The South Bend Cubs (75-50) walked off the Cedar Rapids Kernels (47-80) on Thursday night at Four Winds Field, winning 7-5. Outfielder Kade Snell delivered a three-run, pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the ninth, stunning the Kernels on the Cubs’ first walk-off blast since June 2024.
Click here to view Thursday’s box score.
Right-hander Nazier Mulé fought his command right away as the starting pitcher for South Bend, walking four hitters in the first inning. He’d go on to walk six and strike out five in 3.1 frames. Mulé’s 32-pitch first inning only turned into a single run, which scored on a double play. He induced another double play to end the top of the third, getting his outing back in better shape.
For Cedar Rapids, right-hander Reed Moring delivered a quality start at Four Winds Field for the second time in less than a month, pitching 6.0 innings of two-run ball. The two Cub runs scored in the third after Moring retired seven consecutive hitters to start the game. Center fielder Leonel Espinoza delivered a two-out RBI single to left, and right fielder Alexey Lumpuy followed with an RBI double to right, giving the Cubs a 2-1 lead.
The Kernels quickly tied the game again in the fourth, capitalizing on a one-out triple from shortstop Jose Salas. He’d come in on a single up the middle from left fielder Byron Chourio, who looped a ball off the tip of shortstop Michael Hallquist’s glove. Right-hander Jackson Kirkpatrick came on shortly after that for South Bend, stranding multiple runners twice to complete 1.2 scoreless innings in his first Four Winds Field appearance since May 1.
The 2-2 tie held until the bottom of the seventh inning, when the Kernel bullpen began its work. Left fielder Michael Gupton delivered the lead for the Cubs, blooping a single into center for his first professional RBI.
South Bend’s lead didn’t last long, as the Cubs unsuccessfully tried to ride right-hander Adam Stone for 3.0 scoreless innings in the top of the eighth. Stone allowed a trio of runs, as first baseman Irvin Nunez and catcher Vahn Lackey each ripped RBI singles to turn the score around. The third run occurred on a wild pitch from right-hander Ethan Bell, giving the Kernels a 5-3 advantage.
The Cubs battled back from there, collecting a run via a groundout in the bottom of the eighth. Bell returned to pitch the top of the ninth, striking out the side to keep the Cubs within a run.
The bottom of the ninth started with a break for South Bend, as third baseman Matt Halbach reached on catcher’s interference as the tying run. Designated hitter Reggie Preciado later walked, setting up Snell for a pinch-hit opportunity with two runners on. In a full count, Snell ripped a three-run home run that snuck over the wall in left field, walking off Cedar Rapids by a 7-5 score. Snell’s ninth home run of the season provided the Cubs with their third walk-off win of the year.
With South Bend leading the series 3-0, the Cubs and Kernels will start their weekend with game four at 7:05 PM on Friday, September 4. Right-hander Alfredo Romero is scheduled to start for South Bend against Cedar Rapids righty Merit Jones.