Six-Run First Inning Leads Cubs to Second Consecutive 8-5 Win
On Wednesday night at Four Winds Field, the Beloit Sky Carp and South Bend Cubs repeated the series opener’s outcome. The Cubs won 8-5 again, moving into a 2-0 series lead by scoring six runs in a single inning for the second consecutive night. They improved to 6-11 overall and
On Wednesday night at Four Winds Field, the Beloit Sky Carp and South Bend Cubs repeated the series opener’s outcome. The Cubs won 8-5 again, moving into a 2-0 series lead by scoring six runs in a single inning for the second consecutive night. They improved to 6-11 overall and 6-2 at home, while the Sky Carp fell to 6-10 for the year and are now 1-9 in their last 10 games. South Bend now owns the best home record in the Midwest League West division.
Click here to view Wednesday night’s box score.
The Cubs opened the night by teeing off against No. 3 Miami Marlins prospect Noble Meyer, hanging seven runs on the right-hander in three innings. Center fielder Carter Trice kickstarted South Bend’s six-run first frame with an RBI double to left-center, extending his on-base and hit streaks to 12 and eight games, respectively. Second baseman Reivaj Garcia followed by striping a two-run double off the top of the right-field wall. The Cubs’ biggest blow later left the bat of catcher Ariel Armas, who ripped his first Four Winds Field home run 365 feet over the fence in left. The three-run missile from Armas, his second long ball of the season, gave the Cubs a 6-0 lead through one inning.
Inning number two brought more of the same hard contact for South Bend, beginning with a no-doubt home run by shortstop Cristian Hernandez. The leadoff laser beam traveled 423 feet to left, striking the bottom of the Tiki Hut. Hernandez now has two long balls for the season, and his Wednesday night blast gave South Bend a 7-0 lead through a pair of innings.
On the South Bend mound, right-hander Luis Rujano made the first Four Winds Field start of his career, turning in a near-perfect first three innings. The former 13th-rounder struck retired nine of the first 10 hitters he faced, walking just one and allowing no hits. However, he ran into trouble with a big lead in the third, as each of Beloit’s first three hitters in the inning reached. First baseman Brock Vradenburg doubled in a pair of runs after left fielder Fenwick Trimble walked with the bases loaded to get Beloit on the board.
With Beloit still threatening in a 7-3 game in the fourth, South Bend turned to right-hander Sam Thoresen out of the bullpen. Thoresen inherited two runners in scoring position with one out, facing the bottom two hitters in the Sky Carp order. He struck them both out and would go on the punch out five in total across 2.1 innings of one-run baseball.
In the bottom of the fourth, left fielder Ivan Brethowr rebuilt South Bend’s lead a bit. The 6-foot-6 seventh-rounder from last summer’s draft, who entered the night as the Midwest League’s on-base percentage leader, added on with a long home run. As the solo shot, Brethowr’s second of the season, landed on the berm in left-center field, South Bend moved into an 8-3 lead.
Beloit would scratch across two more runs over the final five innings, ultimately bringing the tying run up to bat during the top of the ninth. Right-hander Johzan Oquendo shut down the Sky Carp rally, though, closing out the ninth with a strikeout. Although he gave up an unearned run, Oquendo extended his season-opening streak without an earned run conceded to 10.1 innings. Before he pitched on Wednesday, left-hander Marino Santy and right-hander Yovanny Cabrera combined for 2.1 scoreless frames.
Trice and Armas led the Cubs offensively in game two of the series. The former posted doubles in back-to-back at-bats to start the game before working a walk in the fourth, while the latter tied his career high with three RBI and caught two base-stealers to boot.
With 80-degree temperatures expected in South Bend for the first time this season, the Cubs and Sky Carp will return to the field for game three at 7:05 PM on Thursday. It’ll be a marquee matchup on the mound featuring Marlins No. 25 prospect Karson Milbrandt for the Sky Carp and Cubs No. 10 prospect Jaxon Wiggins for South Bend.
Ruoff Mortgage Homestand Preview: May 6-11
For their first home series of May, the South Bend Cubs will host the Fort Wayne TinCaps for six games at Four Winds Field this week. The TinCaps are the High-A, Midwest League affiliate of the San Diego Padres and will face the Cubs a total of 18 times this
South Bend Cubs & Beacon Health System Host Cancer Awareness Night on June 7
SOUTH BEND, IN – In conjunction with Beacon Health System, the South Bend Cubs are once again hosting Cancer Awareness Night on Saturday, June 7. Like last year, Cubs players will wear special white and purple jerseys that fans can bid on prior to the game and the winning bidder
Kernels Sprout Big Rally and Beat Cubs 9-1
Cedar Rapids, IA - In six games played this week at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, against the Kernels, there was scoring in each game on either side in the 1st inning. The South Bend Cubs, who dropped Sunday’s game against the Kernels by a final of 9-1,
Cubs Snap Road Skid, Double-Up Kernels 8-4
Cedar Rapids, IA - The road losing streak for the Sound Bend Cubs to begin the season has come to an end. The Cubs picked up their first win on the road this season over the Cedar Rapids Kernels, by a final score of 8-4 on Friday night. The Cubs
Kernels Mount Comeback, Beat Cubs 8-7
Cedar Rapids, IA - On back-to-back nights, the Cedar Rapids Kernels have come back to beat the South Bend Cubs, after the Cubs have held 1st inning leads on consecutive days. Tonight, Cedar Rapids held on to win 8-7, and have taken the first three games of this week’s series
South Bend and Cedar Rapids Exchange Late Homers, Kernels Hold on for 4-3 Final
Cedar Rapids, IA - Despite an early lead, and a late comeback, the South Bend Cubs fell to the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Wednesday night by a final of 4-3 at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in Iowa. The Cubs dropped their sixth consecutive game, and the Kernels have won both games
Cubs Drop Opener at Cedar Rapids 10-4
Cedar Rapids, IA - The South Bend Cubs pieced together one four-run comeback on Tuesday night against the Cedar Rapids Kernels, both couldn’t storm back and do it for a second time. The Cubs fought from behind for nearly all of this week’s series opener at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium, and
Toyota Road Report: April 29-May 4
The South Bend Cubs are hitting the road again, and for the first time this season, they’ll pack the bus to the state of Iowa. First up though, a stop in Chicago today, as the Cubs are conducting a team workout and tour of Wrigley Field. Hitters will take batting
Cubs Drop Third Straight to Sky Carp in 7-3 Game
After beginning the week 2-0 against Beloit, the best the South Bend Cubs can hope for is a series split come Sunday. The Sky Carp have won each of the last three contests, defeating the Cubs by a 7-3 margin on Saturday afternoon at Four Winds Field. Despite outhitting the
Beloit Shuts Out South Bend 3-0, Taking No-Hitter into Ninth Inning
With a season-high crowd of 4,727 at Four Winds Field on Thursday night, the Beloit Sky Carp shut out the South Bend Cubs by a 3-0 score. Beloit held the Cubs hitless into the ninth inning, shutting out South Bend for the second time this season. With their first win
Cubs Tally Six Runs In The Fifth Inning, Beat Beloit 8-5
Playing back at home on Tuesday evening, the South Bend Cubs broke their eight-game losing streak in the series opener against the Beloit Sky Carp. South Bend overcame a 3-0 deficit to win 8-5, using a six-run fifth inning to surge into the lead. With the victory, the Cubs improved
Ruoff Mortgage Homestand Preview: April 22-27
It’s some home cooking coming at the right time for the South Bend Cubs, and Spring has certainly sprung with some sunshine and warm temperatures on the way this week at Four Winds Field. The Beloit Sky Carp, Midwest League affiliate of the Miami Marlins, come to town, as the
South Bend Cubs Outfielder Andy Garriola Named Midwest League Player of the Week
South Bend Cubs outfielder Andy Garriola was selected as 'Midwest League Player of the Week' after clobbering four home runs in South Bend's six-game road series at West Michigan. The final three came in consecutive games, during pivotal at-bats on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Garriola is tied for second in
Cubs Come Up Short in Sunday Battle Versus Whitecaps 5-3
Comstock Park, MI - In their six game series against the West Michigan Whitecaps this week, the South Bend Cubs held leads in each game, however, in a sweep, West Michigan defeated the Cubs in all six, finishing the series with a 5-3 final on Easter Sunday afternoon. Different from
Whitecaps Erase Four Different Cub Leads In 10-9, Extra-Inning Win
The West Michigan Whitecaps just wouldn’t go away on Saturday afternoon. Having already claimed the series with four consecutive defeats against South Bend, the Whitecaps baffled the Cubs in game five, winning 10-9 in 10 innings by overcoming four different deficits. West Michigan center fielder Brett Callahan delivered the walk-off
Cubs Return Home for Second April Homestand Tuesday Night
SOUTH BEND, IN - Spring is officially here, and the South Bend Cubs are set to return home to Four Winds Field following their road trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan. This week, the Cubs will square off against the Beloit Sky Carp in a six-game series beginning Tuesday night, April
Cristian Hernandez Earns Midwest League Player of the Week Honors
SOUTH BEND, IN - South Bend Cubs shortstop Cristian Hernandez was selected as 'Midwest League Player of the Week' after wrapping up this past week's series against Peoria by going 10/22 at the plate with a home run and three RBI. Hernandez leads the Midwest League in base hits with
Whitecaps Charge Past Cubs 17-3
Comstock Park, MI - In a game that the South Bend Cubs led by multiple runs after four innings of play, the West Michigan Whitecaps threw a massive punch back in the late innings, storming back to defeat the Cubs by a final score of 17-3 on Wednesday afternoon from
West Michigan Outlasts Cubs in 10 Inning Opener 2-1
Comstock Park, MI - In a series opening game that required extra innings between the South Bend Cubs and West Michigan Whitecaps on Tuesday afternoon, both clubs scored an individual run in regulation. That’s thanks to solid outings across the board from both starting pitchers, and a combined effort from
Toyota Road Report: April 15-20
It’s an old rivalry set to recharge this week in Grand Rapids! For the first and only time in the 2025 season, the South Bend Cubs are going to match-up with the West Michigan Whitecaps. LMCU Ballpark will feature a duel with some of the top Chicago Cubs and Detroit
Cubs’ Rally Runs Out Of Time In 11-9 Loss To Peoria
After no more than eight runs scored in any of this week’s first five games between the Peoria Chiefs and South Bend Cubs, chaos erupted on Sunday afternoon. The Chiefs hung on for an 11-9 win at Four Winds Field after coming within an eyelash of coughing up a 9-1
Cubs Split Saturday Doubleheader With Peoria, Winning 4-2 Before 4-2 Loss
In a doubleheader that featured two seven-inning games on Saturday afternoon at Four Winds Field, the Peoria Chiefs and South Bend Cubs played to a split. The Cubs captured the opener by a 4-2 score to win the series before the Chiefs answered with a 4-1 victory in the finale.
Cubs Come From Behind Again, Win 4-3 With Big Fourth Inning
Just as quickly as they started 0-3, the South Bend Cubs are right back to .500. They won a third consecutive game against the Peoria Chiefs on Friday evening, improving to 3-0 at Four Winds Field with a 4-3 triumph. Right fielder Ivan Brethowr cracked his first home run as
Cubs Pull Through Against Peoria 3-2 On Hernandez’s First South Bend Homer
The thermometer read 41 degrees with the wind blowing in from center field, but don’t tell that to South Bend Cub shortstop Cristian Hernandez. The 11th-ranked Chicago Cubs prospect cranked his first home run of 2025, breaking a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning of Thursday night’s 3-2 South Bend