Little strikes out five in Cubs 5-1 win over Clinton

South Bend, IN: South Bend Cubs starting pitcher Brendon Little came into Friday night ready to deal.

With a 1-2 record prior to Friday's game against the Clinton LumberKings, Little was coming off his first professional victory against the Peoria Chiefs last week. Today, all three of his pitches were thrown for strikes, as he finished with five innings of shutout ball and five strikeouts. 
Little earned the victory in the game to make it back-to-back wins over the past two weeks. The stellar pitching from the southpaw was backed up again by the Cubs bullpen. Right hander Enrique De Los Rios threw two scoreless innings of his own and struck out two. Closer Brian Glowicki picked up his fourth save on the season with two innings where he allowed one run. With the 5-1 win, the Cubs improve to 14-17 on the campaign. 
South Bend got out of the gates early with three quick runs off of Clinton starter Nick Wells. Wells seemed to be uncomfortable on the Four Winds Field mound. In the first inning, he loaded the bases with the first three hitters of the game. Jhonny Bethencourt and Austin Filiere both walked, and Jared Young singled.
Miguel Amaya then came to the plate with the bases loaded. Working the count with foul balls and a good eye, Amaya worked the walk and Bethencourt came in to score the game's first run. The Cubs added two more and the game was silent for seven innings after. 
From frames two through seven, the game featured shutdown pitching on both sides. It was not until the 8^th inning when both teams were able to capitalize. Clinton's designated hitter Ariel Sandoval hit a solo home run off of Glowicki to make it a 3-1 game in the 8^th. 
Much like last night's extra innings game, the Cubs had an answer in their half. They added two insurance runs off of an error made by LumberKings pitcher Scott Boches. Yeiler Peguero laid down a bunt back to the mound. With two runners on, Boches threw the ball away from first, scoring Brandon Hughes and Rafael Narea. 
Glowicki ran into trouble in the 9^th but worked out of a bases loaded jam to grab the save. Clinton lost the game with the tying run at the plate. 
The victory for South Bend sets up a rubber match tomorrow from Four Winds Field. With another win, the Cubs can pick up their third straight series win. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. from Four Winds Field