PEORIA, IL –With a crowd of 5,060 on hand Thursday evening at Dozer Park, the Peoria Chiefs walked off the South Bend Cubs, 3–2, on a game-winning double from Josh Kross.
After driving in six runs in Wednesday’s 21–2 rout, tying his season and career high, Kross came through in the clutch once again. With the game tied 2–2 in the bottom of the tenth inning and the ghost runner on second base, he smashed a double to left field to bring home the winning run and deliver the walk-off victory for Peoria.
The Chiefs struck first in the bottom of the second inning. Following a one-out double from Chase Adkison, Greysen Tarlow singled to right field, scoring Adkison to give Peoria a 1–0 lead.
South Bend responded in the top of the third inning. A two-out double from Cristian Hernandez tied the game at one, and after a walk, Miguel Pabón singled to center to give the Cubs a 2–1 edge.
Peoria answered in the bottom of the fourth inning. With a runner aboard and one out, Tarlow delivered again, this time with a double to right-center, bringing in the tying run to tie the score at two.
On the mound, right-hander Chen-Wei Lin turned in a solid outing, tossing four innings while allowing four hits, two runs, and striking out seven.
The bullpen was lights-out in relief. Right-handers Hunter Hayes, Mason Burns, Tyler Bradt, and Tanner Jacobson combined for six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out seven. Peoria’s bullpen has now held South Bend scoreless over 13 ⅔ consecutive innings, surrendering only five hits during that span. Burns, a Peoria native, worked one inning, facing four batters, striking out one, and keeping the Cubs off the board.
With the win, the Chiefs capped their nine-game homestand with a 6–3 record, sweeping all three games against South Bend.
The series now shifts to South Bend for the final three games, beginning Friday night. Right-hander Jose Davila is scheduled to start for Peoria. First pitch at Four Winds Field is set for 7:05 p.m. EDT/ 6:05 CDT.
