South Bend Secures 7-6 ‘Education Day’ Victory Over Kernels

South Bend, IN - It was a ballgame that went about as back-and-forth as one could, that also featured a dramatic ending. A 7-6 final, South Bend won their first game over Cedar Rapids this week, and will look for their first home series victory later on in the homestand.

Will Sanders got the start for the Cubs, in his fifth career pro outing. Sanders allowed a lead-off home run to the first batter of the game, Luke Keaschall, but responded well by not only striking out the next batter, but also sending down six Kernels in a row. His resiliency set up the Cubs to hit in the next frame, and the opportunity to take the lead.

Cedar Rapids starter Miguelangel Boadas allowed a single from Rafael Morel to start the game, and then he hit two consecutive hitters, loading the bases. The next batter was Felix Stevens, who crushed a grand slam over the left-center field wall for a 4-1 advantage.

Sanders then settled in, working a 1-2-3 2nd frame. However, first baseman Keoni Cavaco also hammered a home run to begin the top of the 3rd inning. Just like the last one, Sanders struck out the next batter, and worked the rest of the inning in scoreless fashion.

Out of the bullpen, Chase Watkins looked very sharp in his best outing as a South Bend Cub to date. Watkins tossed 3.1 shutout frames, and walked only one, along with three strikeouts. Still, the late innings provided some dramatics to finish things up.

South Bend picked up their final run when Pedro Ramirez singled home Reivaj Garcia. Now up to a nine-game hitting streak, and an 11 game on-base streak, Garcia has been rolling as of late. Also stretching his streaks further was Yohendrick Pinango, who is now up to a 13-game hit streak, and 22 in a row on base.

Together in the 8th, Watkins and Jose Romero combined to strikeout the side. But in the 9th, Cedar Rapids started it with a solo homer from Willie Joe Garry Jr. Then, Dillon Tatum was hit by a pitch. The next batter was Keaschall, who represented the go-ahead run.

Keaschall chopped a ball up the middle, where Jefferson Rojas picked it up at shortstop. Rojas stepped on the bag at second, and fired a throw to first for a 6-3 double play.

To finish the game, with runners at first and third, Danny De Andrade smacked a base hit to left for the Kernels. The hit did score a run, making it 7-6. On the play, the runner from first base, Rubel Cespedes, over ran the bag at second. Pinango threw the ball there, and then the Cubs got him in a run down between Garcia and Ramirez, tagging him out to finish the game.

It was a massive break, but the Cubs escaped with the win, and now have the series tied at one game apiece. Thursday night will feature a 7:05 PM first pitch between the two clubs, with right-hander Tyler Santana on the mound for South Bend. The game will be aired live on Marquee Sports Network.