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Devers and Bullpen Dominate as Cubs Take Down Chiefs 3-1

July 17, 2022 - Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release


Peoria, IL - Knowing that they needed a Sunday afternoon victory in order to finish off a series win over the Peoria Chiefs, the South Bend Cubs put together a complete performance against the St. Louis Cardinals Midwest League affiliate and earned a 3-1 series finale victory.

The Cubs won the series opener, as well as Wednesday and Thursday's games to take a commanding lead for the first half of the week. Peoria battled back to earn wins on Friday and Saturday, but South Bend took control early.

In his first Midwest League start, right-hander Luis Devers worked two perfect innings to begin his outing. Devers, who worked in relief of Jordan Wicks during his final start with the South Bend Cubs, was the Chicago Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Month for May.

With a solid changeup and vanishing sinker, Devers kept the Chiefs lineup quiet and received some run support in the top of the 3rd inning when Yohendrick Pinango singled home Scott McKeon for a 1-0 lead. Pinango broke a 12-game hitting streak yesterday but will now look to build a new one following the All-Star Break.

Devers gave up his only blemish of the day on Sunday in the next half-inning when Peoria tied the game on a solid single by Brady Whalen in the bottom of the 3rd. Following that point, he continued to command the strike zone.

South Bend gave the lead back to Devers when Jordan Nwogu smashed his second home run in as many days for a 2-1 lead. On a ball crushed to the deepest part of the yard beyond the left-center field wall, it just snuck over the fence as Nwogu touched them all.

The biggest defensive moment of the game came in the bottom of the 5th as Devers looked to put himself in line for the win. Ramon Mendoza and Luis Rodriguez each singled to start the inning to put the tying and go ahead runs on base. Tommy Jew then bunted a ball back to the mound, and Devers picked up the force-out at second base.

That was followed by Todd Lott chopping a ground ball to third base. Luis Verdugo gloved it, fired to second for one, and then South Bend completed the 5-4-3 double play to end the frame. Following those two outs, the South Bend bullpen took over.

Riley Martin continued his exclusively scoreless work on the mound his returning from the Development List with 1.2 shutout innings. Michael McAvene then tossed 1.1 scoreless of his own.

In the top of the 8th, the Cubs added an insurance run to their bank when Pinango tripled off the right field wall, and then was brought home on a single slapped into right field by Owen Caissie.

With a 3-1 lead, the game went to the bottom of the 9th. Eduarniel Nunez was responsible for getting the final three outs. The frame started shaky as Nunez walked the lead-off man, but he then struck out Francisco Hernandez, Noah Mendlinger, and Ramon Mendoza consecutively to end the game.

With the victory, South Bend heads into the All-Star Break still in sole possession of first place and is three games ahead of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Wisconsin was walk-off on Sunday against the West Michigan Whitecaps, and the Cubs gained a game.

With off-days scheduled for Monday through Thursday, South Bend will be back in action starting on Friday night at Four Winds Field versus the Quad Cities River Bandits. It will be a short three-game series between the West Division foes as the Cubs return back home for a nine-game homestand that will also feature a six-game series versus the Lake County Captains.

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