Cubs Tally Six Runs in the Fifth Inning, Beat Beloit 8-5

Sports stats



MWL South Bend Cubs

Cubs Tally Six Runs in the Fifth Inning, Beat Beloit 8-5

April 22, 2025 - Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release


South Bend, IN - Playing back at home on Tuesday evening, the South Bend Cubs broke their eight-game losing streak in the series opener against the Beloit Sky Carp. South Bend overcame a 3-0 deficit to win 8-5, using a six-run fifth inning to surge into the lead. With the victory, the Cubs improved to 5-11 overall and 5-2 at Four Winds Field, while the Sky Carp dropped to 6-9. Beloit has now lost nine of its last 10 contests.

For a third consecutive Tuesday night, the Cubs handed the ball to right-hander Tyler Schlaffer, and he pitched more than well enough for South Bend to win. His only mistake across 4.2 innings occurred in the third inning, when Beloit catcher Ryan Ignoffo cranked a three-run home run onto the grass in left-center field. Schlaffer did not allow a hit outside of that third frame, striking out seven and facing the minimum in the first, second, and fourth innings. He has now punched out 20 hitters in 15 innings through three starts.

Another Chicagoland product, left-hander Emmett Olson, made the start for the Sky Carp and covered four innings. The Cubs notched both of their runs against him in the third on a bases-loaded single by right fielder Ivan Brethowr. The run-scoring knock extended Brethowr's on-base streak to 13 games and stretched his hit streak to five contests.

South Bend would really break through in the fifth inning, scoring six runs off of Beloit reliever Will Schomberg to take a sizable lead. After Schomberg retired the first man he faced, the bottom two hitters in the Cubs lineup walked, setting up shortstop Cristian Hernandez with an RBI chance. The No. 11 Cubs prospect delivered, barreling a two-run double to the wall in left-center field, recording his seventh extra-base hit of the year and putting South Bend in front. After two more Cubs walked and center fielder Andy Garriola skied a sacrifice fly, first baseman Carter Trice lofted his first Four Winds Field home run, a three-run skyscraper to left. Trice's second long ball of the season blew the game open, as South Bend led by an 8-3 margin through five innings.

Like Schlaffer, South Bend reliever Chase Watkins pitched very well outside of a single blemish, handling 2.1 innings to keep the Cubs in front. After Watkines retired four consecutive Sky Carp to open his outing, Beloit designated hitter Jay Beshears belted a wall-scraper of a two-run home run to left in the seventh. Beshears' first round-tripper in the Midwest League tightened South Bend's lead to 8-5 at the seventh-inning stretch.

With Beloit still in striking distance, right-hander Kenyi Perez came on and neutralized the Sky Carp offense in the eighth. Facing the middle of Beloit's order, Perez spun a perfect frame, striking out two in the process. Right-hander Vince Reilly tailed him with a clean ninth inning, concluding his third save of the campaign with a strikeout.

In addition to Brethowr, Trice and South Bend second baseman Jefferson Rojas each extended their offensive streaks in the 8-5 win. Trice now boasts an 11-game on-base streak and a seven-game hit streak, while Rojas carries a five-game hit streak with his six-game on-base streak.

Beloit and South Bend will continue the series at 7:05 PM on Wednesday at Four Winds Field. The Sky Carp have not yet officially named their starter, while the Cubs will throw Luis Rujano for his third start of the season.

Check out the South Bend Cubs Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Midwest League message board...

Midwest League Stories from April 22, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central