Captains, Cubs split doubleheader

The Captains and South Bend (Ind.) Cubs opened a six-game series May 14 at Classic Park.

You don’t see a lot of six-game series, but they can happen when Mother Nature gums up the works on carefully crafted minor-league schedules.

The Captains and Cubs were rained out of games at Classic Park on April 14 and 15. It was a miserable weather weekend in most of the upper Midwest. Games in large numbers were postponed in the minor leagues and major leagues.

With the Cubs now back in Eastlake for a four-game series, the two rained-out games were folded in to make it a six-pack.

The series ensued May 14 with a doubleheader of seven-inning games.

Lake County won the opener, 3-2.

South Bend raced to an 11-0 victory in the nightcap.

In between single games May 15 and May 17 is another doubleheader May 16.

That’s a lot of baseball in four days time, even for young guys with tons of energy.

The opening game of the series was well-played and well-pitched.

Eli Morgan got the start for Lake County and was solid.

The 22-year-old left-hander from Southern California gave up two runs on six hits in six innings. He struck out six, walked one and surrendered a two-run home run to Cubs first baseman Jared Young in the top of the third inning.

With a three-pitch mix that includes a extremely effective change-up, Morgan 56 strikeouts against seven walks in eight starts covering 44 1/3 innings. He is 2-0 with a 1.83 ERA.

South Bend starter Cory Abbott was dealing, too. The Cubs’ second-round pick in the June 2017 draft out of Loyola Marymount limited the Captains to two runs on two hits with seven strikeouts in five innings. Captains right-fielder Will Benson accounted for one of those runs with a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning. He has a Midwest League-leading eight home runs.

The win went to Lake County reliever Manuel Alvarez (1-0, 2.25 ERA). He retired the side in order in the top of the seventh. That set the stage for Oscar Gonzalez to slug a two-out, walkoff home run over the wall in straightaway center field.

The third round-tripper of the season for Gonzalez earned him a ritualistic pounding by teammates at home plate.

In the nightcap, the Cubs jumped on Lake County starter and eventual loser Nick Gallagher (0-1, 4.40 ERA) for two runs in the top of the second inning and three more in the top of the third.

Those runs came courtesy of a two-run home run by Brandon Hughes and a three-run shot by Austin Filiere. The Cubs did late damage against Lake County relievers Dakody Clemmer and Jonathan Teaney.

The Captains are 17-19 after the split. South Bend is 15-19.