South Bend Cubs walk off against Cougars
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - After three days of rest, the Kane County Cougars (15-8) started the six-game Eastern Division road trip with a 7-6 walk-off loss at the hands of the South Bend Cubs (15-10). It was the first game of the season against an Eastern Division club.
It was a night filled with pageantry as the South Bend Cubs Manager Jimmy Gonzalez and his staff were honored with 2016 World Series Championship rings. And right out of the gate, the Cubs used that emotion to establish a 2-0 advantage against righty Jon Duplantier (1-0). The first run came on an RBI triple from Yelier Peguero, the next on a single RBI from Kevonte Mitchell. It was the first time in over 21 career innings that Duplantier had surrendered any earned runs.
But the Cougars responded to tie the game, 2-2, in the top of the fourth inning. Facing southpaw Jose Paulino (1-0), Jose Herrera's double plated Luis Silverio to drive home the Cougars first run. The next man up, Chisholm's sac-fly lifted another tally in the tying frame.
South Bend pulled back in the lead against Duplantier in the fifth inning on D.J. Wilson's second home run of the season.
That would be all offensively for the Cubs for several innings as the Cougars plated four unanswered runs. In Paulino's final inning of work in the sixth, the Cougars scored 2 runs on 3 hits. With another run driven home, Chisholm's second triple of the campaign scored Silverio. Another swift retort came from Kyle Smith with an RBI two-bagger.
And in the eighth inning, the Cougars upped their lead to a game-high three runs. With a hot night at the dish, the Vanderbilt product Smith blasted a 2-run home run past left field against the Cubs' righty Chad Hocklin (0-0).
It appeared those Cougar runs would be enough.
Yet the Cubs responded at the plate with a 4-run, walk-off bottom of the ninth inning. With right-hander Austin Mason (1-2) in for the save attempt with a 6-3 lead, he allowed 3 hits, a walk, and 4 runs to see the Cubs storm back. The Cougars tried to salvage the contest bringing in righty Tyler Mark (1-0). But Mark tossed a wild pitch with runners in scoring position as Zack Short trotted home for the winning run.
Mason took the loss and southpaw Wyatt Short (1-0) earned the win. The Cougars and Cubs are back at it for game two of the series Wednesday morning at 9:35 a.m. On the mound for the Cougars, right-hander Sam McWilliams (3-0, 0.45 ERA) duels South Bend right-hander Tyson Miller (0-2, 4.43 ERA).