Cubs Clinging to Slim Playoff Hopes
Published on August 27, 2014 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Iowa Cubs News Release
Tacoma, WA - The Tacoma Rainiers (72-66) beat the Iowa Cubs (69-70) 5-3 on Tuesday night at Cheney Stadium. Omaha also lost on Tuesday, but Oklahoma City won to take over sole possession of first place in the American Northern Division. With five games left to play, the Cubs are four games behind the RedHawks. The Cubs and RedHawks play head-to-head for the final four games of the regular season starting on Friday night at Principal Park.
The Cubs grabbed the early lead with a run in the top of the first inning. LF Junior Lake drew a leadoff walk, went to second on a groundout, stole third base, and scored on a single by 3B Kris Bryant. That was the only run allowed by Rainiers' spot-starter Andrew Carraway through five innings of work. Carraway (8-5) was a last minute replacement when scheduled starter Erasmo Ramirez was scratched and earned his second win in this series. Carraway pitched the top of the 14th inning in Tacoma's win over the Cubs on Sunday.
The Rainiers grabbed the lead against Cubs' starter Dan Straily in the bottom of the second. SS Ketel Marte led off with the first of his three hits in the game, stole second, and scored on a base hit by C John Hicks. After a walk to DH Corey Hart, CF James Jones lined a single to left field. Hicks scored, and when the ball skipped past Lake and rolled to the wall for an error, Hart rumbled around to score all the way from first base to give the Rainiers a 3-1 lead. Tacoma added two more runs in the fourth on an RBI single by RF Stefen Romero and a sacrifice fly for 1B Justin Smoak. Straily (7-8) came out after five innings and was charged with five runs (four earned) on 10 hits, walked three, and struck out six.
The Cubs cut into the Rainiers lead in the eighth when Lake lined a two-run homer to left field off Logan Kensing. Lake also doubled in the sixth, extending his hitting streak to eight games. He has scored at least one run in seven straight games. Kensing recovered to strike out the next two batters to end the inning. Carson Smith retired the Cubs in order in the ninth to finish the game and earn his 10th save of the season.
RH Brian Schlitter worked one scoreless inning in relief and LH Jeff Antigua finished with two scoreless frames for the Cubs. The Rainiers left at least one man on base in every inning and stranded 12 men for the game.
The Cubs and Rainiers wrap up this series on Wednesday night at 9:05 PM Central time. The Cubs will have RH Dae-Eun Rhee (1-2, 5.19) on the mound against LH James Gillheeney (3-10, 5.81) for the Rainiers. The game will be broadcast live on AM 940, 104.5 FM, and streamed live at iowacubs.com, with the On-Deck Circle Pre-Game Show starting at 8:40 PM.
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 27, 2014
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- Jimmy Nelson Named PCL Pitcher of the Year - Nashville Sounds
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- Express Drop Third Straight to Vegas, 9-5 - Round Rock Express
- Aces Win Back-And-Forth Battle over Omaha - Reno Aces
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