South Bend Drops Third Straight

W: Ben Gross (1-0, 3.23 ERA)

L: Derek Casey (3-4, 3.57 ERA)

SV: Zach Featherstone (1)

BOX SCORE

For the first time this series the Cedar Rapids Kernels (20-20) were the first team to score, and the South Bend Cubs (18-21) came back to within a run late, but never could claw all the way back.

Derek Casey made his second career start against Cedar Rapids, with the last resulting in his best outing as a pro. On May 6, 2019 he threw seven perfect innings en route to a South Bend no-hitter. Tonight it was Seth Gray who picked up the first hit against Casey just two batters into the game. However the right-hander from Virginia retired six of the first seven batters he faced and the game was scoreless into the bottom of the third.

A hit by pitch with one out, followed by a grounder to short that looked like an inning-ending double play but was mishandled by Delvin Zinn, set the table for the two, three and four hitters in the Kernels lineup. Gray, Wander Javier and Trey Cabbage all picked up one RBI as three unearned runs came across in the third inning.

But the poor defense was contagious, and in the fourth and fifth innings it allowed South Bend to rally.

Jake Slaughter reached on an error by Javier in the fourth and two batters later Caleb Knight laced an RBI double to left, just by the outstretched glove of a fully extended Max Smith on the warning track. The run was unearned. South Bend had runners at second at third but would strand them there.

In the fourth inning Bradlee Beesley reached base for the third straight time in the game, this time with his second single, and for the third time in the game he stole second base. He popped up from his slide and got to third base on an errant throw from the catcher, allowing him to score on the Tyler Durna groundout to first that followed.

It was the fifth straight unearned run to start the game.

But 3-2 is as close as South Bend would get. The Kernels added an insurance run in the seventh and two more in the eighth to make it 6-2, which would be the final.

After winning game one South Bend now trails in the series three games to one.

Next up: RHP Ryan Jensen (2-3, 6.04 ERA) takes the hill for the Cubs vs. RHP Cody Laweryson (0-0, 2.25 ERA).

South Bend looks to get back in the win column on Saturday against Cedar Rapids, first pitch is 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 TinCaps. You can purchase tickets now at SouthBendCubs.com.