SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Kade Snell’s walk-off three-run home run lifted the Cubs to a 7-5 comeback win over the Kernels, spoiling six strong innings for Cedar Rapids starter Reed Moring Thursday night.
The Kernels opened the scoring in the top of the first inning. Walks to Jacob McCombs, Vahn Lackey and Yasser Mercedes loaded the bases with no one out, and a double play scored a run to put Cedar Rapids on top 1-0.
South Bend countered in the bottom of the second. A Michael Hallquist one-out double put a runner on second for Leonel Espinoza, whose RBI single tied the game 1-1. The next batter, Alexey Lumpuy, then lifted the Cubs in front 2-1 with an RBI double.
Those were the only two runs scored against Cedar Rapids starter Reed Moring. After pitching six two-run innings in South Bend in August, Moring posted a repeat performance, matching a career-high seven strikeouts, allowing just two runs on five hits in six innings of work.
Cedar Rapids pulled even in the top of the fourth. With one out, Jose Salas tripled off the centerfield wall and scored to tie the game at 2-2 a batter later on a Byron Chourio RBI single.
That stayed the score until the bottom of the seventh. A Reggie Preciado two-out single followed by a Michael Hallquist walk put two on for Michael Gupton, who looped in an RBI base hit to put South Bend back in front 3-2.
In the top of the eighth, Cedar Rapids fired back. Salas singled to start the inning. After he went second on a groundout, he stole third and scored on an Irvin Nunez RBI single to tie the game, 3-3. The next batter, Yilber Herrera, singled to put two on for Lackey, who put the Kernels ahead 4-3 with an RBI single. Later in the inning, Herrera scored on a wild pitch to grow the lead to 5-3.
The Cubs got a run back in the bottom of the eighth. Espinoza worked a walk, stole second, moved to third on an error and scored on a Logan Poteet RBI groundout to cut the deficit to 5-4.
South Bend came all the way back in the ninth. A catcher’s interference and a walk put a pair of runners on for pinch hitter Kade Snell, who launched a game-winning three-run home run to left to lift the Cubs to the 7-5 walk-off win.
The loss is the third straight to begin the series and drops the Kernels to 47-80 on the season. The final series of the season continues Friday at 6:05. Merit Jones takes the mound opposite Alfredo Romero.