Cubs Strand Tying Run at 3rd as Late Rally Falls Just Short
SOUTH BEND, IN - Wednesday night at Four Winds Field started out as quite the pitcher’s duel as the game remained scoreless through five innings, in a matchup that at the time was well on pace for under two hours. Sam Armstrong (5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB,
SOUTH BEND, IN - Wednesday night at Four Winds Field started out as quite the pitcher’s duel as the game remained scoreless through five innings, in a matchup that at the time was well on pace for under two hours.
Sam Armstrong (5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K) dealt again the the Cubs, entering with an ERA just under 2.00 and finishing his start with a 1.66 mark. He retired the first eight batters, including Roberto Campos who rocketed a 104 mph liner off the Cubs starter, in ricocheted to third and Rival Garcia made a beautiful barehanded play and got the out at first. Armstrong was tended to by Cubs Athletic Trainer Nick Roberts but remained in the game.
Max Alba (2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, K) served as the opener for the Whitecaps and did his job despite allowing three straight singles in the first inning. Pedro Ramirez (2-4) and Jefferson Rojas (2-3, RBI, R, SB) both extended their on-base streaks to 17 in the first inning but Ramirez was caught stealing second to spoil the rally.
Dylan Smith (3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K) picked up where Alba left on and in his first relief outing of the season took the game into the sixth inning without either team having plated a run.
Seth Stevenson (1-3, R), arguably the fastest player in the Midwest League, legged out an infield inning to begin the sixth frame. He moved to second on a groundout, got to third on a wild pitch from Tyler Santana, and scored on a ground out to third.
The Cubs came right back and tied it in the same inning. Jefferson Rojas worked a one-out walk and came around to score really all by himself. He stole second, and the throw down to second from Bennett Lee skipped into center, allowing Rojas to leap to his feet and sprint for third. With Felix Stevens still at the dish, Rojas scored on a wild pitch from Tanner Kohlepp, the former Fighting Irish right-hander.
Leadoff walks tend to come around to bite you, especially late in tight games. Mitchell Tyranski came on for the Cubs and walked the nine-hole hitter Lee to begin the eighth. After a sacrifice bunt, Jim Jarvis announced himself to the Midwest League with his first High-A hit: a go-ahead two run blast to right.
But South Bend has looked like a different group these last few weeks and seemingly over have some form of rally and late life in them. With a runner on base, Ramirez singled into center for his second hit of the night, giving the Cubs two men on with just one away. Rojas then stepped up and worked an incredible at-bat, spitting on a pair of Zach Hess breaking balls before rifling an RBI single into center. Felix Stevens then coerced a beauty of a walk to load the bases. A pitching change brought in Jack Anderson, who fell behind in the count but came back and got Parker Chavers to ground into a double play to end the inning.
In the last chance for the home team, Jordan Nwogu raced up the first base line and beat out a grounder to short to put the tying run aboard to begin the frame. Brian Kalmer punched out for the first out of the inning, and with Ethan Hearn batting a wild pitch moved Nwogu up to second. Hearn smoked a grounder but right to Luis Santana at first for the second out. With the tying run 90 feet away and two down, Ed Howard hit a bloop liner to the right side that Peyton Graham ranged over, gloved, spun, and threw to first just in time to end the game.