South Bend Runs Past Wisconsin

SOUTH BEND, IN – The South Bend Cubs scored four runs on five hits with four stolen bases in the fifth inning on Saturday night to race past the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 5-2 at Four Winds Field. South Bend stole six bases in the game.

Chad McClanahan put Wisconsin (17-18) up 1-0 with a solo homer in the top of the third. The home run was the fifth of the season for McClanahan.

McClanahan added to the Rattlers lead in the fourth inning. Nick Kahle doubled off the wall in right with two outs. McClanahan followed with a single to left to score Kahle for a 2-0 advantage.

The Cubs (17-17) got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Nelson Velazquez doubled to start the inning. Yonathan Perlaza was next and sent a grounder up the middle. Starting pitcher Reese Olson swiped at the ball with his glove as the ball went behind his back and he deflected the ball towards shortstop. Rattlers shortstop David Hamilton had been stationed behind second base on the shift and would have had an easy play without the deflection off Olson’s glove had to race over to try to make a play, but the ball caromed off his glove into left-center. Hamilton was charged with an error on the play as Velazquez scored.

South Bend rallied past Wisconsin in the bottom of the fifth inning with five hits, a walk, four stolen bases, and four runs scored.

Bradlee Beesley started the inning with a single and stole second. Delvin Zinn followed with an RBI single to knock in Beesley with the tying run. Then, Zinn stole second base. Tyler Durna was next and he doubled to left to score Zinn with the go-ahead run. A walk to Velazquez set the stage for an RBI single by Perlaza and that chased Olson from the game.

Jake Washer greeted reliever John LaRossa with an RBI single to drive in the final run of the inning and the Cubs were up 5-2.

South Bend starter Derek Casey worked into the seventh and struck out six while scattering six hits and two walks over 6-/13 innings.

Wisconsin had two runners on base in the seventh after Casey left the game and a lead-off walk in the eighth, but both rallies were squelched by 4-6-3 double plays.

The Rattlers, who had staged four-run rallies in the ninth inning on Wednesday night and Friday night against the Cubs bullpen, went down quietly in the ninth inning on Saturday night as Eury Ramos retired them in order.

Je’Von Ward was 0-for-4 for the Rattlers and saw his 17-game hitting streak come to an end.

The final game of the series is Sunday afternoon at Four Winds Field. The pitching matchup is a rematch of last Tuesday’s game. Zach Mort (0-2, 4.78) will start for the Timber Rattlers. The Cubs will send Ryan Jensen (2-2, 4.15) to the mound. Game time is 1:05pm CDT. Catch all of the action on AM 1280 WNAM starting with the pregame show at 12:45pm. The game will be available on internet audio and through MiLB.tv, too.