MWL South Bend Cubs

Late Runs Seal Cubs Fate in Opener vs Dragons

Published on May 18, 2021 under Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release


The first of twelve games to be played at Four Winds Field to close out the opening month of the season didn't go as planned for South Bend.

An error allowed Dayton's leadoff hitter, Jacob Hurtubise, to reach first base and a wild pitch moved him along to second. Hurtubise would steal third to set up a sacrifice fly from Brian Rey that opened up the scoring in the top of the first.

South Bend would get their payback in the bottom half of the inning.

After a DJ Artis strikeout to lead off the bottom of the first, five straight Cubs hitters reached base safely. Delvin Zinn reached on a single, then became the first player in the High-A Central to tally double-digit stolen bases. Two batters later, Chase Strumpf announced his return to the Cubs lineup with an RBI base hit to left. After Tyler Durna was hit by a pitch, Nelson Velazquez smacked the first of his four hits to score two more Cubs runners.

In the third inning, another triumphant return to South Bend was announced. Jake Slaughter, who was sent down from Double-A Tennessee earlier today, clubbed an RBI two-bagger off the wall in left center for his first hit in South Bend since the championship run in 2019. Slaughter's double gave the Cubs a 5-1 lead with two outs left in the third, but that's as large as the lead would grow.

The very next inning, Dayton began to chip away at South Bend's lead. Dragon first basemen Jose Tello hit a single into center that scored two, but Kachmar forced the next batter to ground out with runners on second and third to end the inning. No more runs would cross home plate until the seventh.

Reds number six prospect Michael Siani led off the frame with a single, and scored on an RBI from Hurtubise later in the inning. But it was Rey's RBI double that proved South Bend's undoing. High-A Central's RBI leader took a one out pitch into center field for a double that plated the tying and go-ahead runs for Dayton. Near perfect pitching from Ricky Salinas (W, 1-0) and Francis Peguero (S, 2) combined to allow just one Cubs baserunner after Dayton took the lead to finish off the game 6-5.

Nelson Velazquez (4-4, 2 RBI) was a bright spot for South Bend, as he tallied four singles in four at-bats on his 2021 home debut. Chase Strumpf returned from injury and went 1-3 with an RBI, and Delvin Zinn (2-4, SB, R) continued his hot start with his tenth stolen base and two base-hits.

Next Up: South Bend and Dayton are back at it tomorrow in the second game of their six-game series. The first 1,000 ticketed fans through the gates will receive a replica of the South Bend Cubs 2019 Midwest League Championship ring. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm.

Probable's: RHP Max Bain (0-1, 5.87 ERA) vs Graham Ashcroft (1-0, 3.00 ERA)

Check out the South Bend Cubs Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from May 18, 2021


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