The Redbirds (50+) kept their momentum rolling Saturday with a convincing 10–5 victory over the Cubs at McInnish Sports Complex, riding a dominant outing from starter Mark Tierney and a relentless offensive attack that piled on late.
The game remained tight early, with both teams held scoreless through the first three innings. The Redbirds finally broke through in the fourth when a costly Cubs error brought in the game’s first run. That crack in the Cubs’ defense opened the floodgates. The Redbirds followed with three runs in both the fifth and sixth innings, and added another three in the seventh to build a commanding 10–0 lead.
Tierney was the story on the mound. The veteran right-hander was in control from the start, tossing 6.1 strong innings while allowing just one earned run on eight hits and striking out one without issuing a walk. He exited in the seventh after the Cubs rallied with a flurry of hits, tagging reliever Chris Cec for four late runs, but the game was already out of reach.
At the plate, the Redbirds compiled 12 hits and spread the wealth up and down the lineup. Marcos Vidal, Phil Bosco, and Mikio Ichiba each collected two hits. Vidal and Rich Beller each drove in two, with Ichiba adding a double and an RBI. Bosco also doubled and plated one, while Aaron Nowels contributed a hit, a walk, and an RBI. The Redbirds also stayed aggressive on the basepaths, stealing four bases and putting constant pressure on the Cubs defense.
Despite a late push by the Cubs in the seventh—including a three-hit, two-RBI performance from Anthony Hamilton and a two-run double by Jeff Hodges—the early damage done by the Redbirds proved too much.
Tierney earned the win for the Redbirds, while the team played a clean game defensively, committing no errors. Daron Wilkinson was steady at first base with a team-high 10 defensive chances.
The Redbirds (50+) continue to surge as they approach the postseason, showing poise, depth, and the kind of balance it takes to win big games in August.
Player of the Game: Mark Tierney — 6.1 IP, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, and a hit at the plate to help his own cause
