Cubs Bats Continue Slumber in Loss
Published on July 17, 2012 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Iowa Cubs News Release
Des Moines, IA - Iowa lost their second straight to New Orleans with a 7-2 loss Tuesday night at Principal Park. Brad Hand and the Zs (51-46) pitching staff held Iowa's (40-57) bats at bay to take a 2-0 lead in the series.
The Zs took the lead early after a leadoff double by Kevin Mattison to start the affair. Three consecutive groundouts took Mattison station-to-station for the game's first run.
Iowa wasted no time getting that run back for their starter though. Alfredo Amezaga knocked the first pitch he saw from Brad Hand into left field for a single. Brett Jackson followed with a double off the wall in center advancing Amezaga. The Cubs third baseman beat out a slow ground ball to short to extend his team-high hitting streak to 16 games and drive in the tying run.
Welington Castillo then worked a walk to load the bases for Dave Sappelt. Iowa took the lead on Sappelt's single to left before stranding three more Cubs to end the inning.
New Orleans continued last night's power surge with their fourth home run of the series. Gaby Sanchez jacked a three-run moon shot to left field in the fourth to give the Zs a 4-2 lead.
Chris Volstad struggled to get out of the sixth inning and suffered the loss. The righty allowed three more runs in the inning (two earned) capped off by a two-run single by Humberto Quintero that chased Volstad out of the game. Frankie De La Cruz and Esmailin Caridad tossed 3.1 scoreless innings from the bullpen.
The Cubs bats would not score again in the loss. Hand (8-4) picked up the win allowing both runs, at one point retiring 13 straight Cubs batters in six innings.
The two teams will meet for game three of the four-game series tomorrow night at Principal Park with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. LHP Brooks Raley will take the bump looking to right the ship for Iowa. The game will be broadcast on AM 940 with the On-Deck Pre-Game Circle Show starting at 6:35 p.m.
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