Despite Historic Night For Pinango, Cubs fall 5-2
DAYTON, OH – The Cubs trailed from the first inning through the end of the game on Friday night, but they fought back and brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh after trailing by five early. With two outs and two runners in scoring position in the
DAYTON, OH – The Cubs trailed from the first inning through the end of the game on Friday night, but they fought back and brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh after trailing by five early.
With two outs and two runners in scoring position in the first inning, Austin Hendrick doubled deep to right to clear the bases and give the Dragons a 2-0 lead. Going back to the ninth inning Thursday night it was their ninth two-out run in two innings.
In the second Jonathan Willems belted a two-run shot to left to double the lead. From there Cubs starter Kohl Franklin settled in, retiring the last five batters he faced and going a season long three innings.
Joe Nahas replaced Franklin to start the fourth and Allan Cerda took him deep to left out of the gate. But Nahas was stellar, getting the next 15 outs without allowing a run and giving up just one more base hit. Nahas retired the last 13 batters he faced and finished with a season high eight strikeouts.
Offensively the Cubs were stymied by Connor Phillips through the first five innings. Phillips, who came over to the Reds organization in a trade earlier this year, allowed just two baserunners in the first five frames. In the sixth the Cubs finally got to him.
Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a sinking liner down the left field line just beyond a diving Justice Thompson for a double. Then with two outs Yohendrick Pinango launched his eighth homer of the season, a towering blast off the batter’s eye in center.
The homer gave Pinango a 17-game hitting streak, tied for the longest since South Bend became a Cubs affiliate in 2015.
South Bend threatened again in the seventh with Jordan Nwogu and Casey Opitz drawing consecutive walks with one away. The walks forced Dayton to pull Phillips and go to Braxton Roxby. With one out and two aboard, trailing 5-2, Luis Verdugo grounded into a double play to end the Cubs threat.
Jake Stevenson came on for the ninth and retired the side in order to pick up his first save of the season.
Dayton has won three games in the series, but the Cubs can get a split by winning the remaining two. Game five is set for a 7:09 start on Saturday night.