Loons Outlast Cubs in 11 Innings 6-3
August 29, 2024 - Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release
South Bend, IN - In a back-and-forth battle, the Great Lakes Loons held on and saved their biggest rally of the night for the 11th inning, as they beat the South Bend Cubs by a final score of 6-3. After the two-ball clubs played a rain-shortened eight inning affair on Tuesday, they made it up with the neck-and-neck Wednesday night game. It marked the second time in three games South Bend had played into an 11th inning to finish a game.
The day started with left-hander Drew Gray on the mound, and he finished with one of the more unordinary lines of the season. Gray worked out of a bases loaded jam in both the 1st and 2nd innings to set the tone for the night. However, many of the base runners early came on free passes.
In 3.1 shutout innings, Gray struck out eight batters, which was just one short of a career high set earlier this month. He surrendered just one hit, walked six, and took a no-decision. He found his best stuff when facing adversity, and South Bend in turn was on the board first.
Thanks to a groundout RBI from Ezequiel Pagan, South Bend led 1-0 in the 4th inning. It was Pagan's third RBI in the last two nights.
Out of the Cubs bullpen, Luis Devers got the final two outs of the 4th, worked a scoreless 5th, and sent two Loons packing in the 6th before Great Lakes tied the game with a Jake Vogel single.
Later, the Loons took their first lead on a wild pitch in the 7th, but Cam Smith quickly tied it on a double in the 8th. Smith has played two games with South Bend, and has multiple hits in both of them. The 2024 Chicago Cubs first-round pick was promoted to High-A at the start of this week.
Tied at 2-2, the game of back-and-forth really picked up heading towards extra innings. The top of the 10th featured Great Lakes swiping the lead right back when Nick Biddison doubled in Jordan Thompson. The Cubs came clawing back though in the bottom of the 10th as Jefferson Rojas plated Christian Olivo on a sac-fly RBI.
To end the bottom of the 10th, the Cubs had the winning run at third base, and shortstop Sean Sean McLain made a superb play on a sliding stop and throw to first to conclude the frame.
To the 11th we went, and the Loons used that momentum to score three big tallies, taking command of the game. Lefty Garrett McDaniels struck out the side to finish things, and the Loons won the first two of the week.
South Bend will look to get back in the victory column on Thursday night when the two meet again at 7:05 PM. Right-hander Will Sanders is the expected starter for the Cubs.
• Discuss this story on the Midwest League message board...
Midwest League Stories from August 29, 2024
- Cubs Fall in Late Night Extras 6-4 - South Bend Cubs
- McLain's Homer & Martinez's 3 Ks Gets Great Lakes 6-4 Win in 12 Innings - Great Lakes Loons
- Vradenburg's Big Day Leads Carp - Beloit Sky Carp
- River Bandits Slam Wisconsin - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- 'Caps 'Peck' Away at Division Deficit, 9-5 - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Whitecaps Top Dragons 9-5 on Thursday Night - Dayton Dragons
- Johnson's Slam Lifts Quad Cities to Second-Straight Win - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Lugnuts Double Their Way to 6-2 Victory - Lansing Lugnuts
- Fort Wayne Falls After Rough Fifth Inning - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Kernels Score Four Unanswered, Knock Off Lake County 5-2 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Dayton Dragons GameDay Notes for Thursday (7:05 PM vs. West Michigan) - Dayton Dragons
- West Michigan Whitecaps Names Partner for New Performance Center - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Dayton Dragons Daily Playoff Race Update - Dayton Dragons
- Iadisernia Delivers in a Pinch, Chiefs Rally Past Beloit - Peoria Chiefs
- Three-Run 11th Inning Gets Loons Past Cubs 6-3 in Extra-Inning Epic - Great Lakes Loons
- Loons Outlast Cubs in 11 Innings 6-3 - South Bend Cubs
- Doubleheader Split at Lansing - Fort Wayne TinCaps
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent South Bend Cubs Stories
- Cubs Den Team Store Announces 2024 Holiday Sales
- South Bend Cubs Donate over $100,000 to Local Charities During the 2024 Season
- Former South Bend Cubs Moises Ballesteros and Brandon Birdsell Named Chicago Cubs Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year
- South Bend Cubs Announce Game Times for 2025 Season
- South Bend Cubs Announce Game Times for 2025 Season