Chiefs Extinguish Cubs in Saturday Clash 5-1

Ed Howard picks up two base hits plus RBI

South Bend, IN – The Peoria Chiefs have responded well against the South Bend Cubs in the last two days following South Bend’s no-hitter on Thursday night. On a beautiful 70-degree Saturday in Downtown South Bend, the Chiefs toppled the Cubs by a final of 5-1, and now have the series edge three-games-to-two heading into the finale Sunday at 2:05 PM. 

Luis Devers got the start for the Cubs, and it was Peoria on the board first as Devers faced the Chiefs for the third time in his career. Osvaldo Tovalin hammered a two-run home run just over the yellow line of the right field wall near the foul pole. The two runs eventually would hold as the game winning tallies. 

South Bend battled back in the 4th thanks to some hard-hit base knocks by Kevin Alcantara and Ed Howard. Alcantara smoked a single up the middle off of Ian Bedell, and then Howard eventually brought him in with another hit. Howard picked up two more knocks tonight, and is now 5/11 in the series with three RBI. 

Peoria added one run in each of the 5th and 6th innings, but the biggest moment of the game came in the 7th. 

Facing right-hander Gustavo Rodriguez, the Cubs loaded the bases with nobody out to begin the inning in the 7th. Moises Ballesteros walked, Ed Howard singled, and Kevin Made also drew a walk. With their best chance of the game, Rodriguez worked out of the frame with no damage done, striking out three in a row. 

Out of the bullpen, Adam Laskey faced five batters, and sent them all down, working 1.2 no-hit innings.

Eventually, South Bend was down 5-1 going to the 9th inning. Peoria closed it out with no further damage done and took the series advantage.

With the loss, the Cubs are 4-10 in the second half. They will look to salvage the finale on Sunday and settle for a series split. Right-hander Brody McCullough will make his Four Winds Field debut on the mound, after he pitched his first High-A game last week at Beloit.