The South Bend Cubs (63-41) snapped their three-game losing streak against the Cedar Rapids Kernels (41-65) on Sunday afternoon at Four Winds Field, winning 13-1. The Cubs walked away with a split of their six-game series with Sunday’s blowout victory.
Click here to view Sunday’s box score.
Before the Cubs opened the floodgates, Cedar Rapids opened the game with a leadoff home run. Left fielder Jacob McCombs cranked a long one to right on the fifth pitch of the game, hitting the bottom of the videoboard. South Bend starting pitcher Ethan Flanagan bounced back well from the early ambush, finishing with five strikeouts in 4.0 innings. The left-hander didn’t allow any scoring beyond the home run, ending his day with a double play.
After the McCombs home run, the Cubs jumped all over lefty starter Cesar Lares and righty reliever Christian Becerra. They started with two runs on three stolen bases in the bottom of the first. With shortstop Angel Cepeda at third base, first baseman Josiah Hartshorn stole second, and Cedar Rapids shortstop Jose Salas threw to third in an attempt to catch Cepeda leaning off the bag. The throw escaped into the Kernel dugout, though, allowing both runners to come in.
The Cubs broke the game open with back-to-back four-spots in the third and fourth innings. In the third, third baseman Matt Halbach, center fielder Alexey Lumpuy, and second baseman Michael Hallquist dropped three consecutive singles into center field; Hallquist drove in a run with his. Right fielder Geuri Lubo later rolled a two-run single into left for his first hit and RBI at Four Winds Field. Catcher Brennan Hudson followed with his first professional hit and RBI, drilling an RBI double down the right-field line.
Hartshorn kicked off the four-run fourth with his 18th home run of the season, his 13th at the High-A level, ripping a two-run drive to right field. Designated hitter Logan Poteet later cracked an RBI single, and Lubo picked up his third RBI with a sacrifice fly. South Bend picked up another run in the fifth, as Hartshorn doubled to set up an RBI groundout from Matt Halbach.
Behind Flanagan’s four-inning start, the South Bend bullpen combined for 5.0 frames of scoreless work. Right-hander Adam Stone retired the Kernels in order in a six-pitch fifth inning, and left-hander Cole Reynolds followed him by getting the next nine outs before rain arrived and cut the game off in the bottom of the eighth.
Up next, the Cubs will hit the road for a six-game series against the Great Lakes Loons, the High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Cubs and Loons have the top two overall records in the Midwest League, and their series opener from Dow Diamond is scheduled for 7:05 PM on Tuesday, August 11.