Cubs Comeback Runs out of Gas against Express
Published on June 24, 2012 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Iowa Cubs News Release
DES MOINES, IA - The Cubs dropped their second straight game to the Express with a 4-2 loss behind an impressive Rodrigo Lopez Sunday afternoon at Principal Park. Lopez did not allow a hit until the fourth inning while fanning x over six innings of work. Round Rock (35-42) scored four runs on just three hits off the Iowa starter (32-45), who suffered his third loss of the season.
Brad Nelson rained on the Cubs parade in his Iowa homecoming. The Algona, Iowa native continued to be a Cub killer with the long ball, ripping a grand slam for the Express' third hit of the game. Nelson has now knocked 12 home runs against Iowa since 2005. The Express did not get a runner past second base until their four-run sixth inning.
Iowa chipped away at the Round Rock lead, scoring in the sixth and seventh. The Cubs offense sprinkled three singles in the sixth, capped by a Welington Castillo RBI single to chase starter Greg Reynolds out of the game. Brett Jackson smacked his second solo home run in as many days with a deep shot to center in the seventh.
The Cubs bullpen did not surrender an earned run in three innings of work. Esmailin Caridad tossed one inning of scoreless relief while striking out two of the four batters he faced. Jeff Beliveau followed up with a scoreless inning of his own. Michael Bowden surrendered one unearned run in the ninth. The right-handed reliever was hit with a comebacker on the mound and committed a throwing error to allow a lead off single to score.
The Cubs threatened in the first innings after leadoff batter Brett Jackson was hit by a pitch. The center fielder had thievery on his mind, moving to second on his team-leading fourteenth stolen base. Jackson moved to third on a Josh Vitters groundout and Anthony Rizzo walked to put runners on the corners. Blake DeWitt's frozen rope with two down found shortstop Guilder Rodriguez's glove before finding a hole, leaving the runners stranded.
Iowa loaded the bases on two walks with a Matt Tolbert double in between. The Cubs could not cash in though as after a chopper up the middle turned into an inning-ending double play. Greg Reynolds held Iowa to just one run over 5.2 innings for his seventh win of the season. Aaron Heilman record the two-inning save, surrendering just one hit.
Vitters extended his hitting streak to seven games with his sixth inning single. Blake DeWitt (2-for-3) and Castillo (3-for-4) were the only I-Cubs with multiple hits. Despite outhitting Round Rock 8-6, Iowa could not complete the comeback.
The Cubs will look to right the ship tomorrow with a southpaw duel. LHP Brooks Raley toes the rubber against LHP Ben Snyder for a 12:05 p.m. start at Principal Park. Harry Canary and the ZOOperstars will be performing at the game and all the action can be heard on AM 940 with the On-Deck Circle Pre-game Show beginning at 11:35 a.m.
Pacific Coast League Stories from June 24, 2012
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