Cubs Pull Together First Win
COMSTOCK PARK, MICH. – South Bend finally found the equation to defeat the West Michigan Whitecaps. Putting together a big inning and shoring up the defense, the Cubs knocked off the Whitecaps, 5-2, Saturday afternoon for its first baseball win of the season.
South Bend scored three runs in the sixth inning to take a 4-1 lead. Daniel Spingola ripped an RBI triple, followed by RBI singles from Tyler Alamo and PJ Higgins gave the Cubs control. Donnie Dewees added a sacrifice fly in the seventh and Andrew Ely opened the scoring in the third with a sacrifice fly of his own.
West Michigan countered with two runs in the bottom of the ninth before Michael Wagner nailed down the final two outs for his first save of the season. Ryan Kellogg got the win for the Cubs, working five innings, allowing five hits, no earned runs and fanning three.
Toller Boardman took the loss for West Michigan, giving up three runs on five hits and two walks in just 1.1 innings of work.
South Bend (1-2) cracked 12 hits, two each from Dewees, Higgins, Spingola and Eddy Martinez. The Cubs also only committed one error after blowing nine chances in its first two games against the Whitecaps in South Bend.
Will Allen led the Whitecaps (2-1) with two hits and an RBI.
The two teams will meet Sunday at 1 p.m.