Cubs’ Season Ends in Divisional Series With 3-1 Loss to Quad Cities
The South Bend Cubs concluded their 2026 season in Game 2 of the West Division Championship Series on Thursday night at Four Winds Field, falling to the Quad Cities River Bandits by a 3-1 score. With their victory, the River Bandits have swept the Cubs 2-0 in the series, advancing
The South Bend Cubs concluded their 2026 season in Game 2 of the West Division Championship Series on Thursday night at Four Winds Field, falling to the Quad Cities River Bandits by a 3-1 score. With their victory, the River Bandits have swept the Cubs 2-0 in the series, advancing to the Midwest League Championship Series.
Click here to view Thursday’s box score.
Right-hander Nazier Mulé started the game for South Bend, pitching 3.0 innings of one-run ball. He faced trouble right away on a leadoff hit by pitch to center fielder Asbel Gonzalez but left him stranded at third on a pair of strikeouts. Quad Cities would scratch a run across in the top of the second, capitalizing on a leadoff walk from first baseman Derlin Figueroa. Shortstop Austin Charles drove him in, hooking a double down the left-field line for his sixth RBI of the series.
On the other side, No. 1 Kansas City Royals prospect Kendry Chourio excelled as the starting pitcher for Quad Cities, striking out six in 4.1 scoreless innings. The 18-year-old right-hander did not allow a hit until the fifth inning, though the Cubs had scoring opportunities before that. In the second, they left Alexey Lumpuy at third base after the right fielder walked with one out and stole two bags. An inning later, they couldn’t move center fielder Caden Sorrell from second base after he arrived there with nobody out on a pair of errors.
Chourio finally ran into major danger — and the end of his line — in the fifth inning. Second baseman Reggie Preciado and Sorrell each singled softly, setting up runners at first and second with one out. Quad Cities turned to lefty reliever Ethan McElvain, who quickly issued a walk to first baseman Josiah Hartshorn, loading the bases for the teeth of the Cubs’ order. South Bend couldn’t convert, though, as McElvain struck out designated hitter Kade Snell and induced a flyout from shortstop Angel Cepeda.
South Bend’s bullpen handled the final six innings of the game, beginning with Cole Reynolds in the middle frames. The left-hander retired seven of the first eight hitters he faced before allowing the second run of the contest in the sixth inning. Catcher Ramon Ramirez created it, rolling a one-out single and stealing second base. The RBI came from third baseman Jose Cerice, who looped a double that fell on top of the right-field line. Right-hander Yoendris Gonzalez cleaned up the top of the sixth and pitched a scoreless seventh, stranding multiple runners in each inning.
The Cubs found their first and only run in the bottom of the seventh, bringing second baseman Reggie Preciado around after his leadoff single. Center fielder Caden Sorrell delivered the run-scoring hit, slashing an opposite-way single to left for an RBI in his first High-A game.
With still just one out in the inning, Quad Cities second baseman Tyriq Kemp made an improbable play to ensure the Cubs’ tying run did not enter scoring position. On a ground ball from Hartshorn, Kemp slid to his left and made the stop, electing not to take the sure out at first. Instead, he tumbled and skipped a soft toss to second, barely beating Sorrell to record the force out.
The River Bandits would get a run right back in the eighth, restoring their two-run lead at 3-1. Right-hander Anhuar Garcia struck out the first man of the inning before allowing a single to Cerice and a double to right fielder Nolan Sailors. He then got to two outs on a play at the plate but hit Gonzalez with the bases loaded, forcing in a run. Still, Quad Cities left the bags packed, keeping the Cubs within a two-run margin.
Meanwhile, even though he allowed the run, Reyes wrapped up 3.0 solid innings in which he struck out four and maintained the lead. He passed the baton along to right-hander L.P. Langevin, who pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the second consecutive game. With their efforts, the River Bandits held off the Cubs despite leaving multiple runners on in each of the game’s final four innings. They advance to the Midwest League Championship Series and will meet either the Great Lakes Loons or the Dayton Dragons, who will play a winner-take-all Game 3 on Friday night.