Cubs Hold Off Beloit 7-5 on Historic Night

For the first time since 2013, the South Bend Cubs are 7-2 or better in their first nine games. For just the third time in franchise history, a Cub has homered in four consecutive games. And the Cubs have a new single-game stolen base record to boot.

The South Bend Cubs (7-2) won their sixth consecutive game on Thursday night at Four Winds Field, beating the Beloit Sky Carp (4-7) by a 7-5 margin. The Cubs stole nine bases in the win, while No. 11 Cubs prospect Owen Ayers joined rarefied air by hitting a home run for the fourth consecutive game.

Click here to view Thursday’s box score.

The Cubs opened the game with a boatload of opportunities, as Beloit starting pitcher Eliazar Dishmey fought his command to the tune of five walks in 2.2 innings. After leaving the bases loaded in the first, South Bend broke through in the third, scoring four times. Second baseman Drew Bowser plated the opening run, reaching on an error to bring in center fielder Leonel Espinoza, who had stolen both second and third. Third baseman Reggie Preciado later ripped a two-run double, and catcher Justin Stransky followed with an RBI single.

In the bottom of the fourth, designated hitter Owen Ayers joined an exclusive South Bend Cubs club with one out and a runner at third. On a full count, the switch-hitter homered for the fourth consecutive game, launching a two-run home run to right. Only Ayers and Alexander Canario, who accomplished the feat in both 2021 and 2022, have posted a four-game home run streak in a South Bend Cub uniform.

The South Bend Cubs single-game stolen base record also fell within Thursday’s first four innings. Six different Cubs combined to swipe nine bags, giving South Bend 23 steals to open the season without being caught.

Beloit’s offense didn’t get going into the final third of the game, as South Bend right-hander Nazier Mulé turned in 3.1 innings of one-run ball as the starter. He twice stranded multiple runners on base, getting a lineout in the first and fanning back-to-back hitters in the third. The Sky Carp notched a run against Mulé in the fourth, but right-hander Brayden Spears took over and held them at bay with 2.2 scoreless frames in his Four Winds Field debut.

Right-hander JP Wheat allowed Beloit back into the game with unsettled command in the top of the seventh, walking four and uncorking a handful of wild pitches. As a result, the Sky Carp scratched four runs across and closed within a 6-5 score. Righty reliever Nate Williams pulled the Cubs out of the inning with the lead still intact, striking out a man with the tying run at second base.

Just before Beloit’s four-run frame, the Cubs had a chance to insure their 6-1 lead, loading the bases on a two-out rally. However, longtime Sky Carp left-hander Justin Storm locked back in and retired Bowser, keeping his team in the game.

The Cubs controlled the final two innings, as left fielder Kane Kepley’s baserunning created an insurance run in the eighth. On the combination of an error and wild pitch, he advanced from first base to the plate. Meanwhile, right-hander Kenyi Perez notched the six-out save, the longest save of his career.

The Cubs and Sky Carp now head into the weekend and a 7:05 PM first pitch for the fourth game of the series on Friday, April 17. Left-hander Cole Reynolds is slated to pitch for South Bend against Beloit righty Nick Brink.