Lake Bachar (W, 3-0) tossed seven perfect innings and Jose Galindo retired the first five batters he faced before designated hitter Jhonny Pereda doubled to break up a perfect game with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. The dominant pitching performance led the Fort Wayne TinCaps (34-19, 60-63)
Lake Bachar (W, 3-0) tossed seven perfect innings and Jose Galindo retired the first five batters he faced before designated hitter Jhonny Pereda doubled to break up a perfect game with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. The dominant pitching performance led the Fort Wayne TinCaps (34-19, 60-63) to a 7-0 win over the South Bend Cubs (25-28, 64-58).
Fort Wayne, the Class-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, took the lead in the top of the third after a scoreless first two innings. Shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. led off the inning by lacing a double down the left field line. He advanced to third on a wild pitch before left fielder Nate Easley followed with a double of his own into the left field corner to make it a 1-0 lead for Fort Wayne. Designated hitter Jorge Oña was up next and he launched a two-run homer deep over the left-center field wall to score two more runs and give the TinCaps a 3-0 lead.
The TinCaps added a couple more runs in the top of the seventh inning. Centerfielder Buddy Reed was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. He stole second and second baseman Reinaldo Ilarraza beat out a bunt single to third to put runners at the corners. Elvis Diaz tried to pick off Ilarraza at first but his throw went wide and into the Cubs bullpen, allowing Reed to score and sending Ilarraza over to third. Tatis followed with his third double of the game and it was a 5-0 Fort Wayne lead.
Fort Wayne made it 7-0 with two more runs in the top of the eighth inning. Third baseman Hudson Potts led off with a single to left. With two outs, Reed tripled to deep center to make it 6-0 TinCaps. Reed then scored as Ilarraza laced a double to right but the inning ended as Ilarraza was thrown out trying to stretch the double into a triple.
Tyson Miller (L, 5-5) pitched well for South Bend, the Class-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, allowing just those three runs over 5 2/3 innings and striking out 6 batters. However, he was overshadowed by the dominance of Bachar. Bachar retired all 21 batters he faced, striking out 7, and kept the Cubs hitters off balance all night long. Despite having a perfect game intact, Bachar was pulled after 7 innings of work and Galindo entered the game to replace him and retired five in a row before Pereda's double to the center-field wall.
The Cubs head out on the road for a seven game road trip beginning on Friday as they visit Lansing and West Michigan. The Cubs will next return to Four Winds Field on Friday, August 25th for the last homestand of the season. They will play four games against the Lake County Captains and three against the West Michigan Whitecaps before going on the road for three games at the Bowling Green Hot Rods to finish off the season.
