Kernels crack home series win and top Cubs 6-1
South Bend, IN - For the first time this year, the South Bend Cubs have lost a Midwest League series. With a chance to come away this weekend with a split against the Cedar Rapids Kernels, South Bend fell on Sunday afternoon by a final of 6-1. The beautiful 75-degree
South Bend, IN - For the first time this year, the South Bend Cubs have lost a Midwest League series. With a chance to come away this weekend with a split against the Cedar Rapids Kernels, South Bend fell on Sunday afternoon by a final of 6-1.
The beautiful 75-degree day started with Tyler Santana taking the mound for the Cubs. With today being his second start of the series, Santana worked four innings of one-run baseball in a no-decision effort on Tuesday. Sunday began with Noah Miller sending a line drive triple to the center field wall. With a man immediately at third base, Santana battled to hang a zero and strike out two to end the inning.
Another extra base hit for the Kernels began the 2nd on a double from Kalai’i Rosario. In the series, Rosario was on base a total of 16 times in six games. He later scored on a RBI groundout from Misael Urbina.
Cedar Rapids doubled their lead thanks to a Ben Ross double off the left field wall in the 3rd. Both of those runs were charged to Santana, but the righty finished his start with four innings and a season-high eight strikeouts.
South Bend answered in the bottom of the 3rd with Christian Franklin punching a single into left field. Franklin, who had two hits Sunday, was on base four times in the game on Saturday evening.
The big blow dealt by Cedar Rapids in the top of the 5th, as the Kernels scored four runs by walking five times, along with a base hit and a RBI sacrifice-fly. That made it a 6-1 game, and that was what Cedar Rapids needed to close the win.
Out of the South Bend bullpen late, Chase Watkins worked 2.2 shutout innings, while Didier Vargas added two scoreless frames of his own.
Still 1.5 games out of first place because of the Beloit Sky Carp also losing today, the Cubs will embark on their first of two total 12-game road trips this year. This first 12-gamer will feature a stop in Appleton, Wisconsin, starting on Tuesday evening at 7:40 PM EST. The Cubs and the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers get together for six games.
The following six-game series will be against the Beloit Sky Carp starting a week from this Tuesday.