(South Bend, IN) - Gregori Vasquez and Erling Moreno put on a clinic on the rubber, but Monday night's game was defined by one play in the eighth inning. With the game tied at 1-1, Jimmy Herron pulled off a squeeze play that scored Miguel Amaya and lifted the South
(South Bend, IN) - Gregori Vasquez and Erling Moreno put on a clinic on the rubber, but Monday night's game was defined by one play in the eighth inning. With the game tied at 1-1, Jimmy Herron pulled off a squeeze play that scored Miguel Amaya and lifted the South Bend Cubs (22-28, 56-63) to a 2-1 victory over the Lake County Captains (20-29, 49-70) in the third game of a four-game series at Four Winds Field.
The eighth inning began well for the Captains. After pitching a perfect seventh with two strikeouts, Lake County lefty Adam Scott struck out the first man of the eighth, as well. Amaya, however, followed with a double to centerfield and Austin Filiere singled up the middle to put runners on the corners. With Herron at the plate, Amaya started toward home and Herron placed a perfect bunt in the grass toward third. Amaya scored easily, as Tyler Friis barehanded and threw out Herron at first.
Lake County had scored the first run of the game in the opening frame. Gabriel Mejia began the contest by hitting a line drive to right. Chris Singleton dove, but could not make the catch, and Mejia hustled to second with a leadoff double as the ball rolled behind the right fielder. Mejia advanced to third on a fly ball to right by Friis and scored when Joshua Rolette drove a deep fly ball to the wall in right-centerfield to give the Captains a 1-0 lead.
South Bend tied the score in the third. Singleton began the inning with a single and stole second. With one out, Christian Donahue singled to right and Cubs Manager Jimmy Gonzalez held Singleton at third. Oscar Gonzalez fired to the plate, but his throw took a high bounce over Rolette's head. Singleton broke for home and scored easily to put South Bend in front on the throwing error.
The Captains had a chance to reclaim the lead in the fourth, but got caught on the bases. Rolette hit a one-out single and Gonzalez followed with a double to put men on second and third. South Bend pulled the infield in and Will Benson hit a hard grounder to Cam Balego at first. Rolette initially broke toward the plate, but stopped and Balego caught the baserunner in a pickle. Balego threw to Filiere at third, who threw to Amaya. The catcher chased Rolette back to third and tossed to shortstop Rafael Narea for the tag out. Benson was then stuck between first and second base and Narea threw to second baseman Delvin Zinn. He chased Benson back to first and tagged him out for an inning-ending 3-5-2-6-4 double play. The Captains never advanced another runner into scoring position.
Vasquez and Moreno did not factor in the decision, but both pitched well. Vasquez held the Cubs to one run on six hits over six innings. The right-hander walked one, struck out one and recorded 15 of his 18 outs in the air. Moreno pitched seven innings and gave up one run on five hits. He struck out four and walked one.
Cubs reliever Manuel Rodriguez earned the win. Rodriguez (3-3) pitched perfect frames in the eighth and ninth. He struck out the side in the ninth and recorded four punch-outs in total.
Scott (0-1) suffered the loss for Lake County. The southpaw pitched two innings and surrendered one run on two hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
The Captains have lost two straight one-run games and have fallen in two out of three games in South Bend. They will try to even the series in the final game on Tuesday night. First pitch at Four Winds Field is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Information about Classic Park or the Captains can be found online at www.captainsbaseball.com and by phone at 440-954-WINS (9467). Affordable ticket packages and group party and picnic options are available now.
