I mention that I am typing this as I watch a few minutes of the Cubs pregame before they destroy the abysmal Pirates. The Faux Sciambi said a moment ago that it was a great pitching match-up (not for the Cubs). It is one that favors the Cubs however, as Mathew Boyd, has been a pleasant surprise while Carmen Mlodzinski (1-3 6.75 ERA) has been brutal. That this is a good pitching match-up is a load of hooey (edited for you the reader). Editor’s note: I try not to gloss over the truth in an effort to sell anything.

While I’ve laid out a pretty bleak picture for what I was to witness Sunday afternoon, I’ll note the positives as they presented themselves. The Cubs have a highly touted minor league system with 7 of their top 10 prospects currently playing at AAA Iowa. The only two top 30 prospects playing for South Bend are 2b Christian Hernandez (1-6) (#11) and shortstop, Jefferson Rojas (#7) (0-4, run). Unranked right fielder, Andy Garriola won a MWL player of the week award earlier this month. However, he was hitting .190 with 4hr and 10 RBI heading into the game. My how quickly things can change!

For their part, the Marlins’ #1 and #3 prospects, Thomas White, and Noble Meyer, respectively, are in the Beloit rotation but didn’t figure in Sunday’s game. However, #12 prospect, second baseman, Gage Miller was 1-5 while playing a decent if unspectacular second.

Aside from the pregame distractions, there wasn’t much of a buzz in the early innings. The crowd skewed heavily to the Cubs as most fans were wearing something SB or Chicago Cubs. However, there was a decent collection of Sky Carp fans seated behind me and the third base dugout (Beloit). I have a strong feeling that manager Angel Espada’s family may have been among the crowd-as he frequently “Ozzied” them. Editor’s note: a term I just coined to describe how Ozzie Guillen would interact with those fans he knew or wanted to meet.

Egbert and Schomberg pitched somewhat effectively through the first three shutout innings. However, there was enough traffic on the basepaths that both managers had to worry about pitch counts.

The damn broke in the top of the 4th when leadoff hitter, Jay Beshears (1-3 2 runs) reached on a three-base error by the aforementioned Garriola. The official scorer couldn’t ignore that he bobbled the routine fly so badly that he looked like a fan punching a beach ball in the stands. He scored on the first of catcher, Garret Forester’s RBI singles (2-4,2 RBI). After a big strikeout, left fielder, Michael Snyder doubled him in for a 2-0 lead.

Schomberg was pulled in the bottom of the 4th with two outs and two runners on base. Reliever, Xavier Meachem got out of the jam. The Sky Carp tacked on an additional run after a pair of doubles.

South Bend finally closed the gap with 2 runs in the 5th. It was a struggle as they finally took advantage of their third hit batsman, a walk, a fielder’s choice and eventual double to the gap off the bat of DH, Drew Bowser (1-3, 2b, 2Rbi, SB). While not a ranked prospect, he looks the part of a 1b/DH. While neither will show up in the stats, both Garriola and Carter Trice, did well to hustle and break up the 6-4-3 and extend the inning.

Beloit’s #30 prospect, Brayan Mendoza pitched the final four innings, allowing a game-tying homer to Reginald Preciado in the bottom of the 6th. While Preciado smoked the ball to left, nobody in the park thought the ball cleared the wall in left because it bounced back on the field. Mendoza held the Cubs to two harmless singles over the next three innings.

Despite the best efforts of the Fun Crew and excitement of the middle innings, the vast majority of the fans never got into the game with the exception of my section mates. Oblivious to the action, they marked Beloit shortstop, Wilfredo Lara. His only mistakes were his initial failures at the plate, and his parents poor decision to name him Wilfredo. They had no idea that their son would be playing baseball in the Godfather obsessed United States. The additional syllable stymied the fans to the point of referring to him as Fredo. Ever reference to Fredo from the movie was cited every time he came to the plate or returned to the dugout. Anyone who rooted against the Mets of the 80’s and a certain slugger, can imagine some of the chants.

A frustrated Lara did not react (much) to the chants, but the Beloit folks behind us audibly sighed each and every time. And as knuckleheads will do, many doubled down despite the Cubs failures. Lara exacted some sort of revenge as he tripled and slid right in front of us. Ordinarily, a good baseball fan, tips his cap to the opponent, but these mopes were not ordinary.

After holding Beloit scoreless in the 6th and 7th, the Cubs brought in Vince Reilly for the 8th to maintain the tie. At this point I realized I was in a Twilight Zone episode. I had never seen his name in print and have never heard his name mentioned in impolite company. Yet, this guy did something I never have seen at any ballpark. According to the scoreboard and “pitch speed”, he hit 104.5mph on his first pitch. There were no oohs or aahs, or recognition on the video board. While the batter passed on it and a strike in the high 90’s, Beshears eventually singled on an off-speed pitch. He allowed singles to the following three batters (all on slower stuff) despite throwing in the 94-97mph range. I’ll have to ask him and the catchers and coaches about this phenom.

Suffice to say, Reilly suffered the 4-3 loss, and the Cubs fell to 6-15 on the young season. And while the game didn’t end as I hoped, I enjoyed my day at the ballpark thoroughly. In this day and age, it’s tough to beat a 24oz $9.25 draft beer and 2 hour 35-minute game. The weather was perfect and 120-mile ride home was relatively stress free.