Jhonny Pereda drove in two of South Bend’s three runs. (Photo by Emma Reese)

SOUTH BEND – Shortstop Luke Wakamatsu had four hits and three RBIs and the Captains pitching staff limited the Cubs to just 4 hits as Lake County (17-16, 44-58) defeated South Bend (15-19, 54-49) 7-3 in front of a crowd of 6,991 on Friday night at Four Winds Field. Alsis Herrera (W, 2-1) tossed two shutout innings out of the pen to earn the win for the Captains.

Both pitchers started the game strong but it was Lake County, the Class-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, who got on the scoreboard first in the top of the third inning against Tyler Peyton. Center fielder Junior Soto laced a double to center to lead off the inning. Third baseman Jorma Rodriguez followed with a single to right that put runners at the corners. Cubs catcher Alberto Mineo gunned down Rodriguez at 2^nd trying to steal for the first out of the inning but Wakamatsu grounded a single through the drawn in infield to plate Soto and give the Captains a 1-0 lead.

South Bend, the Class-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the 4^th against Captains starter Justin Garza. Garza’s lack of control was his undoing in the 4^th as he walked the bases loaded with two outs. First baseman Jhonny Pereda then grounded a single to left that scored third baseman Austin Upshaw and right fielder Chris Pieters for a 2-1 lead. Garza finished the night allowing just those two runs over five innings despite walking seven Cubs.

Lake County tied the game up in the top of the 6^th inning. Second baseman Miguel Eladio reached on an infield single to third to lead off the inning. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and then to third on a groundout to short. First baseman Emmanuel Tapia walked, putting runners at the corners with one out and ending Peyton’s night. The Cubs called on Mark Malave (L, 0-2) out of the pen to replace Peyton. During the next at bat, Tapia took off for second. Mineo threw to second but the ball came loose on the tag attempt and Eladio scooted home to tie the game at two.

The Captains took the lead in the top of the 7^th inning off of Malave. Catcher Logan Ice led of the inning with a double deep into the left field corner. After Soto struck out, Rodriguez singled up the middle to put runners at the corners. Wakamatsu followed with a ground ball single up the middle that plated Ice and gave the Captains a 3-2 lead. An infield single followed from Eladio to load the bases. Designated hitter Li-Jen Chu then hit what looked like a double play ball to second but it was fumbled and the Cubs could only get the force at 2^nd, allowing Rodriguez to score from third.

Lake County put the game away in the top of the 8^th inning, extending their lead to 7-2. Right fielder Conner Capel led off with a double and left fielder Jose Medina followed with a single to put runners at first and third. Ice lofted a sacrifice fly to left that scored Capel and advanced Medina to second on the throw home. Soto then ripped a double to the right-center field gap that scored Medina and Wakamatsu doubled home Soto to make it 7-2. The Cubs did score a consolation run in the 9^th on a Luis Ayala sacrifice fly but could not mount the comeback.