
Cubs Two-Hit Captains, Even Series with 4-2 Victory
June 18, 2025 - Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release
South Bend, IN - The South Bend Cubs (23-42) leveled their series against the Lake County Captains (34-31) on Wednesday at Four Winds Field, coming from behind for a 4-2 win. Tyler Schlaffer shined again as the Cubs' starting pitcher, conceding only one earned run on two hits across seven innings. With one game remaining in the first half, the Cubs have now won seven of their last nine games and 13 of their last 22.
Rain delayed the first pitch by 31 minutes and continued to lightly fall throughout the evening, but the Cubs and Captains got all nine innings done. They started with scoring opportunities on both sides early on, as right-hander Tyler Schlaffer took the mound for South Bend against Lake County lefty Caden Favors. The Captains put runners on the corners in the top of the first inning, but Schlaffer collected a strikeout to keep them off the board. The Cubs then twice loaded the bases in the second inning, but a flyout double play iced that threat.
Lake County broke through with a pair of runs in the third inning, benefitting from two South Bend errors. Third baseman Maick Collado led off with a ground ball to first base, where Cameron Sisneros made his second error in as many chances to start his High-A debut in the field. Second baseman Christian Knapczyk followed with a double down the right-field line, which Collado tried to score on. South Bend second baseman Rafael Morel threw a laser home that would have cut Collado down, but the ball short-hopped away from catcher Ariel Armas, allowing the runner to touch home.
Led by atonement from Sisneros, the Cubs answered right back in the bottom of the third inning. The first baseman picked up his first Midwest League RBI, doubling to bring home shortstop Jefferson Rojas.
The Cubs would keep their foot on the gas in the fifth inning, plating three runs to chase Favors from the mound. Center fielder Carter Trice, who had already stretched his on-base streak to 15 games with an infield hit, singled again to lead off the frame. Designated hitter James Triantos tailed him with another base hit, putting two Cubs on the basepaths for Rojas. One of the Midwest League's premier hitters with runners in scoring position, Rojas delivered with a double that found the left-field corner and scored two runs. After a pitching change, Sisneros continued his turnaround with another run-scoring hit, a single through the right side. Sisneros would single again in the seventh inning, giving him five hits in his first two games as a South Bend Cub.
Meanwhile, Schlaffer found another gear in the second half of his outing, completing seven innings for the third time in his last four starts. He struck out two in the fifth inning before getting a lineout double play to end the sixth. In the seventh, he worked around a double, bringing his numbers to 27 innings and two earned runs allowed across his last four starts. Schlaffer also picked up his second consecutive winning decision.
In a close game down the stretch, South Bend's bullpen shut the Captains down, going six-up, six-down. Lefty Chase Watkins punched out two in his perfect eighth inning, and right-hander Grayson Moore capped things off with his second save of the season.
With the series squared at one, the Cubs and Captains will wrap up the first half at 7:05 PM on Thursday. Left-hander Evan Aschenbeck will get the ball for South Bend against Lake County southpaw Josh Hartle.
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