon Birdsell threw his first pitch of the game. It was a seven-run top of the 1st inning for the Cubs, and they never looked back.
Interestingly, facing starter Cameron Wagoner, who came in with an ERA over 8.00, all Cubs damage in the first inning came with two outs.
Ezequiel Pagan singled, but that was sandwiched between two outs for Wagoner. Suddenly, he completely lost it in the 1st inning, walking Yohendrick Pinango, and hitting James Triantos in his first Midwest League at-bat. Bryce Ball then got hit to bring in the game's first run. Next, Kevin Made stepped up to the plate and roped a double into the left-center field gap, clearing the bases.
It was 4-0 Cubs, but they were just getting started. Ethan Hearn stood in and crushed his first home run of the season for two more runs. Lastly in the 1st, Kevin Alcántara ripped a base hit to score Jacob Wetzel, who had tripled. South Bend hit for the cycle as a team in the 1st inning; With Pagan singling, Made doubling, Wetzel tripling, and Hearn homering.
Wagoner made it through 0.2 innings and allowed seven runs. South Bend extended the lead further as Pinango barreled a home run dead-center to make it 8-0.
On the mound, Birdsell cruised through four innings and allowed just one run. Out of the bullpen, Manuel Espinoza returned to the Cubs after pitching with the club in 2022 and fired two shutout innings to start his 2023 season.
The bullpen continued to shine with a scoreless inning each from Adam Laskey and Eduarniel Nunez. Jarod Wright recorded the final three outs to finish off the big victory for South Bend.
In his Midwest League debut, Triantos was on base four times, and Kevin Made finished with a four-hit game. He is the third South Bend Cub with four hits in a game this year, joining Pinango and Scott McKeon.
Up 1-0 in the series, the Cubs will look for back-to-back wins on Wednesday night as 2022 Chicago Cubs first-round pick Cade Horton will make his Midwest League debut. First pitch in Appleton is set for 7:40 PM EST.
Midwest League Stories from May 9, 2023
- Cubs Sting Timber Rattlers in Opener 10-1 - South Bend Cubs
- Captains Can't Get Offense Going Until Late in 4-1 Loss to Great Lakes - Lake County Captains
- Kernels Score Seven Runs on Ten Hits, Win Series Opener with Quad Cities 7-3 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Kernels Dominate Middle-Innings, Top Bandits in Series Opener - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Sky Carp Dominate TinCaps 14-4 - Beloit Sky Carp
- Cubs Ambush Wisconsin with Seven-Run First Inning - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Collett Ks 7 and Marsee Homers Again, But Beloit Wins Series Opener - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Chiefs Rally Past Dayton, Win 7th Straight - Peoria Chiefs
- 'Caps Lambaste Lansing, 14-5 - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Hunter Parks Is Sensational Again But Dragons Lose Late Lead, Fall to Chiefs 3-2 - Dayton Dragons
- Loons' Pitching Sinks Captains 4-1 - Great Lakes Loons
- Holman Promoted to Double-A - Lansing Lugnuts
- Cachutt Promoted, Boatman Joins Dragons - Dayton Dragons
- TinCaps Transactions & Game Information: May 9 vs. Beloit Sky Carp - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Dragons Sellout Streak Update - Dayton Dragons
- Swain Placed on Temporary Inactive List, Dalatri Transferred to Cedar Rapids - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Dragons Blake Dunn Named Reds Minor League Player of the Month for April - Dayton Dragons
- Kids Club Player Clinic Coming up on June 3 - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Dayton Dragons GameDay Notes for Tuesday (7:05 PM EDT at Peoria) - Dayton Dragons
- Toyota Road Report: May 9-14 - South Bend Cubs
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