Cubs Drop Playoff Opener At West Michigan
COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. — Jose Zambrano hit a walk-off RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning and West Michigan opened the postseason with a 3-2 win over the South Bend Cubs in the Midwest League Eastern Division playoff series Wednesday night at Fifth Third Ballpark.
Zambrano’s game-winner off of South Bend pitcher Jared Cheek (0-1) brought home David Gonzalez, who had singled to lead off the 11th, advanced to second on an Isaac Paredes throwing error, and moved to third on a balk. Cheek, working his second inning of relief, got Cam Gibson to ground out to second and fanned Joey Havrilak before Zambrano’s line drive into center field. West Michigan is the defending Midwest League champion.
Oscar De La Cruz started for the Cubs and gave up a pair of runs (one earned) on eight hits over six innings. He struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter before turning it over to the bullpen.
South Bend had a great chance to take the lead in the ninth, putting runners on second and third with no outs, but had a runner thrown out at home and couldn’t push a second chance across.
An RBI base hit from Alberto Mineo in the second and Connor Myers scoring from third on a wild pitch in the fifth was all South Bend could muster. South Bend was 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and managed just two hits and one walk with eight punchouts against the Whitecap bullpen in 5 2/3 innings.
Drew Smith got the win for West Michigan by striking out the side in the top of the 11th. Game two of the series will be Thursday at Four Winds Field at 7:05 p.m. and game three, if necessary, will be on Friday.
The winner of this series will play against either Bowling Green or Great Lakes for the Eastern Division title. Game one in that series was suspended with the Loons leading 3-0 going into the bottom of the fourth due to inclement weather and will be completed on Thursday.
