Dettmer Dominates, Cubs Drop Lansing Series Finale 8-3
The South Bend Cubs (16-14) lost a second consecutive game to the Lansing Lugnuts (13-20) on Sunday afternoon at Four Winds Field, dropping an 8-3 result. Lugnut right-hander Nathan Dettmer turned in a gem of a start, conceding just one hit in 6.1 scoreless innings in his return to the
The South Bend Cubs (16-14) lost a second consecutive game to the Lansing Lugnuts (13-20) on Sunday afternoon at Four Winds Field, dropping an 8-3 result. Lugnut right-hander Nathan Dettmer turned in a gem of a start, conceding just one hit in 6.1 scoreless innings in his return to the Midwest League.
Click here to view Sunday’s box score.
Sunday’s game began with the High-A debut of Jostin Florentino, the 2025 Chicago Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Florentino served as South Bend’s starting pitcher, getting out of the gate clean with three scoreless innings. Lansing challenged him in the fourth, though, loading the bases with nobody out after second baseman Casey Yamauchi led off with a double.
It looked for a moment as if Florentino might escape the inning with the game still scoreless, as he earned a strikeout and a popout to record two outs with the bags still packed. However, left fielder CJ Pittaro knocked a two-out, two-strike single up the middle, plating two runs to force the Cubs into their bullpen. Right-hander Brayden Spears received a rude greeting from third baseman Justin Riemer, who tagged a two-run triple to the wall in center field, completing a four-run inning for Lansing.
Spears settled in well after that, ultimately working through 3.1 innings with one run allowed. The big reliever struck out five along the way, retiring nine consecutive Lugnuts at one point. Lansing broke that streak and scored a run in the top of the seventh inning, rallying with two outs on three consecutive singles. Yamauchi provided the RBI on his base hit, opening up a 5-0 lead for the visitors.
All the while, Lansing starting pitcher Nathan Dettmer shut down the Cubs with 6.1 innings of scoreless baseball, not allowing a hit until first baseman Cameron Sisneros singled in the sixth. Dettmer, who badly struggled in his first taste of the Midwest League last year, made his return to Lansing’s rotation on Sunday after starting the season in Single-A. He issued three walks early on, needing a double play to avoid trouble in the first inning. After walking his third, Dettmer retired 10 consecutive Cubs before eventually passing the baton in the bottom of the sixth.
With lefty Ryan Magdic on the mound, the Cubs struck for their first run of the day in the eighth inning, as center fielder Christian Olivo doubled to place two men in scoring position. Shortstop Ty Southisene drove in the run, grounding out to second base. Lansing answered with its final three runs of the weekend in the top of the ninth, as Yamauchi singled home two with the bases loaded to complete his second consecutive three-hit day. Designated hitter Devin Taylor later singled in another run.
In their fight for the West division lead, the Cubs will become Lugnut fans for the next week, as Lansing hosts another West contender in Quad Cities. Meanwhile, South Bend will visit the West division-leading Wisconsin Timber Rattlers for six games to start a two-game road trip, with first pitch from Appleton scheduled for 7:40 PM ET on Tuesday, May 12.