Lansing, MI: It was too little, too late for the South Bend Cubs on Friday night at Cooley Law School Stadium in Downtown Lansing Michigan.
Lansing, MI: It was too little, too late for the South Bend Cubs on Friday night at Cooley Law School Stadium in Downtown Lansing Michigan.
Despite falling behind 5-0 heading to the top of the 7th inning, South Bend kept on fighting and chipped away until they ran out of outs to give. After starter Jesus Camargo allowed five runs on eight hits, right hander Garrett Kelly gave up the last Lansing run of the game through 1.1 innings worked. Reliever Ben Hecht handled the final inning for the Cubs, working a scoreless 8th frame.
South Bend showed life in the top of the 7th when Chris Singleton came to the plate. With Michigan State alum Brandon Hughes at 2nd after leading off the inning with a double, Singleton ripped one down the left field line for a base hit. Hughes scored easily to plate the Cubs first run.
The Lugnuts did not let the Cubs phase them as they responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the 7th. Needing a solid rally in the top of the 9th down 6-1, South Bend had the top of the order due up against Lansing reliever Emerson Jimenez.
The inning started with the lead-off man getting on. Chris Carrier, appearing in his third game with South Bend since coming off the disabled list, started the frame with a walk. Singleton then came up and picked up his second hit of the game to put runners at first and second. The two base runners were followed by two straight outs after Christian Donahue and Jhonny Bethencourt each were retired by Jimenez.
Down to their last out, Jared Young blasted a line drive towards right field. Sailing over the head of right fielder Chavez Young, Jared Young rounded the bases for his eighth homer of the season. Young is now the only South Bend Cub with over 40 RBI on the season, now with 42.
Now trailing by just two runs, the Cubs could not complete the rally as Miguel Amaya struck out to end the game. The Lugnuts took game one 6-4. With the loss, the Cubs record falls to 34-33 with two games remaining in the first half of the 2018 season.
South Bend will look to answer tomorrow night in game two of the three game set. Right hander Javier Assad is scheduled to start for the Cubs with first pitch from Cooley Law School Stadium set for 7:05 p.m.
