David Bote one of Cubs heroes in 3-1 win
COMSTOCK PARK, MI - David Bote scored the tying run early and drove home the eventual game-winning run late for South Bend, pacing the Cubs to a 3-1 victory over the West Michigan Whitecaps at Fifth Third Ballpark Saturday night.
West Michigan got on the board first with Rashad Brown scoring on Mike Gerber's sacrifice fly in the first inning. South Bend answered in the third, as Gleyber Torres brought home Bote with an RBI single. The Cubs broke through for two runs in the seventh, ignited by a leadoff single from Gioskar Amaya. Bote then plated Amaya with the go-ahead run on a single to center, and Jesse Hodges scored an insurance run as David Gonzalez committed a throwing error attempting to turn a would-be inning-ending double play.
Making his first start of the season, James Norwood lasted four innings for South Bend. The right-hander yielded only one run on three hits, notching a strikeout and a walk. Ryan McNeil (1-2) picked up the win in relief for the Cubs, throwing 2.1 no-hit innings and surrendering just one walk while striking out five. Alex Santana worked around two baserunners in the ninth for his first save in 2015. Jeff Thompson (4-9) took the hard-luck loss for the Whitecaps, but posted a quality start by working 6.1 innings and allowing just two earned runs on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts. The Whitecaps record falls to 17-12 in the season's second half, bringing their overall record to 50-48. South Bend improves to 16-14 this half, with a combined record of 45-52.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps conclude this three-game series with the South Bend Cubs Sunday at 1:00p.m. Pitcher Trey Teakell starts for the Whitecaps against Zach Hedges for the Cubs. Radio coverage with Dan Hasty and Ryan Schuiling begins at 12:50pm. A reminder that season, group and individual tickets can be reserved for any 2015 home game by calling the Whitecaps' front office at 616-784-4131 or visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com.