Wisconsin Ties Series with 6-2 Victory over South Bend
Appleton, WI - The South Bend Cubs and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers have continued their back-and-forth season series this week and now each club holds a 7-7 record against one another with Wisconsin defeating South Bend 6-2 on Wednesday night at Fox Cities Stadium. The Cubs came into game two of
Appleton, WI - The South Bend Cubs and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers have continued their back-and-forth season series this week and now each club holds a 7-7 record against one another with Wisconsin defeating South Bend 6-2 on Wednesday night at Fox Cities Stadium.
The Cubs came into game two of the six-game series in sole possession of first place in the Midwest League West Division for a 28th straight day. Facing right-hander Justin Jarvis for a fourth time on the campaign, the Cubs fell behind early with Milwaukee Brewers number-one prospect Jackson Chourio homering off of South Bend starter Porter Hodge.
It was just the second home run Hodge had surrendered in four Midwest League starts. The two-run round tripper almost immediately gave Wisconsin a 2-0 lead, after South Bend did the same to the Timber Rattlers in the first inning on Tuesday.
Jarvis worked a 1-2-3 first inning for Wisconsin, but the Cubs clawed back with one run in both the 2nd and 3rd innings to tie the game. In the 2nd, Kevin Made lifted a ball to deep right field, and Joe Gray Jr. dropped the ball near the warning track. An inning later, Yeison Santana hustled home on a Pete Crow-Armstrong RBI sacrifice fly.
Hodge’s best inning on the bump Wednesday came in the bottom of the 2nd when he struck out the side. Ben Metzinger and Eduardo Garcia each went down looking, while Jose Acosta got punched out swinging.
Taking his first Midwest League loss, Hodge worked four innings and allowed four runs. Wisconsin answered right back in the bottom of the 3rd, plating two more tallies, which ended up being the game winning runs. A wild pitch and a single for Zavier Warren brought home the two runs, making it 4-2.
Wisconsin would add some insurance to their lead in the bottom of the 6th as Darrien Miller took a bases loaded walk, and Chourio manufactured his third RBI of the game on a fielder’s choice groundout.
Out of the bullpen for South Bend, hard throwing right-hander Yovanny Cruz returned from the injured list to toss a scoreless inning in the top of the 5th. Riley Martin surrendered two runs in two innings of work, while Gabriel Jaramillo added a scoreless frame in the bottom of the 8th.
With the Timber Rattlers picking up a win in West Division play, they will enter tomorrow five games back of the Cubs for first place. The Beloit Sky Carp lost to the West Michigan Whitecaps, so Beloit remains four games behind South Bend’s pace.
Game three of the series is slated for Thursday night at 7:40 PM EST. Right-hander Luis Devers will take the ball for the Cubs as South Bend looks to reclaim their series lead.