The Iowa Cubs took advantage of two critical Omaha Royals errors and
scored three unearned runs on their way to a 4-3 win over the O-Royals
(38-57) on Tuesday afternoon at Principal Park.The Cubs (50-46) took the lead for good with a three-run sixth inning. With two outs, Chris Robinson, Nate Spears, and Matt Camp came through with singles to tie the game 2-2 and put runners on first and second base.
Darwin Barney then hit a slow roller down the third base line that he legged out for a single, but the throw from Omaha third baseman Travis Metcalf sailed into the right field corner, allowing Spears and Camp to come around with the go-ahead runs.
Esmailin Caridad (5-9) threw six solid innings to earn a victory in his second consecutive start. Caridad struck out seven and allowed just five hits and two walks in six innings of work. Royals starter Kyle Davies (3-2) was tagged with the loss.
Both Royals runs off Caridad were the result of shoddy I-Cubs defense in the sixth inning. With Iowa holding a 1-0 lead, infield errors by Aaron Miles and Nate Spears helped Omaha take a brief 2-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning.
Jason Waddell threw a scoreless seventh for the Cubs and Vince Perkins worked the final two innings for his first save of the season.
Omaha's Tug Hulett tripled leading off the eighth inning and came around to score to trim the deficit to 4-3. The run off Perkins was the first earned run allowed by the Cubs right-hander since June 13, a span of 24.1 innings.
The Cubs and Royals meet in the third game of their four-game set tomorrow night at Principal Park. Right-hander Jose Ascanio (2-2, 2.01) will start for Iowa and will oppose Omaha lefty Heath Phillips (5-7, 5.57). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
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