Cubs Tie Season-Best Mark with Eight Runs in the Third

Box Score

WP: Jose Albertos (2-0, 5.63 ERA)

LP Kody Funderburk (1-2, 4.15 ERA)

The South Bend Cubs clubbed eight runs on seven hits in the top of the third and cruised to the finish line.

South Bend was held hitless until the third, when they came out hot from the beginning of the frame. Jake Slaughter led things off with a double, and Josue Huma moved him to third with a sacrifice bunt. The next seven batters would reach base, leading to four South Bend runs. Bradlee Beesley, Delvin Zinn and Tyler Durna drove in the first three with RBI singles, and then Nelson Velazquez ripped a double down the left field line to make it 4-0. Consecutive walks, including a bases loaded walk of Jake Washer, made it 5-0 and chased the Kernels’ starter Kody Funderburk.

The pitching change didn’t help very much.

Melvi Acosta came in to face the same due up that began the inning, and Jake Slaughter took Acosta’s second pitch into right field for his second hit of the inning. The two-RBI single made it 7-0 South Bend. Josue Huma recorded another productive out, scoring Jake Washer on a groundout to short to widen South Bend’s lead to 8-0, tying their mark for highest-scoring inning of the season.

Cedar Rapids got their first run of the game on Seth Gray RBI single, but Tyler Durna responded with his fourth homer of the season, a no-doubter over the right field wall to get that run right back. The Kernels would add three more runs on another Seth Gray RBI in the fifth, a wild pitch in the sixth, and a solo homer in the ninth from Max Smith to make it a 9-4 final

Bradford Deppermann had his best start as a Cub, throwing four innings of one-run baseball, allowing three hits, a walk and striking out six. Jose Albertos earned his first win of the season, tossing 2.1 innings and striking out four Kernels. Tyler Durna went 2-5 with 2-RBIs, including a solo home run (4) in the fourth inning. Jake Slaughter (3-4, 2B, 2 RBI) and Bradlee Beesley (2-4, RBI) also added multi-hit games for the Cubs.

Next Up: Matteo Bocchi (1-0, 4.70 ERA) vs Jon Olsen (0-3, 4.91 ERA)

South Bend looks to continue its winning ways tomorrow against Cedar Rapids, first pitch at 7:35 pm. You can listen to Darin Pritchett call every game of the series on the flagship station for the South Bend Cubs WSBT 96.1, or online at wsbtradio.com. The next home game for the Cubs is on Tuesday, June 22 as they take on the Fort Wayne Tin Caps. You can purchase tickets now at SouthBendCubs.com.