Cubs Win Completion of Wednesday’s Suspended Game
SOUTH BEND, IN – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and South Bend Cubs completed Wednesday’s suspended game on Thursday afternoon at Four Winds Field, and it was a big home run by Brian Kalmer to give the Cubs a 5-3 win. Kalmer’s tenth home run of the season was a two-run
SOUTH BEND, IN – The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and South Bend Cubs completed Wednesday’s suspended game on Thursday afternoon at Four Winds Field, and it was a big home run by Brian Kalmer to give the Cubs a 5-3 win. Kalmer’s tenth home run of the season was a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to break a 3-3 tie.
Wisconsin (54-72 overall, 20-41 second half) grabbed the early lead with two runs in the first inning on Wednesday night. Jesús Made was at first base with two outs. Marco Dinges lined a ball off the wall in center 405’ from the plate. Made scored without a play, but Dinges slipped on a wet first base and went down. He would get back up and return to first for an RBI single.
Dinges showed no ill effects from the stumble as he went from first to third on a single to right by Josh Adamczewski. Luiyin Alastre drove in Dinges with a single for a 2-0 lead.
The Cubs (54-73, 31-30) got to Wisconsin starter Ryan Birchard in the bottom of the second as they loaded the bases with one out on two walks and a single. Kade Snell drove in a run with a sacrifice fly before Birchard ended the inning with a strikeout.
Wisconsin had a chance to break the game open in the top of the fourth as they loaded the bases with no outs. A strikeout and a 1-2-3 double play ended the threat. A hard downpour ended the game for Wednesday.
When play resumed on Thursday afternoon, the score stayed 2-1 until the bottom of the sixth.
Bishop Letson had Edgar Alvarez at first with two outs. Ariel Armas sent a routine fly ball to center that Daniel Guilarte dropped. Alvarez raced around to score the tying run. Miguel Pabon extended the inning with a single to send Armas to third. Then, Kade Snell singled on a 1-2 pitch to drive in Armas with the run to make it 3-2.
The Rattlers rallied in the top of the seventh with an unearned run. Luke Adams reached on catcher’s interference with one out and went from first to third on a single by Made. Andrew Fischer drove in Adams with a sacrifice fly to even the score.
Letson worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to go four innings with one walk and five strikeouts.
The eighth inning was frustrating for Wisconsin. They loaded the bases with one out against Jackson Kirkpatrick, the fourth South Bend pitcher of the game. However, Kirkpatrick escaped by striking out Guilarte and getting Adams to ground out to short. Wisconsin left ten runners on base in the game.
Anthony Flores, who had not allowed a run over six innings in his last four outings, relieved Letson for the bottom of the eighth. Alvarez singled to start the inning. He would jog home after Kalmer’s home run to the left field bleachers gave the Cubs a 5-3 lead.
Kirkpatrick pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to close out the game.