Cubs Baseball: Machin Homer Helps Cubs End Slide
SOUTH BEND – The South Bend Cubs ended their six game losing streak with a 5-4 victory over the Lansing Lugnuts on Saturday night’s Game 2 of a four-game series at Four Winds Field.
After getting off to a good offensive start in the first inning, the Cubs went scoreless until the bottom of the sixth as things looked to be leading to South Bend’s seventh consecutive loss. Yet, thanks to a late homer by Vimael Machin and a few key defensive plays in the final innings, South Bend got themselves back in the win column to provide a much needed boost in moral.
WHAT HAPPENED: Though Lansing scored in the first inning off Mitch Nay’s two-run home run, South Bend tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the frame on a fielder’s choice, a single, and a wild pitch.
The Cubs looked to be putting together a strong first inning as Luis Ayala kept things going with a two-out double, but Isaac Paredes was thrown out at home to end the inning and steal the Cubs’ offensive momentum.
With three singles in the top of the third, Lansing scored again to pull ahead 3-2. Then, in the fifth inning, the Lugnuts strung together back-to-back doubles to extend their lead by another run over the Cubs.
The hometown cubbies came through with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning on Ayala’s RBI-single to make it a 4-3 ballgame.
Continuing in the bottom of the seventh, Vimael Machin turned a one-out 0-0 pitch into a two-run bomb, his seventh homer of the season, over the left field wall to give the Cubs the 5-4 lead with two innings left to play.
However, after Ayala’s outstanding catch to start the eighth inning, Lugnuts catcher, Ridge Smith advanced to third on Chad Hockin’s blown pickoff attempt.
While it looked like the Cubs would repeat themselves from their last six games, South Bend managed to get out of the inning without giving up a run as Adonis Paula, who moved to second base in the top of the seventh, cut Smith down at the plate to keep the Cubs’ lead in-tact. Hockin then struck out Andres Sotillo to end the inning.
Wyatt Short, South Bend’s team leader in saves, came on for the ninth inning to get the save and cement the Cubs’ 5-4 victory over the Lugnuts.
LUIS AYALA’S HOT NIGHT: Despite his .260 batting average, Ayala came through for the Cubs in a big way going 3-4 with two doubles and a single.
Also contributing on the defensive side of the ball, Ayala made a spectacular leaping catch on the warning track in centerfield to rob J.B. Woodman of a leadoff hit in the top of the eighth.
Ayala was one of South Bend’s best hitters in the month of May hitting .302 (26-86) with eight doubles, two triples, and two homers while collecting 13 RBI over 26 games in the calendar month.
At the start of the season, Ayala was splitting time in the outfield with D.J. Wilson, Kevonte Mitchell, and Chris Pieters, but since Wilson sustained a fractured ankle on a hit by pitch on May 20, Ayala has seen more consistent time in the outfield and at the plate.
ROBINSON’S FIRST INNING STRUGGLES: Cubs starting pitcher, Duncan Robinson struggled through the first inning for the second consecutive time facing five hitters and giving up a two run homer to Nay.
In his last start, Robinson allowed three runs in the first inning against the Fort Wayne Tincaps. He was charged with the loss in that game as the Cubs went on to lose 5-1 in the first game of a series that would see Fort Wayne sweep the Cubs over four consecutive games.
Similar to his last start, Robinson exited after pitching five and two thirds innings while allowing four runs and five hits.