Clayton Daniel lays down a sacrifice bunt to drive in an insurance run in the South Bend Cubs’ Game 1 win Wednesday. (Photo by Clinton Cole)

The South Bend Cubs beat the Clinton LumberKings 3-1 in Game 1 of the Midwest League Championship Series.

Clinton scored first, plating its lone run on an RBI double by Jose Devers in the top of the 1st inning. South Bend tied the game in the bottom of the 2nd when Jake Slaughter scored on a force play. Nelson Maldonado homered to make it a 2-1 lead for the Cubs in the 7th, then scored an insurance run on Clayton Daniel’s sacrifice bunt in the 8th.

Clinton’s Evan Edwards was the only player with two hits in the game.

LumberKings starting pitcher Remey Reed took the loss after allowing two runs (one earned) and three hits in seven innings. He struck out four and walked none.

Zach Mort got the win in relief for the Cubs. He scattered one hit and two walks while striking out four in three innings.

Rehabbing MLB pitcher Kendall Graveman started the game for South Bend. He allowed one run on three hits in 3.2 innings. He struck out three and walked none.

Game 2 of the best-of-five series will be played Thursday at South Bend’s Four Winds Field, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EST. The pitching matchup will be LumberKings RHP Jake Walters vs. Cubs LHP Faustino Carrera.

Zach Mort was the winning pitcher in South Bend’s 3-1 victory in Game 1 of the MWL finals. (Photo by Rikk Carlson)