MWL South Bend Cubs

Late Passed Ball Scores Two, Leads to Cubs Win

Published on July 4, 2021 under Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release


After two tight games on Thursday night, it was another nail-biting finish on Friday night between the South Bend Cubs (21-29) and the Lake County Captains (27-24).

Derek Casey (6 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, BB, 6 K) had another quality start, his second straight and third in his last four outings.

And the Cubs offense staked him to an early lead right out of the gate. Edmond Americaan took an 0-2 pitch over the head of the left fielder Quentin Holmes with one out in the first and Nelson Velazquez (1-2, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB) followed with an opposite field blast to right. It was Velazquez's ninth homer of the season and RBIs number 29 and 30.

Lake County got a run back in the second inning. Bryan Lavastida singled to start the frame on a grounder to third and advanced to second on the wild throw to first from Cubs third baseman Jake Slaughter. Jose Tena took the next pitch from Casey back up the middle for an RBI single and cut the lead in half, now 2-1.

The Captains tied the game up two innings later and it was the same spot in the order getting the offense started. Lavastida once again led things off with a base hit, this time a double, and Jose Tena for the second straight time followed with a single. Aaron Bracho then walked and the bases were loaded with just one away. Casey got Ray Delgado to strikeout swinging and wound up limiting the damage to just one run, a sac-fly from Holmes that scored Lavastida and tied the game up, 2-2.

Tanner Burns settled in after allowing the homer to Velazquez and retired the next 12 batters he faced; the streak ended when Bradlee Beesley (1-3, 2B, R, BB) drew a walk with one out in the fifth. Beesley was still as second with two outs when Josue Huma delivered an RBI single into shallow right-center to give the Cubs the lead back, 3-2.

The seesaw battle would continue.

In the bottom of the sixth the Captains tied the game yet again, and yet again it was back-to-back hits from Lavastida and Tena to start an inning. Another sac-fly, this time from Delgado, brought in Lavastida and tied the game, 3-3. Lavastida scored all three runs for Lake County.

The Captains struggled on the bases tonight as they had two runners picked off first base by Derek Casey and a runner caught trying to steal second. On the other side, it was South Bend's baserunning and poor Lake County defense that turned the tide for the Cubs.

Yonathan Perlaza dropped down a bunt base hit to start the seventh and then Jake Slaughter was hit by a pitch. Beesley followed with a groundout to first that advanced both baserunners. And with Jake Washer at the plate catcher Joe Donovan couldn't handle a pitch from Burns and it just got by him far enough for Perlaza to slide in safe at home. Not to mention Slaughter was flying behind him and snuck in to score a second run as the throw from Donovan back to the plate got by the pitcher.

That made it 5-3 Cubs and that would be the final, with Eduarniel Nunez (1.2 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 2 K) and Eury Ramos (1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, K) combining to throw a scoreless final three innings.

Next up: Tomorrow is another doubleheader between the Cubs and the Captains, with first pitch for game one at 4 p.m. ET and first pitch for game two at 7 p.m. ET.

Check out the South Bend Cubs Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from July 4, 2021


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