Aliendo Crushes 3-Run Walk-off HR in 10th

SOUTH BEND, IN – The Cubs never led in first nine innings Thursday night, trailing most of the way until the final swing of the 10th inning. With two men on Pablo Aliendo crushed a pitch off Andrew Granillo over the wall in left to end it. South Bend picked up the 9-6 victory and ended the first half of the season with a bang.

Mike Antico had given the Chiefs the lead with an RBI single to leadoff the 10th inning but Cubs reliever Walker Powell retired the next three batters and kept it a 6-5 game.

Jake Washer, having homered earlier in the game to get the Cubs to within a run, crushed a double off the wall in dead-center to begin the cubs half of the 10th and tie the game. Peoria elected to intentionally walk Jonathan Sierra, who went 4-for-4 on the night. That set the scene for the 21-year-old Aliendo who sent the Four Winds Field crowd into a frenzy with his walk-off blast and celebration around the bases.

Jordan Wicks took the hill for South Bend and lasted just 1.2 innings tonight on the count of his pitch count climbing too high in the second. Carlos Soto picked up an RBI on a single to shallow center after Francisco Hernandez had singled and advanced to second on a groundout. After an error on a throw to second from Fabian Pertuz, Noah Medlinger chopped a ball to the right side that Yeison Santana fielded at second but was forced to just hold onto for an infield single to load the bases. Antico, who saw his 13-game hitting streak end on Wednesday night, delivered with a two-run single.

After Peoria scored three in the second the Cubs responded with two in the same inning, and it didn't take long. Owen Caissie worked a terrific walk to begin the inning and then Washer crushed a no-doubt homer to left field to bring the Cubs to within a run at 3-2.

The Chiefs added a run in the third on a sac-fly from Soto, and another on what felt like a crucial RBI double from L.J Jones in the sixth. Peoria had restored their three run cushion, 5-2.

Caleb Knight was plunked by a fastball to start the Cubs side of the sixth, the 12th time he's been hit this season which is one off the league lead. A Caissie single moved him to second and with one out Sierra delivered his third single of the night, scoring the Cubs first baseman,

The game-tying hit was a doozie of a play. In the eighth inning with Caissie at second, Sierra at first and two away, Aliendo hit a sharp grounder to third. Osvaldo Tovalin gloved it on the backhand with his momentum taking him almost completely into foul territory, but his throw to first sailed up the line. Caissie scored with ease and flying around to slide home and tie the game was Sierra.

Eduarniel Nunez tossed a scoreless eighth and ninth inning to give the Cubs a chance at a walk-off in the ninth inning. The Cubs had the winning run at at third but on a great charging play from Tovalin he threw out Pertuz on a bang-bang play at the plate.

Then came the decisive 10th inning.

The victory allowed South Bend to finish the first half above .500 at 34-32 and the Cubs finished the first 66 games with the most home wins in the league, going 24-12.

The Cubs and the Chiefs do battle to start the second half of the season Friday night at 7:05 ET.