Loons Late Surge Enough to Top Cubs 6-3 in Opener

Midland, MI - Despite jumping into a 3-0 lead after three innings, the South Bend Cubs couldn’t finish a series opening victory over the Great Lakes Loons on Tuesday night at Dow Diamond. Great Lakes scored the final six runs of the game, and utilized a highly effective bullpen performance to top the Cubs to begin this week’s series by a final of 6-3.

The Loons lineup features three Major League Baseball Top-100 Prospects per MLB Pipeline. All of Chuck Davalan, Eduardo Quintero, and Emil Morales are ranked on the highly respected list, as is South Bend Cubs slugger Josiah Hartshorn. The three Top-100 Prospects for the Loons hit at the top of their order on Tuesday night.

Even with the challenge, Cubs starting pitcher Jostin Florentino was able to get through his first three innings of the game in scoreless fashion, despite the lead-off man being on base in each frame.

That allowed the Cubs to jump in front, picking up a two-run double from Logan Poteet in the top of the 2nd. South Bend then received a solo home run from Matt Halbach, who launched his ninth round-tripper of the year in the top of the 3rd. All of Halbach’s nine homers this season have come on the road.

Up 3-0, Florentino surrendered his lone runs of the game on one swing, the first of two homers on the night by Nico Perez. In the 5th, right-hander JP Wheat fired a shutout frame, as Cubs right fielder Jose Escobar threw out Davalan trying to score the game tying run on a sacrifice-fly. It remained 3-2 Cubs.

With high regard to the Loons bullpen, they were the difference in the game that kept Great Lakes in it despite the multi-run deficit. Loons starter Hyun-Seok Jang left the game injured before the top of the 3rd inning, and right-hander Joseilyn Gonzalez worked 3.2 innings with just one run allowed. Lefty Matt Lanzendorfer picked up the pace from there, keeping the Cubs without a run as the Loons tied it at 3-3 after six innings.

In the 7th, Great Lakes took the lead thanks to a Morales RBI base-hit, and then Perez clubbed his second home run of the game to stretch the Loons lead to 6-3.

Lanzendorfer earned the win, going 2.2 scoreless frames. Dilan Figueredo got the final two outs of the 9th inning, capping off the victory.

South Bend will continue its first trip to Dow Diamond since April of 2023 on Wednesday night as the former East Division rivals get together again at 7:05 PM EST. Right-hander Braylon Myers is scheduled to make the start for the Cubs in game two of the series.