Stevens Mashes South Bend to 11-3 Victory Over Wisconsin 

South Bend, IN - After a combined four runs were scored in both games of a doubleheader between the South Bend Cubs and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Friday night, Saturday’s early evening match-up at Four Winds Field was far from the early action of the series. The Cubs piled on the offense in the weekend matinee, hammering the Rattlers 11-3.

The offensive breakout did not occur until the middle innings, as the game started as a pitcher’s duel. Right-hander Luis Devers made his 2024 debut on the mound, and the 2022 Chicago Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year matched his counterpart Alexander Cornielle over three scoreless innings.

Cornielle was making his third career start versus South Bend, after surrendering a combined 11 runs in two starts last season. He looked sharp early though, sending the Cubs down in order through the first three frames. Brett Bateman singled to begin the 4th inning, but Cornielle retired the next three to finish off four scoreless innings.

Wisconsin was on the board first with a three-run top of the 4th innings against Devers. First, Jesus Chirinos brought home Mike Boeve on a sacrifice fly, Gregory Barrios then came home on a balk, and Eduarqui Fernandez doubled home Matthew Wood.

With a 3-0 lead, the Rattlers were feeling confident with Cornielle posting all shutout work on the mound. In the 5th, returning South Bend Cub Felix Stevens crushed a ball dead-center, towards the batter’s eye. The long drive deflected off of the center field tall wall for a home run. The big man from Cuba crushed 27 home runs last season, with 14 of them being with South Bend. He said after the game he has a goal of 30 this year.

South Bend plated one more run in the 5th, as Reivaj Garcia brought home Ed Howard. With a 3-2 game, Jose Romero was called upon out of the Cubs bullpen. He pitched a productive 1-2-3 inning in the top of the 6th extremely quickly, sending Cornielle and the Timber Rattlers back onto the field quickly.

The quick trip back out to the mound did not help Cornielle. He was still breaking down what happened in the 5th, so the Cubs went right back to work.

The 6th inning was the best yet this season for South Bend. They scored seven runs, first, thanks to a bases loaded situation for Stevens. Brennen Davis lead-off the frame with a walk, Jefferson Rojas singled, and Jonathon Long was hit by a pitch. Wisconsin made a pitching-change, pulling Cornielle and putting in Jake Polancic.

Stevens stepped up with the bags juiced. Much like the swing in the previous inning, he demolished a ball to right-center, clearing the bridge over the wall for a grand slam. It was South Bend’s first slam of the year, and Stevens posted five RBI in two at-bats.

The inning was far from done though. Brett Bateman doubled home two runs with a sliced double into the left-center field gap, and the next batter was Davis. The rehabbing 40-man Chicago Cubs rostered Davis followed Bateman with a double of his own for his first RBI of the rehab assignment. It was a seven-run outburst, and South Bend led 9-3.

Romero continued to work perfection on the mound, as he finished with 2.1 perfect frames and four strikeouts. He earned his first Midwest League victory.

The Cubs belted out two more runs across when Casey Opitz tripled off the center field wall. For Opitz, he now has three RBI in the series.

Lefty Chase Watkins recorded the final six outs, and South Bend pitching sent down 13 Timber Rattlers in a row to finish off the victory. Between Devers, Romero, and Watkins, the South Bend staff punched out 10 batters.

With the win, South Bend is 3-5 on the season and can settle for a full series split with another win Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 2:05 PM, with right-hander Tyler Schlaffer on the mound.