Beloit pulls into first-place tie, takes series opener with South Bend

SOUTH BEND, IN - The Sky Carp opened the biggest series of the season to date with a 5-2 win over the South Bend Cubs on Tuesday night at Four Winds Field. With the win, Beloit ties South Bend for first place in the Midwest League West second half standings.

The ‘Carp grabbed the lead early, as Bennett Hostetler drove in a run on a fielder’s choice in the first and Kyler Castillo scored on a passed ball in the second.

On the other side of the scorecard, MD Johnson cruised through the Cubs lineup, working a perfect first three innings.

In the bottom of the fourth, Pete Crow-Armstrong snapped the perfect game with a bunt hit and eventually came around to score on a wild pitch, which trimmed Beloit’s lead to 2-1. Johnson quickly regained a stranglehold on the game to record a scoreless fifth inning.

In the sixth, the Sky Carp lead burgeoned with a Zach Zubia opposite field 2-run homer which pushed the lead up to 4-1.

Johnson finished his outing with a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth and exited the game with a sterling two-hit, eight strikeout outing. The start drops Johnson’s league-leading ERA to 2.97.

Victor Mesa Jr delivered an insurance run in the top of the seventh thanks to an RBI single that scored Cody Morissette. It turned out Beloit didn’t need the backup, but it nearly did.

In the bottom of the eighth, Josan Mendez allowed a leadoff triple to BJ Murray and then an RBI single to Crow-Armstrong. Mendez then hit Jordan Nwogu to bring the tying run to the plate in the form of Luis Verdugo with two outs.

On the 2-0 pitch, Verdugo ripped a fly ball deep to left field that fell just short of a homer, and Tevin Mitchell made the catch to end the threat.

Chandler Jozwiak allowed a double in the ninth with two outs but nailed down the save with little trouble.

The victory boosts Beloit’s record to 56-52 and 25-18 in the second half.

The Sky Carp will have the opportunity to take sole possession of first place in the second half on Wednesday evening in the second game of the series. Edgar Sanchez takes the mound for Beloit with first pitch set for 7:05 ET, 6:05 CT. Fans can tune into the action on the Big Radio App (Beloit broadcast), or on the Marquee Sports Network (Cubs broadcast).