Cubs Extinguish Chiefs in Extras 3-2

South Bend, IN - A comeback victory to start a series will always ignite some energy into the clubhouse. A comeback combined with a walk-off means some serious momentum is being taken. That’s what the South Bend Cubs can take home on Tuesday night, after a 3-2 walk-off victory over the Peoria Chiefs.

The game started with a 25-minute combined 1st inning. Nick Dean got the start for South Bend, and Peoria picked up four straight base hits to begin the game. It was a quick paced 2-0 lead for the Chiefs, after Won-BIn Cho was also hit by a pitch. Dean found a way to fight back though, striking out a pair to end the inning with limited damage.

In the bottom of the 1st, the Cubs had their now chance to immediately start their order with some damage against lefty Pete Hansen. Brett Bateman started the lineup with a base hit for the fifth time in his last six games. South Bend loaded the bases, but Hansen escaped the jam with zero damage.

Dean and Hansen would then settle in for one of the better pitcher duels of the season. In both the 4th and 5th innings, Dean struck out the side. He retired the final 15 batters he faced, and also tied a career high with eight strikeouts.

Hansen was just as good, and struck out five batters, that was until the 6th inning. After a lead-off base hit by Rafael Morel, Brian Kalmer took a Hansen pitch and drove it off the batter’s eye in center field for a long home run. It was a 2-2 game courtesy of Kalmer’s seventh long ball of the season.

Keeping the Cubs in it, the bullpen kept of Dean’s incredible pace on the mound. Marino Santy worked two shutout innings out of the pen, as did Mitchell Tyranski.

After both teams went scoreless in the 9th, it was time for extras. The top of the 10th featured Yovanny Cabrera being called upon out of the bullpen, and he worked into a jam with Peoria loading up the bases. After a walk to Tre Richardson, Leonardo Bernal struck out swinging to finish the frame, flipping the script back to the Cubs.

Osvaldo Berrios tossed a shutout 9th inning for the Chiefs, and he was placed back on the mound for the 10th. The automatic courtesy runner at second base was Ed Howard. Parker Chavers walked to start the inning, and Reviaj Garcia laid down a bunt single to load up the base paths.

The next batter was Bateman, who started the Cubs offense on the night with the single in the 1st. Bateman lifted a ball to deep left field, enough to get the run in from third, winning the game on sacrifice fly 3-2.

With the victory, South Bend is now an even 2-2 on the homestand, and both teams will turn around quickly to play on Wednesday afternoon at 12:05 PM. The mid-week matinee will feature lefty Drew Gray on the mound for the Cubs, opposed by right-hander Darlin Saladin for Peoria.