Cubs rally past Locos, 8-5
LANSING, Mich. – Jonathon Long broke a 5-5 tie with an RBI single in the top of the ninth inning, Felix Stevens added a two-run double two batters later, and the South Bend Cubs (7-15) took the opener of a six-game series from the Lansing Locos (10-12), 8-5, on Tuesday
LANSING, Mich. – Jonathon Long broke a 5-5 tie with an RBI single in the top of the ninth inning, Felix Stevens added a two-run double two batters later, and the South Bend Cubs (7-15) took the opener of a six-game series from the Lansing Locos (10-12), 8-5, on Tuesday evening at Jackson® Field™.
South Bend trailed 3-1 and 5-3, but scored five unanswered runs in the final three innings to prevail.
21-year-old Lansing right-hander Luis Morales, the Oakland Athletics’ top pitching prospect, struck out four batters in 4 1/3 innings in his 2024 debut, allowing six hits, two walks and three runs.
Morales departed with a 3-2 lead, but the Cubs squared the score on a bases-loaded walk from Jack Owen in the fifth inning.
Euribiel Ángeles lined a bases-loaded, two-run single in the bottom of the sixth off Angel Hernandez to put Lansing back in front, only to see South Bend respond in the late-going.
In the seventh inning, Long singled in Pedro Ramirez off Luis Carrasco, trimming the lead to 5-4.
Stevens then led off the eighth against Carrasco with a game-tying home run.
And in the ninth, Ramirez opened with a single against Colton Johnson, Yohendrick Piñango drew a one-out walk, and Long singled up the middle to plate Ramirez to give the Cubs their first lead since 1-0 in the third inning. After a Parker Chavers fielder’s choice, Steven swatted a high fly to right-center that center fielder Brayan Buelvas lost in the lights, allowing both Long and Chavers to score.
Grayson Moore struck out two in a hitless bottom of the ninth, issuing a two-out walk to Dereck Salom before retiring Henry Bolte on a groundout to end the game.
Salom entered the game after Colby Halter was ejected for arguing a caught-stealing call at second base in the third inning.
In the loss, both Bolte and Will Simpson collected a pair of hits and Buelvas slugged his team-leading fourth home run of the year.
Wednesday is an 11:05 a.m. Grand Slam School Day on a Dog Days of Summer, with Lansing right-hander Jacob Watters taking on South Bend right-hander Will Sanders. Tickets are available for purchase at the Jackson® Field™ box office, available for purchase at (517) 485-4500 or online at milb.com/lansing.
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