SOUTH BEND, Ind. - It was a 30-year wait, but the atmosphere at Four Winds Field lived up to that occasion. More than 7,000 fans packed the ballpark in Downtown South Bend to see the Midwest League All-Star Game, which ended in thrilling fashion.
Tied at 3-3 through nine innings, the East and West selected one player each to compete in a sudden death Home Run Derby. The East's selection, Monday's actual HR Derby winner Chris Betts, blasted two longballs to clinch the victory.
What an amazing finish to #SBCubsASG!
— Matt Randall (@mattrandall_) June 19, 2019
Bowling Green's @ChrisBetts26 (who won last night's HR Derby) was the East's selection for a sudden death HR Derby after a 3-3 tie in the All-Star Game. Needed two, had one called back, then belted a couple before another bat flip. Insanity. pic.twitter.com/a9wCK9Ldkr
Once the postgame fireworks had ended and the fans had cleared the stadium, South Bend Cubs President Joe Hart could barely contain his elation considering his staff's work had finally paid off.
"It’s unbelievable, and the way it ended was phenomenal," he said. "I just want to thank everybody in our community. They helped us put on a great event, and I think we really made South Bend proud and showed off a great community – at least to the other 15 teams in our league, family members, everything. I just want to say thanks to Michiana and South Bend.”