Cubs Collect 17 Hits in 9-6 Win Over Rattlers

APPLETON, WI – B.J. Murray and Luis Verdugo paced the offense on a night in which South Bend came out with a vengeance following consecutive losses.

Verdugo came up in the first inning against former South Bend Cub, Zach Mort, with an on-base streak of 18 games. Well it didn't take long for him to extend that streak as he belted a two-run shot to get the Cubs on the board. With two outs and no one aboard South Bend got consecutive hits from Pablo Aliendo, Murray, and Kevin Made, ultimately scoring two more and doubling the lead to 4-0.

The night would be short lived for Mort, who, coming off a six-inning outing lasted just 3.1 Friday night, with the Cubs tagging him for 10 hits and eight runs, while also drawing four walks. South Bend doubled the lead again with their second four-spot of the game. In the fourth with runners at first and second and one away, Verdugo banged one off the wall in left that scored Jonathan Sierra from third and Pete Crow-Armstrong all the way from first. After Yohendrick Pinango drew a walk, Aliendo followed with a run-scoring double. Murray then drew the Cubs third walk of the inning to load the bases, with Kevin Made following with yet another walk, this one making it a 8-to-nothing advantage.

Verdugo went 3-for-4 with a homer, a season-high five RBIs, and a walk. He finished a triple shy of the cycle. Murray meanwhile reached base an astonishing six times in his six plate appearances. The switch-hitter went 4-for-4 with an RBI, run scored, two walks, and two stolen bases. It was both the second four-hit game in his career and the second multi-stolen base game of his career.

Wisconsin remained hitless one out into the fourth inning but then struck in a big way. After a Made error and a Kohl Franklin hit batsman, Ben Metzinger, a 2022 draft pick out of Louisville, delivered his first professional homer.

The Cubs got a run back on a Verdugo sac-fly in the seventh to put the road side in front 9-3. But a Darrien Miller two-run blast to right in the seventh off Joe Nahas cut it to a 9-5 game. Nahas was activated earlier in the day and made his first appearance on a mound since July 8.

Nahas walked the first batter of the eighth inning and then him and Zac Leigh combined to retire the last six Timber Rattlers in order.

In the win South Bend set new season highs with seven stolen bases and 16 men left stranded on the bases.

With the series now tied 2-2 and the season series tied 8-8, two games remain between these sides over the weekend. The Cubs lead in the division remains at three with Beloit's walk-off win and South Bend does now extend their cushion over Wisconsin back to five games.