Cubs & Flying Tigers split first two
Sunday
Trailing 2-0 in the eighth inning, Daytona sparked a rally off LHP Shawn Teufel (H, 1) on a walk to C Chad Noble and a double from RF Elieser Bonne. RHP Matt Little (L, 2-4) came on and walked DH Matt Szczur to load the bases, and SS Arismendy Alcantara was then walked on four pitches to bring home Daytona's first run. RHP Victor Larez (BS, 1) relieved Little and surrendered a sacrifice fly to CF Rubi Silva, scoring Bonne from third to tie the game 2-2. After Szczur and Alcantara stole third and second base, 1B Rebel Ridling lined a single to center, scoring both runners and giving the Cubs a 4-2 lead.
Daytona added a run of insurance off RHP Ryan Woolley in the ninth when Noble knocked in 2B Roni Torreyes with a single to center. The Cubs catcher went 2-3 with an RBI and a run scored in his first start since July 3, and was robbed of an extra base hit by LF Marcus Lemon on a line drive to the left-center field warning track.
Although he never had a 1-2-3 inning, LHP Austin Kirk held Lakeland to just two runs on seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts over six innings. The southpaw escaped danger on several occasions, stranding eight runners, including five in scoring position.
RHP A.J. Morris (W, 4-2) pitched two strong frames, allowing just one hit with two strikeouts in the seventh and eighth, while RHP Brian Schlitter (S, 1) pitched a perfect ninth to seal the win.
RHP Brian Stroud was dominant in his six innings of work, holding the Cubs scoreless on one hit despite walking a season-high three hitters. Daytona only reached second base once through the first six frames, when Szczur walked and stole a bag with two outs in the third. The Cubs never had more than two base runners in a single inning against Stroud.
The Flying Tigers scored two runs in the third inning, when RF Luis Castillo drew a lead-off walk. After SS Dixon Machado bunted him over, DH Tyler Collins hammered an RBI double to right, followed by an RBI single from 3B Wade Gaynor to make it 2-0.
Saturday
With the Cubs trailing 6-3 in the top of the ninth, C Taylor Davis belted a two-run homer over the left-field fence to cut the deficit to one, but C Micah Gibbs, RF Elieser Bonne and 2B Roni Torreyes all popped out to end the game.
The Flying Tigers ambushed RHP P.J. Francescon (L, 1-3) in the first three innings, plating five runs on eight hits to grab an early 5-1 lead. Lakeland hitters feasted on Francescon's first-pitch fastballs, including LF Tyler Collins, who launched a two-run homer over the right-center field wall in the first inning to give Lakeland a 2-0 advantage.
1B James Robbins led off the second inning with a single, and a fielding error from SS Arismendy Alcantara put runners on the corners with nobody out. Francescon induced a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of 2B Marcus Lemon, but Robbins scored from third on the play.
The Tigers plated two more in the third inning, when SS Dixon Machado and Collins led off with singles. 3B Wade Gaynor grounded into a 5-4-3 double play, but CF Daniel Fields drove in Machado from third with an RBI single and C Curt Casali grounded a double past third base to plate Fields.
Francescon recovered quite well, shutting out the Tigers over his last two innings of work, allowing just one single to DH Lance Durham. The right-hander finished after five innings, having allowed five runs (four earned) on nine hits. It was the first time all season a Cubs pitcher went five innings without issuing a walk or a strikeout.
Lakeland would not score again until the eighth inning, when Casali blasted a solo home run to left field off LHP Jeff Lorick, his first of the season. Although Lorick's one mistake ended up being the game-winning run, he was otherwise solid, allowing just two hits over 1.2 innings with three strikeouts. The southpaw entered the game with runners on first and third with one out in the seventh, and managed to strikeout Collins and Gaynor to end the threat.
Daytona cut the lead to 5-3 in the sixth inning, when 3B Matt Cerda knocked home CF Rubi Silva with a two-out single up the middle, and LF John Andreoli plated Cerda with an RBI triple to right center.
Silva, who went 2-4 with a run scored, was the only Cub who had a multi-hit game.
The Cubs and Flying Tigers will vie for the series win at Joker Marchant Stadium on Monday night at 6:30 p.m, as RHP Rob Whitenack (0-3, 5.47) takes the hill against LHP Brian Flynn (7-4, 3.86).