Kalmer, Cubs Walk-Off Kernels 3-2

South Bend, IN – Brian Kalmer broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the ninth inning with a sacrifice fly to right field to walk off the Kernels 3-2 in the series opener Tuesday night.

Amid a playoff chase, South Bend opened the scoring in the bottom half of the first inning. Leonel Espinoza led off the frame with a single, then after an Edgar Alverez base hit, runners were on the corners with no one out. A batter later, Espinoza came into score on a double play to put the Cubs on top 1-0.

The Kernels rallied back in the middle innings. With two outs in the fourth, Caden Kendle singled. After a wild pitch moved him into scoring position, he scored on an error to tie the game at 1-1.

In the fifth, Marek Houston legged out on an infield single for his first high-A hit. Houston then stole second and scored two batters later on an Eduaro Tait RBI single to put Cedar Rapids on top 2-1.

South Bend responded in the sixth. Alvarez drew a walk to open the inning, then scored from first on an Ariel Armas double to even the tally at 2-2.

Those two runs were it against Cedar Rapids starter Ty Langenberg. The reigning Midwest League Pitcher of the Week went a career-long seven innings for the second consecutive start, allowing two runs on five hits with six strikeouts in his third straight quality start.

After a pair of scoreless innings, it stayed 2-2 going to the bottom of the ninth. A pair of walks to Armas and Kade Snell put two on, and a sac bunt moved them both into scoring position for Brian Kalmer, who lined a sacrifice fly to right to plate the game-winning run to walk off the Kernels 3-2.

The loss drops the Kernels to 24-25 in the second half of the season and to 7-6 on the season against South Bend. Game two in the series with the Cubs is set for Wednesday at 6:05 with Jacob Kisting on the mound for the Kernels opposite Kevin Valdez.