Beloit Rallies to Come Back and Beat Cubs 11-5

Beloit, WI - In a game that the South Bend Cubs led 4-0 early, the Beloit Sky Carp came back to defeat the Cubs in the first of six games this week from ABC Supply Stadium. The Sky Carp scored 10 unanswered runs through the middle frames, and dropped South Bend’s record to 3-7 here early in the season in an 11-5 final.

The series in Beloit could not have started better for South Bend, on both sides of the ball. Nick Hull got the start and was pitching a week after Opening Night at Four Winds Field where he spun together five shutout innings. He started his second appearance of the year just as sharp, striking out the first five men he faced and tossing back-to-back 1-2-3 innings.

Hull also got some early run support. With his first home run of the season, Yohendrick Pinango launched a ball to deep center field that was absolutely slaughtered. A line drive dart over the center field wall left the bat at well over 100 miles-per-hour, and Pinango had South Bend on top.

Pinango’s big day would continue an inning later, when he singled home two more. He had three RBI in the first three innings of the series, after going six-for-11 last week in the series versus the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Jefferson Rojas added an RBI-single to take the lead to 4-0.

Of note, Brennen Davis also continued his rehab assignment with South Bend, and was on base three times with a base hit, walk, and a hit-by-pitch.

The game was turned over momentum wise in the bottom of the third. Beloit second baseman Josh Zamora led off the 3rd with a home run against Hull, and eventually it became a 4-2 game. An error was made by the Cubs to extend the inning, and Beloit loaded the bases. They were then cleared on a three-run double from Cam Barstad, giving the Sky Carp their first lead at 5-4.

Following a five-run 3rd, Beloit plated five more in the bottom of the 4th and extended their lead to 9-4.

The Sky Carp brought across two more, and South Bend scored their final run in the 8th when Jonathon Long doubled. He was later brought home via Pedro Ramirez on a sacrifice fly.

2019 Midwest League Champion left-hander Jack Patterson also made his return to the South Bend Cubs today. Patterson, who last pitched for the team in 2019 before the championship and went to Double-A Tennessee, pitched in his first official game action last week with Low-A Myrtle Beach in five years. Patterson dominated every level he went to in 2019, but has missed all those years due to back-to-back Tommy John Surgeries.

In his initial action with the Cubs, he pitched an inning while giving up a run, two walks, and also struck out two. Yovanny Cabrera threw the final couple innings and didn’t give up a hit or run, along with three strikeouts.

With a 1-0 series lead, Beloit and South Bend will get together again in the second of four total day games this week on Wednesday at 12:10 PM ET. Right-hander Will Sanders will pitch in his second professional game for the Cubs. Thursday and Friday will be night games, and Saturday and Sunday are both matinees.