'Birds Snap Cubs Winning Streak
Published on June 19, 2009 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Iowa Cubs News Release
The Memphis Redbirds (32-36) scored three eighth-inning runs and held on to defeat the Iowa Cubs (35-33) 8-6 Friday night at Principal Park. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Cubs.
In a game that featured three lead changes, the Redbirds broke a 6-6 tie when Allen Craig scored on a Neal Cotts wild pitch. The Redbirds added an insurance run in the ninth and Memphis closer Jess Todd worked the final two innings to earn his 13th save.
Redbirds reliever Pete Parise (1-0) earned his first career Triple-A win. Jeff Stevens (0-3) was tagged with the loss.
Nick Stavinoha, playing in his first PCL contest since being optioned to Memphis from St. Louis yesterday, knocked in four runs and finished 2-for-4 with a home run and a double. His two-run blast off Jeff Stevens in the eighth tied the game 6-6 and his two-run double in the third helped the Redbirds to an early 3-0 lead.
Stavinoha's game-tying blast came one inning after Jason Dubois had broken a 4-4 tie in the seventh inning with a pinch-hit RBI single, giving Iowa a temporary 5-4 lead. One batter later, the Cubs successfully executed a double steal with runners on the corners to stretch their lead to 6-4.
Luis Rivas' theft of home as part of the double steal was the sixth stolen base of the night for the Cubs, which matched a season-high set earlier this week in a 5-4 win at Oklahoma City. Cubs pitcher J.R. Mathes recorded two of the six thefts, the first two of his four-year minor league career.
Memphis drew first blood on a solo home run by Allen Craig, his eighth of the season, in the second inning. Nick Stavinoha's two-run double the next inning helped Memphis stretch their lead to 3-0 off Iowa starter J.R. Mathes.
The Cubs cut into the 'Birds lead with two runs in the bottom of the third. John-Ford Griffin was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score a run and Steve Clevenger followed with a sacrifice fly to make the score 3-2.
One inning later, the Cubs took a 4-3 lead with another two-run inning. Matt Camp led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Anderson Machado, and eventually came around to score and tie the game on an RBI single by Mathes. The Iowa pitcher scored the go-ahead run two batters later on an infield single by Sam Fuld.
Memphis knotted the game at four when Machado mishandled a ground ball off the bat of Stavinoha that plated Shane Robinson, who had doubled with one out.
The Cubs and Redbirds meet again tomorrow in the third game of their four-game series. Right-hander Jeff Samardzija (3-3, 4.27) will make the start for Iowa while lefty Evan MacLane (2-6, 3.88) will take the ball for Memphis. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
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