Brett Roberts hits two homers as Beloit Sky Carp defeat South Bend Cubs 7-2

BELOIT—The Beloit Sky Carp had won the first two games of the series against the South Bend Cubs with a potent offense that smacked eight homers and outscored its opposition 30-9.

On Thursday night, it seemed like the long ball helped spark the Sky Carp’s offense once again as Brett Roberts’ solo homer kicked off a four-run sixth inning that helped Beloit down the Cubs 7-2.

Beloit trailed 2-0 when Roberts took the fourth pitch of the bottom of the sixth and sent it into the bullpens in left field. Cameron Barstad and Josh Zamora walked before a throwing error on a pickoff attempt moved both up a base.

Jorge Caballero tied it up with his fielder’s choice and Johnny Olmstead singled on a bunt to the pitcher, who overthrew first and allowed Zamora to score. Cappe then blasted a ground-rule double to left to make it 4-2.

Roberts hit his second solo homer of the night to lead off the bottom of the seventh and Torin Montgomery added an RBI single in the eighth. Zamora drew a bases-loaded walk in the same frame.

Cappe finished 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI while Roberts also recorded three of Beloit’s nine hits.

Cade Gibson started for Beloit and allowed two earned runs, a one-run double by Jefferson Rojas in the fourth and an RBI double by Brennen Davis in the fifth. He only allowed those two hits while walking two and striking out six.

Anderson Pilar earned the win with two scoreless innings. Evan Taylor and Dale Stanavich threw a clean eighth and ninth as Beloit’s pitching allowed just three hits.

SKY CARP 6, CUBS 2

South Bend 000 110 000 — 2 2 5

Beloit 000 004 12x — 7 9 0

SOUTH BEND (ab-r-h-rbi) — Bateman, cf, 3-1-0-0; Davis, dh, 2-1-1-1; Rojas, ss, 4-0-1-1; Stevens, rf, 4-0-0-0; Long, lf, 4-0-0-0; Kalmer, 1b, 3-0-1-0; Ramirez, 3b, 4-0-0-0; Hearn, c, 3-0-0-0; Howard, 2b, 2-0-0-0. Totals: 29-2-3-2.

BELOIT (ab-r-h-rbi) — Coley, lf, 5-0-0-0; Cappe, 3b, 5-1-3-1; Mack, c, 4-1-1-0; Montgomery, 1b, 4-0-1-1; Roberts, rf, 5-2-3-2; Barstad, dh, 1-1-0-0; Zamora, 2b, 2-1-0-1; Caballero, lf, 4-1-0-0; Olmstead, ss, 3-0-1-0. Totals: 33-7-9-5.

E: Armstrong, Hearn 2, Ramirez, Moreno. LOB: SB 4. 2B: Rojas, Davis, Mack, Cappe. HR: Roberts 2 (3).

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): SB, Armstrong 3.1-3-0-0-3-4; Moreno (L,0-2) 2.1-3-4-3-4-3; Moore 1.1-1-1-1-0-1; Romero 1.0-2-2-2-3-3. B, Gibson 5.0-2-2-2-2-6; Pilar (W,1-0) 2.0-0-0-0-0-5; Taylor 1.0-0-0-0-1-1; Stanavich 1.0-1-0-0-0-2.

Balk: Moreno, Stanavich. HBP: Davis by Gibson; Kalmer by Gibson; Barstad by Moore.

T: 2:47. Att. 500.