Pagan Walks It Off In 11th

SOUTH BEND, IN - It was a dose of pinch-hit magic that propelled the Cubs to victory last night as Ezequiel Pagan came off the bench in the 11th inning and smacked a walk-off single down the line in right to give South Bend their third win in a row, 4-3 the final over Cedar Rapids.

The Cubs had two big opportunities early to bust the game open. In the first inning they loaded the bases against Kernels starter Jordan Carr but Josue Huma grounded out to short to end the inning. The next inning Kevin Alcántara doubled in the first run of the night and the Peoria bullpen was up and firing because the bases were juiced again, this time with just one out. But Yohendrick Pinango and Fabian Pertuz couldn't bring any more runs home.

Tyler Santana made his first start of the year with South Bend, and his first with the Cubs since September 8, 2021. He went three innings and allowed just one run on a two-out RBI single from Noah Cardenas in the third inning.

Neither side would strike again until the seventh when Pinango crushed his first homer of the year, a two-run shot to right to make it 3-1.

Brad Deppermann tossed a scoreless eighth inning and came back out for the six-out save. He walked Jose Salas to begin the inning and then Misael Urbina doubled down the left field line to plate a run. After the next two batters were retired Noah Miller tied the game with a two-out single. Cardenas actually singled with two men on-base two batters later but Pinango unleashed a rocket to throw out Miller at home plate.

Cedar Rapids made six outs on the bases and two of them came in the 11th. Jose Salas, who came over from Beloit in the Luis Arraez trade this offseason, was caught trying to steal third with nobody out and with two outs Willie Joe Garry Jr. was caught trying to steal second. Casey Opitz caught three guys trying to steal last night and really lit a spark for the Cubs doing it twice in the 11th.

Josue Huma started the 11th at second base and moved up to the third on a Christian Franklin ground out to second. Opitz was hit by a pitch and then Lance Rymel made the move and brought in Pagan who played the role of hero just one week after joining the team.

Tuesday marked the Cubs second straight week with a walk-off in extras to open a series, and all three South Bend home series have begun with an extra-inning game.

Wednesday first pitch is at 11:05 a.m. for the first Education Day game of the year.

Kernels Manager Brian Dinkelman and centerfielder Willie Joe Garry Jr. were both ejected during the game.