Schlaffer Shines as Quad Cities Wins 2-1 in 10 Innings
May 29, 2025 - Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release
Davenport, IA - Arguably with the greatest starting pitching performance in South Bend Cubs history, right-hander and South Chicago Suburbs native Tyler Schlaffer put together an eight inning masterpiece in a career best outing on Wednesday against the Quad Cities River Bandits. In 10 innings however, Quad Cities got the best of South Bend, winning in walk-off fashion 2-1.
Schlaffer came into Wednesday's outing looking to get back to how he started the season, where he struck out a career high eight batters against West Michigan in early April. After surrendering six runs in his last outing against Wisconsin, Schlaffer faced Quad Cities for a fourth time in his career tonight.
Working a scoreless first and second inning, Schlaffer allowed his first hit on a single to Omar Hernandez in the bottom of the 3rd. Hernandez later scored on a fielder's choice ground ball to first base, and took a 1-0 lead.
Facing River Bandits starter Felix Arronde, the Cubs got to him for the first and only time in the top of the 5th, after Reivaj Garcia reached base on a dropped-third strike. Garcia was then brought in via a blast double off the center field wall smacked by Jefferson Rojas. With two hits tonight, Rojas is now batting .344 in the month of May.
Tied at 1-1, Schlaffer went back to work. The final five innings of his outing were all perfection. Five consecutive 1-2-3 innings to close things out. Schlaffer is the first South Bend Cubs pitcher in the last decade to throw eight innings in a start, and the first since Erick Leal in 2015.
South Bend had a base-runner in the 9th inning, thanks to a Reggie Preciado base hit. But he was unable to score. Preciado is on a four-game hitting streak after homering on Tuesday.
The game went to extras, and Luis Rujano, who pitched a scoreless 9th inning, was back on for the 10th. South Bend got courtesy-automatic runner Rafael Morel to third base, but couldn't plate the go-ahead run.
In the bottom of the 10th, Carson Roccaforte laid down an infield bunt single, and with runners at second and third, Austin Charles won the game for QC on an RBI-sacrifice fly. Colton Becker scored the game winning run, and the River Bandits have won the first two games this week.
Schlaffer took a no-decision, and finished his line with eight innings, one run allowed, one hit, one walk, and he matched a career-high with eight strikeouts.
South Bend and Quad Cities will play game three of this week's series Thursday night at 7:30 PM ET. Left-hander Evan Aschenbeck will pitch for the Cubs.
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