MWL South Bend Cubs

South Bend Scores Double Figures Again, Roast Rattlers 10-6

Published on May 10, 2023 under Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release


Appleton, WI - For the first time this season, the South Bend Cubs have plated 10 runs in a game on back-to-back days. After hammering the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers yesterday 10-1, South Bend outlasted the Snakes on Wednesday night 10-6 to win their second game of this long 12-game road trip.

The lead-up of the day was highlighted by Cade Horton's Midwest League debut. The 2022 Chicago Cubs first-round pick was promoted from Myrtle Beach Pelicans to the South Bend Cubs on Tuesday, and his first start came a day later. South Bend got him comfortable out there off-the-bat with another strong 1st inning at the plate in this series.

Yesterday, the Cubs scored a single-inning season high seven runs in the 1st. Wednesday had another big effort to get the game started as the Cubs plated two runs to take a lead before Horton threw his first pitch. Yohendrick Pinango smashed his first of three hits on the day to score Fabian Pertuz, and then Pinango later scored on a wild pitch from the Wisconsin starter Stiven Cruz.

Horton took the hill and started the first man he faced Eric Brown Jr. with an 0-2 count. Brown ended up working a walk, but was quickly swept away on a 1-4-3 double play turned by Horton, Scott McKeon, and Bryce Ball. Horton picked up his first South Bend Cubs strikeout on Darrien Miller to end the 1st.

In their next couple trips to the plate against Horton, the Timber Rattlers struck. They smashed three home runs against the former Oklahoma Sooner, and took a 6-3 lead. First, it was a three-run shot for Je'Von Ward in the 2nd, then a solo homer by Brown followed by a Ben Metzinger two-run bomb in the 3rd. The Rattlers led 6-2 after three innings.

In all, Horton worked 3.2 innings with six runs allowed, five hits, three walks, and four strikeouts in his South Bend Cubs debut.

That's when the comeback got started for South Bend though. They nearly immediately took Horton off the hook, and picked up four runs in the 4th. Christian Franklin got the hit parade started with a gapper double to the left-center field gap, scoring Ball. Scott McKeon then reached on an error, and Ezequiel Pagan singled to tie it at 6-6.

It was an elite day for Pagan, Pertuz, and Pinango. The 'Killer P's" hit 2-3-4 in the lineup, and had a combined nine hits, three each.

With the 6-6 tie, the game's momentum was set in both the 5th and 6th innings. Brad Deppermann worked 1.1 innings of scoreless ball, but in the 5th he struck out back-to-back Timber Rattlers to strand the go ahead run at third base.

In the 6th, the same exact thing happened with Frankie Scalzo Jr. on the mound. Scalzo worked out a no out jam with the go ahead run 90-feet away. With the pitchers locking it down, South Bend went to work again at the plate in the 7th.

Still tied, Pinango punched his third base hit into left field to score Pagan, Franklin doubled home Pinango and Kevin Made, and Casey Opitz brought in Franklin via a single for a 10-6 lead.

Joe Nahas locked down the final six outs, and South Bend now has back-to-back road wins in this series. With Beloit also winning, the Cubs will stay 1.5 games back of first place.

Earlier in the day, the roster changed quite a bit as Kohl Franklin was promoted from the South Bend Cubs to the Tennessee Smokies. Franklin was scheduled to start Friday this week, so the Cubs will have a rotation change. Righty Connor Noland is the scheduled starter for the Cubs on Thursday night in game three of the series.

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Midwest League Stories from May 10, 2023


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