Devers Dominates in Cubs 9-2 Opener Victory Over Wisconsin
South Bend, IN - Last week, the South Bend Cubs picked up their biggest series win so far this season in Peoria, Illinois. With those four big wins, the Cubs got themselves right back in the conversation for the Midwest League West Division lead. That was only step one though.
South Bend, IN - Last week, the South Bend Cubs picked up their biggest series win so far this season in Peoria, Illinois. With those four big wins, the Cubs got themselves right back in the conversation for the Midwest League West Division lead. That was only step one though. South Bend toppled Peoria, but now it’s a massive series this week against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. The Rattlers own the playoff spot position right now, but on Tuesday night at Four Winds Field, the Cubs took down Wisconsin 9-2 in a brilliant start to the week.
Luis Devers took the ball for South Bend on the mound, fresh off his best start of the season. Devers also earned his first win of 2023 last Tuesday at Peoria. He made quick work of the Timber Rattlers by being aggressive early. Devers struck out the first man he faced, Robert Moore, on three pitches and off we went.
The 2022 Chicago Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year showed a terrific mix, along with his best changeup of the season so far. He also kept the Rattlers quite off-balanced with his plethora of different leg kicks and motions. As Devers commanded the strike zone, the offense backed him up.
The Cubs smacked 14 total hits in the game on Tuesday, and scored two runs in each of the first three innings. The top of the 1st featured the first High-A at-bat for 2023 Cubs first-round pick Matt Shaw. He tripled off the right-center field wall and then James Triantos immediately got him in on a two-run homer against Wisconsin lefty Nate Peterson.
South Bend picked up two more in the 2nd, this time thanks to Christian Franklin on another two-run homer. Franklin has now gone deep in three consecutive games at Four Winds Field.
The 3rd inning was just as kind with Moises Ballesteros and Josh Rivera both singling. Felix Stevens got them in on a two-run double, continuing his hitting streak to 11 straight games. Rivera, the Cubs 3rd-round selection from the Florida Gators, also made his Midwest League debut. At third base, Rivera looked sharp and both him and Shaw had base hits in their first contest as a South Bend Cub.
Back to Devers, he earned his second win in as many starts and penciled together five shutout innings with one hit allowed, no walks, and six strikeouts. Out of the bullpen, Max Bain tossed two innings of work, Stephen Gonsalves struck out the side in the 8th, and Tyler Santana got the final three outs in the 9th.
With the victory, the Cubs are two games back of the Timber Rattlers and Chiefs for the final playoff spot in the West Division. The Beloit Sky Carp lost tonight, so South Bend is only a game back of them. Game 2 of the series against Wisconsin will pick back up Wednesday night at 7:05 PM. Brody McCullough is the expected starter for the Cubs.