Cubs Take Game One From Rattlers

GRAND CHUTE, WI – The South Bend Cubs broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the top of the fifth inning and went on to a 4-1 victory over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader at Neuroscience Group Field.

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Ethan Hearn gave the Cubs (40-60 overall, 13-21 second half) the lead with a solo home run in the top of the second inning. The homer was Hearn’s second of the series and sixth of the season.

Wisconsin (63-36, 21-12) tied the game in the bottom of the third. Luke Adams drew a walk with two outs and stole second. Tayden Hall ripped a single to right on a 2-2 pitch to drive in Adams with the tying run.

Tayden Hall's serving up some magic in the bottom of the 3rd for the tie! ✨

Bot 3rd
Cubs 1 | Rattlers 1#TRatNation pic.twitter.com/qujnsEXyMy

— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) August 3, 2024

South Bend scored twice in the top of the fifth to go back in front of the Timber Rattlers. Back-to-back singles by Jordan Nwogu and Reivaj Garcia started the rally. Then, Brett Bateman missed a bunt and Nwogu was off second base with his secondary lead. Wisconsin catcher Ramόn Rodríguez threw down to second thinking that Nwogu would scramble to get back to second. However, Nwogu went for third and made it without a play. Bateman flew out to center deep enough to score Nwogu with the go-ahead run. Rafael Morel added a run later in the inning with a double to score Garcia from first.

Hearn just missed a home run in the top of the sixth inning when his deep drive to right hit the top of the wall and stayed in the park for a lead-off double. A one-out bloop single to left put runners on the corners for Nwogu. Rattlers reliever Aidan Maldonado got Nwogu to hit a soft grounder to short. Wisconsin was able to get the force play at second, but Nwogu beat the throw to first to avoid the double play and let Hearn score for a 4-1 lead.

The Rattlers offense never got going after they tied the game. South Bend starter Jaxon Wiggins worked a perfect fourth inning. Reliever Luis Devers gave up a single and struck out three over two scoreless frames. Yovanny Cabrera gave up a harmless two-out single during a scoreless seventh inning to close out the game and earn his sixth save of the season.

Hall had two hits to pace the Rattlers offense in game one.