South Bend Slugs to 7-4 Victory Over Quad Cities

South Bend, IN - In a game that featured a 46-minute delay at the start due to rain, the South Bend Cubs and Quad Cities River Bandits got rolling at 7:51 PM on Friday night. Now with back-to-back wins, the Cubs beat QC by a final of 7-4, coming back to win and also using a massive 6th inning to their advantage.

It was a high-profile pitching matchup for the starters, as former Kansas City Royals first-rounder Frank Mozzicato got the start for the Bandits. He was opposed by former Cubs third-round selection Drew Gray. Early on, the pitcher’s duel ensued. Much like Opening Day in Davenport, when Gray struck out the side in his first Midwest League inning, he also went 1-2-3 in the top of the 1st.

Mozzicato brought the same energy and then some, however, as the first three innings all went scoreless. Gray worked into the 4th inning, and set a new career high for innings pitched with 3.1, as well as picking up six strikeouts.

In the top of the 4th while Gray was departing, a wild pitch was the difference. That’s how Quad Cities got their first run, but both Parker Chavers and Pedro Ramirez saved tallies with solid defensive plays, keeping Quad Cities from scoring.

South Bend turned that defense into offense when they had one of their most productive innings at the plate so far this season in the bottom of the 6th. Lefty Chazz Martinez replaced Mozzicato, who left in line for the win.

Martinez struggled with the zone, and walked Ed Howard to start the frame. Howard stole second, went to third on a wild pitch, and then came in after a Pedro Ramirez walk when Jefferson Rojas singled. For Rojas, who turned 19-years-old yesterday, he extended his hitting streak to 13 straight games. His base hit tied things up.

The next batter was Yohendrick Pinango, who sliced a double over the head of QC left fielder Deivis Nadal. That scored two, and the Cubs took their first lead at 3-1. The inning continued with a Jonathon Long RBI double, and then Parker Chavers delivered the big blow. On his first home run of the season, Chavers brought in two more to put up a six-spot in the 6th. The Cubs had broken it wide open.

Out of the bullpen, Tyler Santana worked 4.2 innings and earned the victory. Joe Nahas got the final three outs, and South Bend worked around a couple scattered runs by the River Bandits.

With the victory, South Bend has won back-to-back games, and are right back in the series after losing the first two. They will look for their first series victory of the season over the weekend, with a 4:05 PM first pitch time on Saturday afternoon. Right-hander Luis Devers will get the start for the Cubs.