Romero Locks Down Save as Cubs Edge Kernels 4-3

South Bend, IN - In another tight finish down the stretch, the South Bend Cubs clawed through bases loaded jams in both the 8th and 9th innings against the Cedar Rapids Kernels to edge out a 4-3 victory. South Bend has now won three games this week, and will look for their home series win on Sunday afternoon, after winning their first series of 2024 on the road last week at Lansing.

Nick Hull got the start for South Bend, and C.J. Culpepper was on the mound for Cedar Rapids. Culpepper, in his only other career start against the Cubs last year, pitched only an inning and gave up five runs against South Bend last August. Today, he was much more efficient, but both starters gave up a run in the first inning.

For the Kernels, they jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st, but that would be all that Hull would surrender all day. South Bend answered right back in the bottom of the 1st when Pedro Ramirez tripled, and was brought home on a sacrifice fly RBI from Jefferson Rojas.

With that 1-1 score, both starters locked in to pitch strong outings. Hull went a full five innings, giving up the one run. But as he left after five innings, he was put in line for the win thanks to Yohendrick Pinango, who doubled home Ramirez. Pinango extended his hitting streak to 17 straight games, and has been on base 25 games in a row.

With the 17-game hit streak, Pinango has tied the best mark for a South Bend Cubs hitter again. He also had hits in 17 straight back in 2022. He is joined by Jefferson Rojas earlier this year, Roberto Caro in 2018, and Eloy Jimenez in 2016. With a base hit on Sunday, Pinango would set a new team best since South Bend became a Chicago affiliate in 2015.

South Bend added a couple of insurance runs when Stevens later scored Pinango on a single, and in the 7th when Pinango brought home another RBI via a sac fly.

Up 4-1, Aaron Perry made his Four Winds Field debut, working 1.1 shutout innings. Grayson Moore also added 1.1 scoreless frames of his own, but the bases were loaded against him in the 8th. The Cubs brought in Jose Romero, who struck out Nate Baez to end that inning.

In the 9th, the notch was turned up once more when Cedar Rapids loaded the bases again. They got two runs, one on a base hit, the other on a wild pitch, but Romero got Misael Urbina to ground out to end things. The Cubs won it 4-3.

South Bend will be in search of the series win on Sunday afternoon with right-hander Tyler Schlaffer on the mound. First pitch is set for 2:05 PM from Four Winds Field.