MWL South Bend Cubs

Lugnuts Edge Cubs, 5-4, in Front of 7,037 at Four Winds Field

Published on June 9, 2023 under Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release


SOUTH BEND, IN - Friday night the Lugnuts tied up the series two games apiece with a 5-4 win in a back-and-forth affair in front of a packed house in downtown South Bend.

Danny Bautista Jr. broke open a tie ballgame with a solo-shot to left field in the eighth inning. The round-tripper was his first of the season and came with two outs and nobody on-base after Chase Watkins punched out three batters in a row.

South Bend had a chance late with Kevin Alcántara ripping a single through the right side of the infield with one away in the ninth. Bryce Ball followed and banged one on the ground up the middle. Max Muncy made a beautiful play sprinting to his left, gloving it and flipping it to Sahid Valenzuela, who threw it to first to complete an impressive game-ending double play.

The Cubs scored first to take the lead in the third inning. Jacob Wetzel drew a walk against Jacob Watters to begin the frame. Wetzel, who has really been showcasing a keen eye at the plate, drew two of the Cubs nine walks on the night. He would steal second base and come home on a single from Kevin Made.

Lansing stormed back the next half-inning though, with back-to-back-to-back hits against Cubs starter Richard Gallardo. Daniel Susac began things with an infield single and moved up 90 feet on a Junior Pérez single. Bryan Buelvas gave the Lugnuts their first lead with a double to left-center that plated both baserunners. With two outs Danny Bautista Jr. brought home another run with an infield single up the middle.

In the bottom of the inning the Cubs would claw a run back but rue a missed opportunity to put up a crooked number. Another walk would start the South Bend rally, this time drawn by Luis Verdugo, who also walked twice on the night. He moved up to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Casey Opitz ground ball base hit through the right side of the infield. Trailing by one the Cubs would load the bases with just one out for Kevin Made. With Watters control out of wack, he fell behind Made 2-0 but then induced a 5-2-3 inning-ending double play.

The visitors quickly restored their two-run lead with consecutive doubles the next inning from Jonny Butler and Susac.

Game four of the season remained 4-2 Lugnuts until the bottom of the seventh inning. With two outs and no one aboard, and Sunday's scheduled starter Christian Fernandez on the mound, the Cubs again loaded the bases. Fernandez had walked Ezequiel Pagan to begin the frame and promptly got a double play to erase the baserunner. James Triantos kickstarted the magic with a single, and then back-to-back walks were issued to Alcántara and Ball. A pitching change brought in Jack Owen. The first batter he faced was Yohendrick Pinango who flared a blooper into shallow right that dropped in for a single to tie the game. With men at the corners Verdugo flew out to center to end the frame.

Then came Bautista's homer.

South Bend dropped a rare game in which they scored first, having started the night 23-8 when plating the games first run.

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Midwest League Stories from June 9, 2023


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