Bats Bury Fort Wayne in Series Finale

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - After being held to just two runs in the first two games of the series, South Bend piled up 12 hits in a 7-4 win over Fort Wayne on Sunday afternoon at Four Winds Field.

"What was important today was just keeping the game simple, just going out getting good at-bats, driving in runs and playing defense," Cubs outfielder Charcer Burks said.

Following a 92-minute rain delay, the Cubs (28-27 second half, 57-65 overall) erupted for four runs on four hits and two errors in the bottom of the first and never looked back, salvaging the series finale against the TinCaps (36-19 second half, 68-55 overall). The Cubs began the afternoon six games behind West Michigan for second place in the Midwest League's Eastern Division.

"This win was big for us in terms of trying to make a push for playoffs," Burks said.

South Bend right fielder Jeffrey Baez (2-for-4, two runs, one double, one RBI), Burks (3-for-4, one home run, two RBI), designated hitter Kevin Encarnacion (3-for-4, two runs, two stolen bases) and third baseman Jesse Hodges (2-for-4, one run, two doubles, one RBI) powered the offense.

South Bend starter Zach Hedges allowed four runs (two earned) in 4.2 innings, striking out three and walking three. Right-handed reliever Ryan McNeil tossed 2.1 scoreless frames, and fellow righty Corbin Hoffner picked up the save with two shutout innings.

Burks blasted a two-run home run to left field in the bottom of the first, pushing South Bend to an early 2-0 advantage.

"I was just more hoping that it went out," said Burks, who flew out to the warning track twice Saturday. "The ones I hit yesterday I thought had a good chance."

Two batters later, Cubs second baseman David Bote launched a solo shot to make it 3-0. Encarnacion later scored after two Fort Wayne errors.

TinCaps shortstop Ruddy Giron tugged an RBI double down the left-field line in the third to plate leadoff man Michael Gettys and pull Fort Wayne within three, 4-1.

Fort Wayne climbed within two, 4-2, in the fourth on an error by Cubs shortstop Bryant Flete.

South Bend grabbed a run back in the home fourth. Hodges led off with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a bunt single by Baez. Later, with Baez at third, the Cubs sent the runner from first, Burks, and Baez sprinted home and dived in safely to widen the gap to 6-2.

With two outs in the fifth, Fort Wayne added another and made it 6-3 on a second error by Flete. Catcher Michael Miller then snuck an RBI double down the left-field line to tally another unearned run and cut the deficit to 6-4.

Hodges sliced an RBI double to right field in the seventh to score Encarnacion and stretch the lead to 7-4.

South Bend travels to Comstock Park, Michigan, on a Monday to begin a three-game series against West Michigan at 7:00 p.m. ET at Fifth Third Ballpark.

"Just doing exactly what we did today, keeping the game simple, taking it one game at a time and one inning at a time and trying to win that," Burks said of the keys in the upcoming series.

Cubs right-hander Erick Leal (4.27 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Whitecaps righty Ross Seaton (3.53 ERA).