Whitecaps Capitalize Late to Beat Cubs 3-1
Comstock Park, MI - A strong start for the South Bend Cubs on Tuesday night from LMCU Ballpark, just north of Grand Rapids, did not carry into the late innings in their series opener against the West Michigan Whitecaps. An old East Division rival, the Whitecaps scored three unanswered runs
Comstock Park, MI - A strong start for the South Bend Cubs on Tuesday night from LMCU Ballpark, just north of Grand Rapids, did not carry into the late innings in their series opener against the West Michigan Whitecaps. An old East Division rival, the Whitecaps scored three unanswered runs to take the first of six games by a final of 3-1.
Following an off day on Monday, the Cubs continued their two-week road trip into the state of Michigan on Tuesday after losing four of five games against the Lake County Captains. South Bend sent right-hander Tyler Santana to the mound to face the Whitecaps in Game 1 for his second straight start, after mainly working out of the bullpen this season.
Santana began his night with back-to-back 1-2-3 innings, plus he received an early lead to work with.
Moises Ballesteros is hitting .300-plus as a 19-year-old in the Midwest League. He launched a home run over the right field wall against West Michigan starter Wilkel Hernandez for a 1-0 Cubs lead in the top of the 2nd. The lone run was plenty for Santana, who fired four shutout innings with just one hit allowed.
Chicago Cubs 2023 first-round pick Matt Shaw excelled again at the plate on Tuesday, picking up three more base hits. He also stole two bases, and is now on a seven game hitting streak.
The Cubs ran into trouble when West Michigan tied the game in the bottom of the 5th inning in a major two-out rally by the Whitecaps. After a double-play retired two in the 5th, the Whitecaps took four consecutive walks, loading the bases and bringing home a run to tie it. In a major game-changing moment, Sheldon Reed entered the game and got Gage Workman to fly out to center-field to escape the jam.
However, the Whitecaps would take the lead in the 7th via a throwing error, and then in the 8th, Josh Crouch singled home their final RBI of the night. Crouch had three hits, and also walked once.
With the loss, the Cubs remain 5.5 games out of a playoff spot in the Midwest League West Division, due to the Peoria Chiefs being rained out in Lake County.
Game 2 of the series will follow on Wednesday evening at 6:35 PM. As South Bend looks to even the series, Connor Noland will pitch for the Cubs in the second of six games.