Sanders Earns First Pro Win as Cubs Crush Wisconsin 13-1
May 25, 2024 - Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release
South Bend, IN - Across the entirety of the baseball spectrum, everything came together for the South Bend Cubs on Saturday evening. Now with their first home series victory of the season, the Cubs have taken four of the first five games from the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. On Saturday, it was a 13-1 beatdown of the Milwaukee Brewers affiliate, in front of a crowd of 4,637.
Will Sanders got the start, most recently after working twice in the away series at Fort Wayne when he fired eight combined scoreless innings. The momentum continued, with Sanders dominating through the start, and ending both the 2nd and 3rd innings with double plays.
He also had plenty of run support along the way. In April, the Cubs scored a season high seven runs in an inning versus Wisconsin. Now in late May, they have toppled that record. The Cubs scored eight runs in the second, behind six singles, plus an RBI fielder's choice. They sent 12 men to the plate in that frame, and Jonathon Long continues to shine in the series after homering on Friday, and having three hits on Wednesday. Two of the Saturday RBI belonged to him.
That would be more than enough for Sanders to work with. He earned his first professional win with five innings of work, giving up just an unearned run. For the first time this year, he also did not walk a batter in the outing. He finished with four strikeouts.
The Cubs added a run in the 3rd, and then four more in the 4th to go up 13-1. Ed Howard also had a multi-RBI game, with two doubles on the day. Reivaj Garcia had three singles, and all of them were smacked to the same exact spot; Between the second base bag and second baseman Dylan O'Rae. They all came against Wisconsin starter Yujanyer Herrera. He allowed nine runs, with seven of them being earned.
Out of the bullpen, Koen Moreno tossed two shutout innings, and Chase Watkins recorded the final six outs, including making the final out of the game via a 1-3 put-out.
With the win, South Bend wins a series for the first time at Four Winds Field, and now can take five of six from Wisconsin with another win on Sunday. It's a special Military Appreciation Weekend Sunday night game at 7:05 PM. Right-hander Tyler Schlaffer will get the start for the Cubs.
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