South Bend Cubs Tie Game in Ninth, Fall in 12th
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - After overcoming a slew of errors and additional miscues and tying the game in the bottom of the ninth inning, South Bend couldn't pull out the series sweep against the Hot Rods, dropping the finale, 7-5, on a beautiful Saturday night at Four Winds Field.
Cubs center fielder Rashad Crawford smacked a two-out, game-tying single in the bottom of the ninth to even the score, 5-5, and South Bend's bullpen stonewalled the Bowling Green lineup for six innings. But the Hot Rods (1-2) struck for two runs in the 12th and downed South Bend (2-1).
Bowling Green third baseman Jace Conrad launched an RBI triple to deep center field against South Bend's drawn-in defense in the top of the 12th inning to put the Hot Rods ahead 6-5. Cleanup hitter Casey Gillaspie then scalded a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Conrad and extend the advantage to 7-5.
The Cubs were charged with two errors and committed multiple additional miscues defensively, and the Hot Rods scratched out 10 hits against South Bend pitching.
Cubs right-handed starting pitcher Erick Leal worked five innings, surrendering eight hits, four runs (two earned), two walks and striking out three. The 20-year old Venezuelan, a standout with Boise in the Northwest League last season, sat 91-93 MPH with his fastball early, touching 94, and carried 90 MPH into his final inning.
Leal avoided trouble in the first inning. With runners at second and third and one out, Leal kept the game scoreless, thanks in large part to a bang-bang play at home plate. After his pitch skittered away from South Bend catcher Gioskar Amaya, Leal covered the plate and slapped down the tag on Bowling Green center fielder Thomas Milone, coming from third, at the dish.
South Bend crafted some two-out offense in the second inning to start the scoring. Shortstop Gleyber Torres collected his first Midwest League hit by legging out a slow-roller to third. First baseman Jason Vosler then cracked an RBI triple to right-center field and came around to score himself moments later after a wild pitch by Bowling Green starting pitcher Hyrum Formo.
The Hot Rods cut the deficit in half, 2-1, on an RBI double to right field from designated hitter Nick Ciuffo in the fourth inning. Bowling Green then knotted the game in the fifth. Two South Bend defensive miscues packed the bases for the top of the Hot Rods lineup. Second baseman Riley Unroe laced an RBI single to right field to tie the game, 2-2, and third baseman's Jace Conrad RBI groundout gave Bowling Green its first lead of the series, 3-2. Right fielder Justin Williams drove a sacrifice fly to left field to extend the margin to 4-2.
The sloppy defensive evening continued when Cubs leadoff hitter Charcer Burks skied a fly ball to center field, where Milone last track of it. Burks raced all the way to third with a triple and scored on an RBI groundout by Chesny Young as the Cubs inched back, 4-3. But South Bend gave the run right back in the seventh on an error by Vosler.
South Bend threatened with runners at first and third and nobody out in the seventh, but Gillaspie made a diving stab on a hot shot by Crawford to maintain the two-run lead.
The Cubs broke through in the eighth. Burks led off with a slicing double that scraped the chalk down the right-field line and scored on a wild pitch by Bowling Green flamethrower Damion Carroll, bringing South Bend within one at 5-4. With runners at the corners and Torres batting with two outs, Jeffrey Baez safely stole second. But pinch-runner David Bote bolted home from third and was gunned down at the plate.
Torres began the ninth inning with an infield single on which he advanced to second via a throwing error by Unroe. Torres moved to third on a wild pitch. With two outs, Crawford climbed into the box and roped the game-tying single to left-center field to tie the game, 5-5, and force extra innings.
Baez led off the 11th inning with a double to the left-center field gap but was left stranded as Hot Rods reliever Brian Miller worked out of harm's way.
After blowing the save, Miller was credited with the win. South Bend reliever Francisco Carrillo took the loss, and Hot Rods righty Mike Franco earned the save.
South Bend right-hander Ryan McNeil struck out five in three innings of relief work. A third-round draft pick in 2012, McNeil underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2013 and only logged 16 innings in 2014 with Boise.
Burks (2-for-6, two runs), Baez (2-for-4, two doubles) and Torres (3-for-4, two runs) each had multi-hit nights.
South Bend hits the road Sunday for a six-game road trip that starts with a matchup against the Dayton Dragons (1-2) on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET. South Bend right-hander Zach Hedges is scheduled to start opposite Tejay Antone.