Three-Run Ninth Pushes Loons Over South Bend

A three-run ninth inning can be enough to spell disaster. The South Bend Cubs scored three in the bottom of the ninth inning Wednesday afternoon.

Luckily, the Great Lakes Loons scored three in the top of the ninth.

That, in combination with a run in the fifth inning, was enough for the Loons to outlast South Bend, 4-3, at Four Winds Field at Coveleski Stadium in South Bend, Ind.

Great Lakes (24-17) scored its first run in the fifth frame in the first multi-hit inning of the game. Imanol Vargas led off with a double, then was bunted to third. That set up an Edwin Mateo double to plate Vargas and put the Loons in front, 1-0. That was the only run allowed by southpaw starter Jordan Wicks (L, 0-1), who allowed four hits over five innings, did not walk a batter, and struck out three.

The Loons, High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, also had a terrific start from their right-hander, Kyle Hurt (W, 3-0). The USC alum spun five innings of scoreless, two-hit baseball, walking nobody and striking out seven in one of the greatest starts of the Loons’ season so far.

After that, South Bend (24-17) was held scoreless for another three frames. Jacob Cantleberry tossed a perfect frame on just 10 pitches, picking up a strikeout. Ryan Sublette allowed a pair of baserunners on a single and a hit batsman, but struck out the other three batters he faced. Jose Hernandez (SV, 1) then came in for a two-inning save, and got through the eighth with no trouble.

Great Lakes came to the plate in the ninth, still with a one-run lead, and they were hungry for insurance. Eddys Leonard belted the first pitch of the frame over the fence for his seventh home run of the year to double the visitors’ advantage. Jorbit Vivas singled on the first offering to him, and on the very next pitch, Jose Ramos doubled to put two men in scoring position with nobody out. After the first out was recorded (on one pitch also), Vargas went first-pitch swinging and smacked a two-run single into center. When all was said and done, the Loons got three runs on four hits with just seven pitches in the ninth inning, and took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the inning. That ended a spell of dominance from righty reliever Walker Powell, who tossed the final four innings of the game. He allowed five hits, one walk and three earned runs while striking out a trio of Loons.

South Bend, the Chicago Cubs’ High-A partner, had more to say in the bottom of the ninth. After a leadoff baserunner thanks to a defensive error, Yohendrick Pinango doubled for the first extra-base knock of the game, scoring Scott McKeon. After two outs in the frame, Caleb Knight blasted his first longball of the season to bring South Bend within a run with one out to go. Hernandez got that out, though, recording a swinging strikeout to end the ballgame and secure the win for Great Lakes. All three runs that scored in the frame were unearned. Hernandez allowed two hits and did not walk a batter in two innings, recording a strikeout.

The Loons pitching staff had perhaps its most dominant day of the season, all things considered. They held a team that averages over eight hits per game, best in the Midwest League, to just five base knocks. They did not walk a batter in the entire game, and struck out 12 Cubs. This marks the first nine-inning game without a walk this season for the Loons’ pitching staff.

On the hitting side, Great Lakes was led by Leonard, who went 2-for-4 with his home run, and Ramos, who had a 2-for-4 day with a pair of doubles. Vargas also had a two-hit day with a double and two RBIs.

Great Lakes and South Bend are now even in this six-game series, which continues Thursday night in South Bend, Ind. The Loons will toss right-hander Kendall Williams (0-1, 5.52 ERA), opposing Cubs lefty D.J. Herz (0-0, 1.98 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., with the Loons On-Deck Circle, driven by Garber Chevrolet Midland, dawning at 6:50 p.m. on ESPN 100.9-FM.

The Great Lakes Loons have been a Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers since the team’s inception in 2007. Dow Diamond serves as the team’s home and also houses the Michigan Baseball Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity, and ESPN 100.9-FM. For tickets or information about the Loons, call 989-837-BALL or visit Loons.com.