PCL1 Iowa Cubs

Cubs' Comeback Comes up Short in New Orleans

Published on July 11, 2013 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Iowa Cubs News Release


Metairie, LA - The New Orleans Zephyrs (45-48) built a 5-0 lead and then hung on for a 6-5 win over the Iowa Cubs (47-47) at Zephyr Field tonight. With the victory, the Zephyrs win the series 2-1 and lead the season series 5-2. The Cubs finished 3-4 on this road trip. Memphis also lost tonight, so the Cubs maintain a two game lead in the American Northern Division standings.

The Zephyrs got on the board with a run in the bottom of the first inning and took advantage of a pair of errors to extend their lead with four runs in the second. With runners on first and second and one out, Zephyrs' pitcher Jared Rogers laid down a bunt. Cubs' starter Nick Struck fielded the ball and fired towards third base to try to force out the lead runner. The throw sailed past Junior Lake and rolled towards the left field corner. Ty Wright tried to cut the ball off on the warning track, but lost his footing and tumbled into a gate that leads into the grounds crew area at Zephyr Field. When he regained his feet, Wright had trouble picking the ball up in the left field corner while both runners and Rogers circled the bases and scored. Both Struck and Wright were charged with errors on the play. Kevin Mattison followed with a double, stole third, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Gil Velazquez to complete the inning. Two of the runs were unearned.

The Cubs got two runs back in the top of the third inning on doubles by Jae-Hoon Ha, Luis Flores, and Donnie Murphy. The Zephyrs answered with a solo homer by Kyle Jensen in the bottom of the third, extending their lead back to 6-3. Struck worked through five innings before giving way to the bullpen. Esmailin Caridad pitched two scoreless innings and Michael Bowden struck out two in a perfect eighth to hold the Zephyrs the rest of the way.

The Cubs chased Rogers from the game with a run in the top of the sixth inning on a two-out RBI single by Anthony Giansanti. After Zach Phillips got the final out of the sixth inning, the Zephyrs brought in Jonathan Albaladejo for the seventh. Albaladejo worked a scoreless seventh, but gave up three singles to load the bases with one out in the eighth. The Cubs couldn't capitalize as Albaladejo struck out Tim Torres and Flores to end the inning.

The Zephyrs turned to closer Chris Hatcher for the ninth. With two outs, Murphy singled, Wright walked, and Brad Nelson drove in Murphy with a single that got the Cubs within one at 6-5. Hatcher closed out the win and earned his league-leading 25th save by getting Lake to ground out to end the game. Rogers (4-2) earned the win and Struck (5-6) was charged with the loss.

The Cubs return home tomorrow night to start a four-game series against the Albuquerque Isotopes at Principal Park that leads into the All-Star Break. RH Barret Loux (4-3, 4.25) will start for the Cubs and the Isotopes will start RH Angel Castro (5-2, 3.09). The gates will open at 5:35 and the first pitch scheduled for 7:05. The game will be broadcast live on AM 940, and streamed live at iowacubs.com, with the On-Deck Circle Pre-Game Show starting at 6:45.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 11, 2013


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