Cubs Start Season Strong with 5-2 Extra Innings Win in Quad Cities
Davenport, IA - The South Bend Cubs picked up right where they left off last September on Opening Day for the 2023 Midwest League season. In a back-and-forth battle against the Quad Cities River Bandits from Modern Woodmen Park, the Cubs outlasted the Bandits 5-2 in 10 innings. It marked
Davenport, IA - The South Bend Cubs picked up right where they left off last September on Opening Day for the 2023 Midwest League season. In a back-and-forth battle against the Quad Cities River Bandits from Modern Woodmen Park, the Cubs outlasted the Bandits 5-2 in 10 innings. It marked a bit of revenge for South Bend after falling to Quad Cities on Opening Day, 2022, as well in extra innings.
In what was the best Opening Day weather in recent memory, a sunny but crisp 61 degree evening was the backdrop for the first action of the year. The big storyline of the game was the South Bend Cubs debut for Chicago Cubs number-two overall prospect Kevin Alcántara.
The Cubs got the night started positively with Bradlee Beesley working a base on balls to leadoff the contest. He was pushed to third base and then ultimately scored when Alcántara bounced a ball to third base. On a diving effort, Cayden Wallace got a throw off to first base, but it was a wild throw. Beesley easily scored as Alcántara was credited with the single but no RBI.
Later in the 4th, the Cubs added onto their lead when returning South Bend Cub and Midwest League Champion Fabian Pertuz knocked in a run on a groundout. The run support set the table for Richard Gallardo’s work on the mound. Gallardo, who was with South Bend until the playoffs last season, pitched in one of the most efficient games of his career.
In five shutout innings, Gallardo allowed three hits, walked one, and struck out four. That included a 1-2-3 bottom of the 1st. Gallardo also had to work out of a monster jam in the 2nd inning. After three consecutive baserunners reached to open the frame, Gallardo worked with the bases juiced and nobody out. He responded with two strikeouts and a fly out to escape.
After Gallardo departed, Joe Nahas entered the game. Nahas was a huge part of the 2022 Midwest League Championship clincher as he pitched three strong innings to help the Cubs that September night. Quad Cities got on the board in the 6th on a two-run base hit by River Town. Both runs were unearned for Nahas.
Eventually, the game would lead to extra innings. But not before Sheldon Reed had to put the lockdown on the River Bandits in the 9th. Quad Cities had the game winning run on third base in Javier Vaz, but Reed struck out Wallace to take the game into the 10th.
South Bend’s bats exploded for an outburst in the 10th, thanks to a RBI base hit from Haydn McGeary. The game winning hit belonged to McGeary, who made his Midwest League debut at first base. Knowing that they would need some insurance, Pertuz continued his Opening Day dominance with a two run single up the middle.
Last year, Pertuz homered against Quad Cities on Opening Day. And this year he had a three RBI game. In the bottom of the 10th, Reed briskly worked through the frame and struck out both Kale Emshoff and Town to end the game.
With the victory, the Cubs get the season started with a bang and will play game two of the campaign Saturday evening at 7:30 PM ET. Left-hander Luke Little with take the ball for the Cubs in his 2023 debut.