MWL South Bend Cubs

Dragons Edge Cubs in Series Opener

Published on May 31, 2022 under Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release


DAYTON, OH - Tuesday night matched up two of the best pitchers in the Midwest League. The Cubs first rounder from 2021 in Jordan Wicks squared off against former Notre Dame reliever Joe Boyle, who came in having allowed just six hits in 33.2 innings.

The Dragons came in tied for the fourth best record in all of Minor League Baseball and got off to an auspicious start. The home side didn't score in the first but made Wicks toss 29 pitches to just five batters. The next inning Allan Cerda sent a towering blast off the scoreboard to get Dayton on the board first. An error continued the inning and Mat Nelson delivered a two-out single to double the lead.

Jake Slaughter extended his on-base streak to 12 games with a solo-blast to straight away center in the fourth, his third homer of the season.

But the story of the game was clutch hits from the Dragons and lack thereof from the Cubs. Dayton tallied another two-out RBI knock, this time from top five Reds prospect Elly De La Cruz, in the third inning to make it 3-1.

After the Cubs clawed a run back in the sixth, Dayton added their third two-out RBI single to restore a 4-2 lead.

The Cubs had gotten back to a one run deficit when Yohendrick Pinango and Slaughter picked up back-to-back hits to start the sixth. Pinango's knock, a sharp liner into center, extended his hitting streak to 14 games, the longest active in the Midwest League. However, after Owen Caissie picked up his 26th RBI of the month, the Cubs couldn't plate Slaughter from third with one away to tie the game.

Jordan Wicks finished with six strikeouts, tied for the second most in a start in his career.

Dayton finished the day 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position whereas the Cubs went 0-for-7 in such situations.

South Bend will look to even up the series with a win tomorrow, game two is scheduled for 7:05 ET with D.J. Herz on the mound for the Cubs.

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Midwest League Stories from May 31, 2022


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