Late Errors Cost Cubs in 6-5 Loss to Lansing

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MWL South Bend Cubs

Late Errors Cost Cubs in 6-5 Loss to Lansing

May 17, 2025 - Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release


Lansing, MI - Bad bounces and close calls kept the South Bend Cubs short of another comeback victory on Saturday at Jackson Field. They fell by a 6-5 score to the Lansing Lugnuts, giving Lansing a series victory with four wins in the week's first five games. South Bend remains without back-to-back road wins this season at 10-28 overall, while the Lugnuts now stand at 22-16.

Building on Friday's thrilling, 10-inning victory, the Cubs struck first right away on Saturday. Right fielder Ivan Brethowr led off with a double on the first pitch of the game before coming around to score on center fielder Andy Garriola's opposite-way single. Cubs starting pitcher and reigning Midwest League Pitcher of the Week Ryan Gallagher took the mound with a 1-0 lead, but he didn't hang onto it for long. First baseman TJ Schofield-Sam launched a two-run home run against him in the second inning, and third baseman Sahid Valenzuela did the same in the fifth. Gallagher was outstanding otherwise, striking out 12 in six innings of work. Prior to Saturday, no South Bend Cub pitcher had struck out 10 in an outing since the 2025 season began.

As the Lugnuts built up a 4-1 lead during the game's middle innings, their starter held the Cubs back despite dealing with plenty of baserunning traffic. Right-hander Kyle Robinson stranded two runners on base in the second, nullified a leadoff single with a lineout double play in the third, and erased another leadoff single thanks to a caught stealing in the fifth. By the time Lansing went up by three, Robinson had posted five innings of one-run baseball on just 60 pitches.

The Cubs would finally crack Robinson with a funky top of the sixth inning that tied the game. Catcher Miguel Pabon followed back-to-back walks by getting on base for a third time, roping a single to deep right field. The ball hit the top of the fence near the railing, which marks home run territory, but the umpires ruled that it did not clear the wall for a game-tying long ball. South Bend leveled the score anyway, starting with a two-run single from first baseman Drew Bowser. The next batter, designated hitter Brian Kalmer, rolled a tailor-made double play up the middle, but Lansing second baseman Casey Yamauchi did not receive the ball with his foot on the bag. As a result, the Lugnuts only recorded one out, and the equalizing run scored.

Lansing recaptured the lead on an even wackier play in the bottom of the sixth. Shortstop Joshua Kuroda-Grauer led off with a double and attempted to steal third base during one of the subsequent at-bats. With right-handed hitter Nate Nankil in the box, Pabon's throw to third struck Nankil's bat and ricocheted toward Jefferson Rojas. The Cubs' shortstop could not prevent the ball from skittering into the outfield, allowing Kuroda-Grauer to bring home the go-ahead run.

After Lansing relievers Jake Christianson and Henry Gómez each fired off a scoreless inning, the Lugnuts added another error-induced run in the bottom of the eighth. With designated hitter Ryan Lasko at first, Kuroda-Grauer singled to shallow right field, enabling Lasko to easily take third. Brethowr made a hard throw in from right, and the ball escaped two South Bend infielders before rolling into foul territory. The miscue forced Lasko home to give Lansing a 6-4 lead.

That extra run proved massive in the top of the ninth, as South Bend pulled right back within one. With two outs and Kalmer at second, Brethowr lasered a 3-2 pitch off the wall in right field, sending a fifth South Bend run home. However, Lansing right fielder Jared Dickey played the ball in quickly, creating a close play at second as Brethowr attempted to reach scoring position. Kuroda-Grauer scooped the throw out of the dirt and lunged toward the second-base bag, tagging Brethowr to dramatically end the game.

The Cubs finished the night outhitting Lansing 9-6, as No. 6 Cubs prospect Jefferson Rojas lost his 7-game hit streak but extended his on-base streak to 18 games. South Bend will finish the series in Lansing at 1:05 PM on Sunday, as right-hander Kenten Egbert pitches for the Cubs against Lugnuts righty Corey Avant, who started Tuesday's opener.

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