By Mike Monaco

SOUTH BEND – Dayton crafted an early lead and never looked back in a 7-2 win over South Bend on Thursday night at Four Winds Field.

The Dragons (23-29 second half, 62-60 overall) scored in each of the first two innings and throttled the Cubs (27-25 second half, 56-63 overall) to salvage the finale of the three-game series.

South Bend starter Tommy Thorpe allowed three earned runs (five total) over 5.1 innings and struck out a career-high seven Dragons.
Cubs designated hitter Ian Happ (2-for-3, one triple, one RBI, one run, one walk) produced for an otherwise quiet South Bend offense. Leadoff man Jeffrey Baez added a pair of infield singles.

The Cubs began the night 3.5 games back of West Michigan for second place in the Midwest League’s Eastern Division.

Dayton struck in the top of the first when No. 3 hitter Gavin LaValley launched an RBI double to right field to plate leadoff man Jimmy Pickens, who reached second on an infield pop-up that landed between home plate and the pitcher’s mound.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the second, Dragons shortstop Luis Gonzalez punched a two-run single to right field to extend the lead to 3-0.

Gonzalez tucked an RBI double down the left-field line to push the lead to 4-0 in the sixth. Gonzalez later scored when LaValley snuck an RBI single through South Bend’s drawn-in defense. First baseman Avain Rachal’s RBI single widened the gap to 6-0.

Happ pushed South Bend on the board with an RBI triple to deep right-center field in the sixth, scoring Baez to pull the Cubs within five, 6-1. Second baseman David Bote then rapped an infield single to reel in Happ from third.

Dayton snagged a run back in the seventh on an RBI single to center by LaValley, extending the lead to 7-2.

South Bend welcomes Fort Wayne to Four Winds Field on Friday at 7:35 p.m. ET to begin a three-game series. Cubs right-hander James Norwood (3.71 ERA) is scheduled to oppose TinCaps righty Chris Huffman (3.18 ERA).