Chicago Cubs High-A minor league squad the South Bend Cubs forced a winner-take-all game three with a 4-3 victory over the Lake County Captains Tuesday.
The game started rough for the Cubs as the normally untouchable Luis Devers surrendered a pair of runs over his four innings of work, planting South Bend in an early 2-1 hole. That would change in the sixth inning.
With the bases loaded, Kevin Made struck out swinging, but Captains catcher Micael Ramirez dropped the third strike and threw the ball away allowing the tying run to score and all ru to move up a base.
South Bend didn't do any further damage in the sixth but struck in the seventh on a Luis Verdugo line-drive single to right that scored Owen Caissie and gave the Cubs a 3-2 lead.
Pete Crow-Armstrong gave South Bend its fourth run of the game on his first postseason home run in the ninth, a run the Cubs ultimately needed as Lake County scored its third run of the game in the bottom of the ninth, but closer Michael McAvene would keep the Captains at bay for the save.
Pete Crow-Armstrong's home run was his third knock of the night. The lefty also doubled and singled, finishing with seven total bases while Lake County as a team had eight.
The win sets up a decisive game three for the High-A Midwest League Championship at 6 p.m. CDT Wednesday in Eastlake, Oh.
Also on the farm:
Triple-A: Iowa Cubs (65-77) at Omaha Storm Chasers (69-77): W 12-11
Double-A: Tennessee Smokies (0-1) vs Rocket City Trash Pandas (1-0): L 9-5
High-A: South Bend Cubs (1-1) vs Lake County Captains (1-1): W 4-2
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