Cubs handle Whitecaps in 4-2 series opening win

South Bend, IN: Cory Abbott continues to shine with the South Bend Cubs.

After setting a South Bend Cubs franchise record with 11 strikeouts in his previous start in Fort Wayne last week, Abbott finished Friday night with five more K's in a winning effort to pick up his third victory on the campaign. Abbott mixed his pitches well. Dealing his cutter inside to lefties, and the slider outside to righties, he kept the West Michigan Whitecaps guessing all game.
South Bend finished the game winning 4-2. After splitting the previous series two games each with the Lansing Lugnuts, the Cubs won their elusive 20th game of season over West Michigan.
The starting pitching paired well with the offensive production of South Bend. After falling behind 1-0 early in the 3rd inning, the Cubs fired back with three straight runs to take the 3-1 lead after four innings.
After Abbott departed, Enrique De Los Rios and Brian Glowicki took the reigns for the bullpen and allowed just one run in three innings of work. De Los Rios was pulled with two outs in the 8th inning, giving Glowicki with a chance at his first four out save of the season.
Glowicki has transitioned into the closer role for South Bend and now has picked up his sixth save on the campaign. West Michigan starter Brad Bass took the loss despite finishing with five strikeouts in six frames of work. Bass drops to 3-3 on the season.
Zach Davis continues to thrive in the leadoff role for South Bend. With a 2/3 night, Davis reached base three combined times and stole two bases. The speedy outfielder now leads the Cubs with 15 steals in 2018. He is already halfway to his 2017 total with Eugene.
Davis, Jared Young, Austin Filiere, and Michael Cruz drove in the runs for South Bend on Friday. The win against West Michigan gives the Cubs three wins in their past five games.
They will look for back-to-back wins tomorrow night as right hander Erich Uelmen will take the hill for the Cubs. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.