PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Beavers today announced that right-handed pitcher Jeff Samardzija will start for the Iowa Cubs in the opening game of a four-game series at PGE Park on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.Samardzija, 24, has posted a 5-3 record and 3.72 ERA in 13 games (12 starts) with Iowa and has also pitched in 17 games (1 start) with the Chicago Cubs this season.
The Merrillville, Ind., native starred as a wide receiver at Notre Dame from 2004-06, setting school records in single-season receiving yards and touchdowns in 2005 and the program's all-time mark for career receiving yards. Drafted by the Cubs in the fifth round of the 2006 draft, Samardzija bypassed the NFL draft to focus on a career in baseball.
Darwin Barney, who played at Beaverton's Southridge High School and Oregon State University, will join Samardzija at PGE Park for the Tuesday-Friday series. The 23-year-old shortstop led the Beavers to back-to-back College World Series titles in 2006 and 2007 before starting his professional career as a fourth-round draft pick of the Cubs in 2007.
Bobby Scales, who played 204 games over the 2003-05 seasons with the Portland Beavers, will also make his return to PGE Park with Iowa. Scales, the Beavers' 2005 Community Player of the Year, made his major league debut with Chicago earlier this season after over 1,000 games in the minor leagues.
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