Cubs Power Past Dayton With Two Big Innings

South Bend scored five unanswered runs and tossed eight scoreless innings en route to the 8-3 victory over the Dayton Dragons in the series opener Sunday afternoon at Fifth Third Field in Dayton, Ohio.

The Cubs (3-1) nabbed three runs in the third, but Dayton (1-3) countered with three of its own in the home half. From there, South Bend never looked back, as starting pitcher Zach Hedges and relievers Jasvir Rakkar (two hitless innings), James Norwood (one scoreless stanza) and Tommy Thorpe (a sharp ninth) kept the door closed, spoiling the Dragons' home opener in front of a big crowd on a picturesque day.

Cubs shortstop Gleyber Torres (2-for-4, two RBI, one run), third baseman Jason Vosler (3-for-5, two runs) and left fielder Rashad Crawford (2-for-2, three RBI, three runs and two walks) spearheaded the offensive effort.

Both starting pitchers lasted five innings, each allowing one big frame. Cubs righty Zach Hedges, Chicago's 26th-round pick this summer, gave up five hits, three runs (two earned), walked one and fanned two in his first professional start. Dayton righty Tejay Antone surrendered four runs (three earned), struck out six and walked three. Between the fourth and eighth innings, Cubs pitching didn't allow a hit over 15 batters.

For the fourth time in four games, South Bend jumped on the board first. The Cubs used back-to-back singles from Vosler and Crawford, a triple from Trey Martin and a single from Torres - as well as two stolen bases - to plate three in the third against Antone.

Dayton countered in the last of the third when No. 9 hitter Garrett Boulware laced an RBI double down the left-field line to bring in Jimmy Pickens. Two more Dragons reached on a close play at first and an error by Torres, on which Boulware scored to make it 3-2. Brian O'Grady's RBI groundout erased the short-lived lead and tied the game, 3-3.

Antone settled in over the next few innings but allowed an unearned run in the fifth when Torres' RBI groundout scored Crawford, who had advanced to third on an error by Dayton shortstop Luis Gonzalez.

Crawford extended South Bend's lead to 6-3 in the seventh with a two-run single clocked against the drawn-in Dayton defense. Dayton reliever Jeremy Kivel then walked in a pair of runs to push South Bend ahead 8-3.

Rakkar, Norwood and Thorpe held on for the win.

Cubs right fielder Jeffrey Baez made a nifty running catch tucked in the corner near the foul pole to take away a hit from Dayton third baseman Gavin LaValley in the first inning. Second baseman David Bote sprawled out to make a diving stab to end the fourth.

The Cubs clash with the Dragons in game two Monday at 7 p.m. ET at Fifth Third Field in Dayton. South Bend right-hander Trevor Clifton is scheduled to oppose Dayton left-hander Seth Varner.