Walk-off Walk Propels River Bandits Over Cubs 3-2 in Extras
May 30, 2025 - Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release
Davenport, IA - For the second time this week, the South Bend Cubs have been walked-off in extra innings by the Quad Cities River Bandits. On Friday night on the banks of the Mississippi River at Modern Woodmen Park, the Cubs held a late lead, but a comeback from Quad Cites tied it, before they won it 3-2 in the 10th inning.
Erian Rodriguez got the start for the Cubs, and Josh Hansell was on the bump for Quad Cities. Both starters were making their second Midwest League starts of 2025. For Hansell, the former Arizona State man worked a 1-2-3 top of the 1st inning. From Rodriguez's standpoint, his first inning featured an early run allowed for the second consecutive start.
From there, Rodriguez locked in and did not allow a run for the rest of his start. On the flip side of the coin, Hansell was forced to work out of jam-after-jam, allowing a leadoff single in each inning from the 2nd through the 5th. From a Cubs perspective, South Bend was not able to capitalize on any of those leadoff hits to turn them into runs, until the last one.
After an Ariel Armas leadoff single in the 5th, Carter Trice also smacked a base hit, his first since returning from the Injured List. Cristian Hernandez stepped up to the plate, and laced a single into left-center to give South Bend their first advantage.
For Hernandez, he is on a six-game on-base streak, and in that stretch has 10 RBI. The two-run single by Hernandez would be all South Bend would get on Friday, however. Thanks to a lockdown bullpen performance from right-hander Jesus Rios, who tossed 3.1 shutout innings, Quad Cities kept themselves in the game.
Connor Schultz worked two scoreless innings out of the Cubs bullpen, and Quad Cities was down to their final six outs of the game. In the 8th, Sam Kulasingam doubled to start the frame, and scored the tying run when the Cubs made back-to-back errors on a pickoff play.
The bottom of the 9th featured some high drama. Chris Brito started the inning with a base hit, and Omar Hernandez walked. With two runners on and nobody out, the Bandits had the winning run on base. A sacrifice-bunt pushed the runners to second and third. With one out, Colton Becker stepped up. South Bend brought Edgar Alvarez in from left field to act as the fifth infielder, to prevent a ball from getting into the outfield grass. Becker lifted a pop fly to shallow right field. Andy Garriola raced in about 100 feet to make an improbable sliding catch, keeping the runners where they are.
The next batter was the leadoff man Erick Torres. With the winning run at third base, Torres chopped a slow roller to third. Reggie Preciado charged, gloved the ball, fired a running throw to first base, and got Torres. South Bend escaped the inning.
With the game tied at 2-2, South Bend and Quad Cities went to extras. In the top of the 10th, South Bend failed to score, and Vince Reilly took over in the bottom of the 10th.
Quad Cities had the bases loaded; With the courtesy runner, combined with a bunt single and intentional all resulting in base runners. Carter Frederick worked a long at-bat, and with a 3-2 count, took a walk to end the game.
With the loss, South Bend has dropped three of the first four games this week. To settle for a series split, the Cubs will need to win Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's game begins at 6:30 PM ET, with right-hander Ryan Gallagher on the mound.o
Midwest League Stories from May 30, 2025
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