South Bend surrenders one run but loses pitcher’s duel

BELOIT, WI --For the second time in the last three games, South Bend was scoreless through the first six innings. The scoreless drought lasted even longer on Wednesday night in Beloit after great pitching performances from both sides.

Tyler Santana shined bright in his first career start, fanning six snappers and allowing three hits and a walk in four scoreless innings. He has seventeen punchouts in his first six appearances with South Bend. Santana was not to be outdone by the Snappers staff, as Marlins’ number nine prospect Dax Fulton struck out seven in four scoreless frames.

The bullpen was just as solid, with three more scoreless innings from Cody Mincey for Beloit and Dalton Stambaugh for South Bend, who did not allow a single hit in his three innings of work.

It was Beloit, however, who struck first with two back-to-back doubles in the bottom half of the eighth. Victor Victor Mesa doubled in Thomas Jones with two outs in the frame to give the Snappers the first lead of the ballgame. Liam Spence led off with a single in the ninth, but the next three batters were retired as the Cubs dropped their third straight.

Spence (1-2, 2 BB) reached base three of four appearances in his debut as the leadoff hitter, and Bryce Windham (1-3, 2B) recorded South Bend’s only extra-base hit of the ballgame.

Next up: Jordan Wicks (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs M.D. Johnson (3-3, 1.98 ERA). Chicago Cubs’ 2021 first-round draft pick makes his second start and first on the road as South Bend looks to turn things around in Beloit. Listen to Max Thoma and Josh Sperber on the call starting at 6:35 pm CDT (7:35 EST) on Sports Radio 960 AM WSBT.