Cubs Score Three Unanswered to Take Series Opener

Box Score

WP: Rowan Wick (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
LP: Evan Reifert (0-2, 3.22 ERA)

SV: Graham Lawson (1)

Wisconsin came out swinging, with Hayden Cantrelle and Korry Howell each slugging solo homers in the first inning. South Bend fought back with leadoff hits in the third and fourth innings, with Nelson Velazquez’s fourth-inning single leading to a run. He came home on a one-out grounder from Ryan Reynolds that cut the Timber Rattler lead to 2-1.

South Bend would tie up the game after loading the bases with two outs in the sixth. Harrison Wenson drew a walk on a full count to plate Velazquez for a second time and even up the score at two apiece.

Chicago Cubs reliever Rowan Wick came on for his second rehab appearance to pitch the sixth inning. He threw a second perfect inning, striking out two of the three batters he faced. The major league motivated the Cubs, as Delvin Zinn led off the seventh with a triple and scored on the next at-bat via a bloop single from DJ Artis. That gave South Bend a 3-2 lead.

Despite allowing baserunners in each of the last three innings, the Cubs bullpen shut down Wisconsin, including a game-ending double play induced by Graham Lawson. The Cubs didn’t allow a run after the first inning in their fourth victory in seven games against the Timber Rattlers.

Rowan Wick pitched another perfect inning in his rehab appearance and has now struck out five of the six hitters he has faced in two rehab innings with South Bend. Nelson Velazquez (2-4, 2 R) and Delvin Zinn (2-4, 3B, R) each had multi-hit games for South Bend, and Zinn stole multiple bases for the eighth time this season. His two bags gave him forty on the season.

Next Up: Ryan Jensen (2-5, 4.99 ERA) vs Carlos Luna (2-1, 1.83 ERA). Ryan Jensen looks to continue his smoking hot July and give the Cubs consecutive wins to open up this road series. It’s a matinee game for South Bend and Wisconsin, as first pitch will commence at 1:05 pm.