Bernal's Knock Wins Game, Ends Skid

SOUTH BEND, IN – The Chiefs snapped their six-game losing skid in dramatic fashion on Thursday, knocking off the South Bend Cubs 5-3 in front of a Cubs single-game record 8,169 fans.

With the game tied 3-3 in the ninth, Leonardo Bernal stepped in with the bases loaded and one out. The Peoria catcher poked a chopper over a leaping Reivaj Garcia to score a pair of runs and give the Chiefs a 5-3 lead. Bernal finished the night with a pair of hits and three reaches in total.

Early in the contest, it looked as if Joshua Baez was going to be the hero on Thursday. Following a Michael Curialle double and a Graysen Tarlow walk, Baez lifted a three-run homer to right off of Cubs starter Will Sanders to give the Chiefs a 3-1 edge. For Baez, it was his first home run since June 15, also against South Bend.

It was South Bend who got the scoring started on Thursday. Brian Kalmer connected on an opposite-field home run in the bottom of the second to give the Cubs an early 1-0 lead.

From there, Chiefs starter Brycen Mautz was in control. The southpaw did not allow a run the rest of the way, logging 5 ⅔ innings. Mautz punched out the side in the fourth inning on 10 pitches. He was one strike away from an immaculate inning. Mautz racked up six strikeouts in total.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Cubs tied the score against the Chiefs bullpen. Tanner Jacobson loaded the bases via a hit and a pair of walks. With the pillows full, Garcia singled into center field to score two runs and tie the ballgame at 3-3.

An inning later, it looked as if the Cubs could again rally past the Chiefs. South Bend put runners at first and second with one out in the home half of the eighth. Roy Garcia promptly punched out Kalmer and retired Ed Howard via a groundout to end the threat. He went on to earn the win, his third of the year.

Following Bernal’s heroics, Osvaldo Berrios locked down the save with a perfect ninth inning. Berrios secured his fifth High-A save of the year and his fourth against South Bend.

Peoria finished with 12 hits as a team on Thursday and went 5-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Brody Moore chipped in three hits to lift his July batting average to .356.

The series continues Friday at Four Winds Field. Right-hander Inohan Paniagua, who has not allowed a run in his career against South Bend, takes the ball for Peoria.