Cubs Roll To Another Win
SOUTH BEND – South Bend starting pitcher Jake Stinnett twirled seven dynamite innings, and Rashad Crawford steered an all-around offensive effort, as the Cubs toppled the LumberKings, 5-1, in Saturday’s middle game before 6,234 fans at Four Winds Field.
South Bend (21-21 second half, 50-59 overall) has taken the first two games against Clinton (8-34 second half, 34-77 overall).
“We’re just playing as a team right now,” Stinnett said. “Before the series started, we got together and said, ‘Hey, this is a crucial part of the season and now’s our chance to get up, get in first place, or at least somewhere around there.’ And I think it motivated the guys a little more. We’re just playing really good baseball all around.”
Stinnett struck out six and only allowed a run on three hits over seven innings. The right-hander threw five no-hit innings to begin the night before Clinton catcher Wayne Taylor started the top of the sixth with a single back through the box. Taylor scored later in the frame on a wild pitch. In his last four starts, totaling 24.2 innings, Stinnett has posted a 2.55 ERA.
“I felt pretty good out there. I thought my command was pretty good. Just watching [Friday starter James] Norwood yesterday in the stands, I saw that they swung and missed a lot on sliders. So that was my approach today. If I got to two strikes, just throw a slider.”
Crawford reached base in three plate appearances and clubbed a solo home run.
South Bend reliever Jordan Minch notched a 1-2-3 eighth innings, and righty Daniel Lewis finished out the ballgame in the ninth.
After two quick outs to start the bottom of the second, South Bend loaded the bases. Crawford was then hit by a pitch to plate left fielder Charcer Burks from third and make it 1-0 Cubs.
Cubs designated hitter Ian Happ and second baseman David Bote clocked back-to-back doubles in the third, with Happ scoring to push the margin to 2-0. Bote later scored after a pair of wild pitches.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Crawford unloaded a solo home run off the scoreboard in right field, his third long ball of the season, to give South Bend a 4-0 advantage.
“I really don’t know,” said Crawford, when asked about his sudden prolific power. “I couldn’t tell you. I know in BP we do the home-run round, and [assistant coach] Osmin [Melendez] just says, ‘Crush it. Crush it.’ So I just try to copy that swing and try to bring it to the game. It’s working out.”
South Bend shortstop Gleyber Torres rolled an RBI single up the middle in the sixth to score Crawford and make it 5-1.
South Bend and Clinton close out the three-game series Sunday at 2:05 p.m. ET at Four Winds Field. Cubs right-hander Zach Hedges (3.90 ERA) will oppose LumberKings righty Zack Littell (4.04 ERA).