Opportunistic Chiefs Down South Bend 5-2

SOUTH BEND, IN – The Chiefs logged just five hits Monday at South Bend but took advantage of six South Bend walks in a 5-2 win over the Cubs at Four Winds Field.

After surrendering a first-inning run in five straight games, it was who Peoria jumped out to an early lead in the opening inning. With runners at second and third, Chris Rotondo plated Brody Moore with an RBI groundout to make it 1-0. Then, Won-Bin Cho doubled to the gap in left center to bolster the lead to 2-0.

South Bend chipped away against Peoria starter Pete Hansen. A solo homer from Ed Howard made it 2-1 after two innings. The Chiefs hurler worked around a baserunner in each of the next two frames to keep Peoria in front.

The Cubs never led in Monday’s series opener, but the home club briefly tied the game in the fifth. A two-out single from Pedro Ramirez knotted the score at 2-2.

Peoria quickly jumped back in front in the top of the sixth, taking advantage of a wild pitch. Darlin Moquete scored on a ball in the dirt to give the Chiefs a 3-2 lead.

In the eighth inning, Peoria added on some insurance, with some help from South Bend reliever Jose Romero. A walk, a single and a hit by pitch loaded the bases with one out in the inning. Cho earned his second RBI of the night when he worked a bases loaded free pass to extend the lead to 4-2. Later in the inning, a Romero balk scored a Chiefs run to cushion the Peoria edge to 5-2.

Hansen worked into the sixth inning Monday before turning it over to a Chiefs bullpen that was stingy. Tanner Jacobson did not allow a run over a career-high three innings. Osvaldo Berrios churned through a perfect ninth inning to record the save and lock down the win for Hansen, his second of the year.

South Bend outhit the Chiefs 9-5 but never led in the contest.

Game two of the series is set for Tuesday night in South Bend. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EDT.