Cubs Fight Back Late, Come Up Short in 8-6 Loss to Loons

Midland, MI - In their third straight loss this week, the South Bend Cub just came up short against the Great Lakes Loons on Thursday night at Dow Diamond. The Cubs, who trailed the game by five runs at the end of the 2nd inning, closed the gap late, and had a chance to tie the game in the 9th inning. Ultimately, the Loons held on to secure the 8-6 victory.

For the second straight day, it was a big start offensively for the Loons. But unlike Wednesday, the Cubs did score the game’s first run. In the top of the 1st, Josiah Hartshorn singled home Kade Snell for a 1-0 lead. The lead would be short-lived. Chuck Davalan, who mashed a multi-home run game tonight, took the first pitch of the game by Nazier Mulé deep. Great Lakes went on to score four times in the 1st inning, after they plated three runs in the 1st on Wednesday.

South Bend clubbed a pair of home runs in the game, with Logan Poteet crushing a deep drive over the right-center field wall in the top of the 2nd to cut the Great Lakes lead to 4-2. However, again, the Loons had an answer.

The bottom of the 2nd was very unusual. The Loons loaded up the bases right away to start the inning, but with the bags full, they grounded into a double play for the first two outs of the frame. The Cubs nearly got out of the inning unscathed. But the Loons got another bases loaded chance with two outs. With two strikes on Eduardo Guerrero, a wild pitch cleared the bases. Two runs scored on the wild pitch that buckled up the third base line, and then a third was plated after South Bend made an error on a throw to the plate.

It was 7-2 going to the 3rd. Following another Davalan home run in the bottom of the 4th, Great Lakes would not score the rest of the game. That’s thanks to solid middle innings relief from Yoendris Gonzalez, who fired 2.1 shutout innings out of the bullpen with a pair of strikeouts and zero walks.

South Bend stayed in it, but the middle innings were also pitched well from Great Lakes starter Sterling Patick, who sent down 14 of 15 Cubs that came to the plate in from the 2nd through the 6th innings. Matt Halbach changed the trajectory of that cold spell, as he hammered his second home run of the week to make it an 8-3 game.

South Bend added one run in the top of the 8th to cut the deficit to 8-4, and Ethan Bell continued the strong pitching out of the Cubs bullpen with a pair off shutout innings.

As the game went to the 9th, the Loons left lefty Justin Chambers on the mound, who gave up the 8th inning tally. The Cubs came out aggressive to start the 9th inning, picking up a lead-off single from Alexey Lumpuy, and then another single by Poteet. Brennan Hudson came up and lashed a double off the right field wall to score Lumpuy. With runners at second and third, Snell drove in Poteet thanks to an RBI-groundout. Hudson advanced to third.

Great Lakes went back to its bullpen, bringing in closer Davis Chastain. He recorded the final two outs, and finished the game as South Bend brought the tying run to the plate.

With the loss, the Cubs have lost three straight games, and will have to win the next three this weekend in Midland if they want to split this week’s series. Friday night’s first pitch between the Cubs and Loons is set for 7:05 PM EST. Right-hander Alfredo Romero is scheduled to make the start for South Bend.