Opitz Homers Twice as Cubs Steam Past Sky Carp 4-3
August 21, 2022 - Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release
South Bend, IN - In one of the wildest games all season long at Four Winds Field, the South Bend Cubs held on to defeat the Beloit Sky Carp on Sunday afternoon by a final of 4-3. In the week long series against their West Division foe, the Cubs officially took five of six games, and are five games ahead of Beloit for first place in the circuit.
Hard-throwing righty Daniel Palencia started the game for South Bend and immediately came out blazing out of the gates. Palencia struck out three batters in the top of the 1st inning, and then immediately received some run support on a solo shot from Fabian Pertuz.
An inning later, the Cubs lead jumped to 2-0 with Casey Opitz crushing a ball over the wall off of Beloit starter Luis Palacios. That would be just the start of a marquee day for Opitz.
Palencia cruised through four scoreless innings and gave up only three hits and a walk, along with six strikeouts. He took a no decision. The first man out of the South Bend bullpen was Gabriel Jaramillo, and his first inning of work featured downright mayhem.
Jaramillo allowed the first three to reach in the 5th inning, and with the bases loaded, Cody Morissette was hit by a pitch. As Federico Polanco jogged home to score as the bags were juiced, the Beloit second baseman did not touch home plate. Catcher Pablo Aliendo stepped on the plate, and Polanco was out. No run scored and it remained a 2-0 game.
The next play brought along even more madness. With Kyler Castillo at the plate, he popped a ball up the right field line. Drifting into foul territory was first baseman Casey Opitz, who made a spectacular running catch. Opitz then turned around, fired a throw home, and got the sliding Harrison Spohn out trying to score. It was a 3-2 double play, and the Cubs held Beloit still without a run.
The tallies would come along eventually for the Sky Carp, however, as Dalvy Rosario tied the game in the top of the 6th with a two-run homer. That would not last, though, because of Opitz yet again. In what some are calling 'The Opitz Game', Opitz homered for a second time against Palacios with a two-run shot to put South Bend up 4-2.
Beloit did get one more run on an RBI groundout in the 8th inning, but Michael McAvene worked out of a big jam with runners in scoring position to keep the Cubs up front. In the 9th, Dalton Stambaugh worked a scoreless frame and picked up his second save.
With the victory, South Bend is the first Midwest League team this season to 40 home wins. They also have the five-game division lead, and will now head to Grand Rapids on Tuesday night to take on the West Michigan Whitecaps for a six-game series.
Midwest League Stories from August 21, 2022
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