By Mike Monaco

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — All-Star Jeremy Null cruised through six sharp innings, and relievers Francisco Carrillo and James Farris preserved a 2-1 win for South Bend in the series opener against league-leading Quad Cities on Saturday night in front of 7,058 fans at Four Winds Field.

The Cubs (26-29) have won seven of their last eight games following a sweep of Lake County and a series win over Cedar Rapids. The River Bandits (38-18) began the night with a two-game lead over the Kernels, who boast the second-best record in the Midwest League.

“I thought my stuff was pretty good coming out of the bullpen,” Null said. “I executed some pitches. Amaya called a great game. The offense picked me up after I gave up a run. You put all that together, and we just had a great game tonight.”

The 6-foot-7 Null tossed six innings of one-run ball in which he surrendered five hits, fanned four and didn’t walk a River Bandit. Null, who was making his first start since being named a Midwest League All-Star earlier in the week, lowered his ERA to 1.75.

Carrillo allowed only a single and a walk in 1.1 scoreless innings, while Farris, one of South Bend’s five All-Stars, logged the final five outs for his eighth save.

For the third consecutive game, South Bend did not commit an error.

“I try to pitch to contact, throw a lot of strikes,” Null said. “Every time we go out there, I try to have the defense make plays. We have a great defense, and they’ve played great lately. It helps me out, and it helps our team get some fast innings and get back in the dugout.”

Each team had just one baserunner reach through the first two innings. In the bottom of the third, however, South Bend walked twice and worked runners to second and third. But shortstop Gleyber Torres struck out, and the game remained scoreless.

In the top of the fourth, Quad Cities third baseman Nick Tanielu looped a one-out double to the left-field corner. After advancing to third on a single, Tanielu scored on a sacrifice fly by River Bandits second baseman Kristian Trompiz.
The Cubs were held hitless through the first 3.2 innings. But with two outs in the fourth, first baseman Cael Brockmeyer crushed a solo home run to deep left-center field to knot the game, 1-1.

South Bend took its first lead in the bottom of the fifth. With runners at first, second baseman Andrew Ely dropped an RBI single into shallow left-center field, scoring center fielder Charcer Burks and giving the Cubs a 2-1 advantage.

“It’s been clutch. Having him has been great,” South Bend manager Jimmy Gonzalez said of Ely. “When he comes up, he’s gonna put the ball in play. He makes things happen.”

Cubs third baseman Jason Vosler (2-for-4) cracked a fourth-inning double and an eighth-inning single.

South Bend and Quad Cities return for the middle tilt of the three-game set Sunday at 2:05 p.m. ET at Four Winds Field. Cubs right-hander Erick Leal (4-3, 4.27 ERA) is scheduled to oppose River Bandits righty Brandon McNitt (0-2, 4.95 ERA).