MWL South Bend Cubs

South Bend Handles River Bandits 3-1 to Stay Unbeaten

April 9, 2023 - Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release


South Bend, IN - The South Bend Cubs got as close to their first no-hitter since 2021 in recent memory on Saturday night against the Quad Cities River Bandits, but settled for a 3-1 victory to improve to 2-0 on the young 2023 season. With the win, South Bend has already won the three-game opening weekend series, and will go for the sweep on Easter Sunday.

As he patrolled to the mound for his 2023 debut, big lefty Luke Little had his stuff working early. He was able to escape jams with ease, as Quad Cities put two men on base almost immediately in the game. Little struck out Carter Jensen to end that early chance.

Due to pitch counts and the nature of the early season, Little departed after four innings and 56 pitches. However, he put on a performance worth nothing as the former fourth-round pick by the Chicago cubs tossed four innings of no-hit baseball. Little did not allow a run, walked two, and struck out four.

He also exited with the lead. Matching Little's effort on the other side was Quad Cities starter William Fleming. The former Wake Forest star right-hander had one bad inning, which was sandwiched between two brilliant ones. In the top of the 2nd, the Cubs got to Fleming as Yohendrick Pinango doubled, then Fabian Pertuz walked. Later, Casey Opitz came to the plate in his first at-bat of the season. On a ball laced down the right field line, both Pinango and Pertuz came around to score. It was a 2-0 Cubs lead quickly established.

After Little departed the game, that gave way to right-hander Tyler Santana. In his first action of the campaign, Santana was equally good in three innings of his own. He also did not surrender a hit. Santana did walk four batters, but that also matched his strikeout total. Santana was able to work around the adversity and hung three zeroes on the video board.

As Quad Cities was without a hit going to the bottom of the 8th inning, Carlos Guzman entered the game in what was his Chicago Cubs organization debut. Guzman was acquired from the Detroit Tigers in March, in exchange for MLB infielder Zach McKinstry. Guzman, who was assigned to South Bend's Opening Day roster, pitched with the West Michigan Whitecaps of the Midwest League prior to come to the Cubs.

Guzman began his Cubs career beautifully, recording two quick outs. The River Bandits had just 4 outs to work with, still down 2-0. The next batter was Gavin Cross, the ninth-overall selection in the 2022 MLB Draft. Unexpectedly, Cross did not have a base hit yet in the series. That changed on a towering home run over the right field wall to bring Quad Cities back within a run.

The Cubs would earn that run right back though, when Haydn McGeary picked up his second RBI in as many days on a double off the left-center field wall. Kevin Alcántara came home to score, and South Bend led 3-1.

In the bottom of the 9th, Guzman trotted back out to the mound and struck out the side to close things out, earning the save. For South Bend, they are 2-0 for the second time in three seasons. In the series finale Sunday, right-hander Brandon Birdsell is expected to make his professional debut on the mound. Birdsell was selected in the fifth-round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Texas Tech.

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Midwest League Stories from April 9, 2023


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