Chiefs Turn the Tables on the Cubs with Late Rally

South Bend, IN- A night after the South Bend Cubs rallied late to walk off with the series opener, the Peoria Chiefs returned the favor 24 hours later.

Trailing 2-0 entering the top of the ninth, the Chiefs plated three runs to squeak past the Cubs 3-2 on Wednesday. For Peoria, it was their sixth win in eight contests and their first victory against South Bend this season.

For the second straight night, both starting pitchers were on their game. Peoria starter Dionys Rodriguez, who entered the game with a 0.84 ERA, turned in three scoreless innings in his second start of the season. He’s allowed just one run over 13.2 innings this season.

Rodriguez was opposed by Cubs starter Luke Little who also entered the game with a 0.84 ERA. Little worked through a bases loaded jam in the fourth but otherwise was unfazed through five shutout frames.

South Bend scratched across the first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning against Peoria’s Ian Bedell. After a one-out single, Kevin Alcantara doubled to place runners at second and third for Kevin Made. The South Bend shortstop brought home the first run of the game on a sac fly to right.

Two innings later, it was Alcantara again, this time against Peoria’s Gustavo Rodriguez. His fourth hit and third double of the night scored Josue Huma to give the Cubs a 2-0 cushion. Haydn McGeary, the league’s leader in batting average, tacked on three hits for South Bend. The duo combined for seven of the club’s nine hits.

After the Cubs bullpen twirled three hitless innings, the Chiefs broke through in the ninth. A lead-off walk to Jimmy Crooks was followed by an Aaron McKeithan single to put runners at first and second with no one out. Following a pop out, Osvaldo Tovalin singled to right to score Crooks and cut the deficit to 2-1. After a strikeout, Francisco Hernandez played hero. With Peoria down their final out, Hernandez singled down the right field line to tie the game. Cubs right fielder Ezequial Pagan could not pick up the ball cleanly against the right field side wall, allowing Tovalin to score all the way from first to complete the comeback, 3-2. South Bend committed three errors in the contest.

In the bottom of the ninth, Chris Roycroft dispatched the Cubs in order to secure his first save of the year.

The series continues Thursday from South Bend. Left-hander Cooper Hjerpe will start for Peoria in search of his second professional win. First pitch is set for 7:05 EST/6:05 CST.