Cubs Win, Spoil Sounds Attempt at Series Sweep
Published on July 4, 2012 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Iowa Cubs News Release
Nashville, TN - The Iowa Cubs (35-51) used timely hitting, solid pitching, and some key defensive plays to beat the Nashville Sounds (36-50) at Greer Stadium tonight. The series finale win kept the Cubs from being swept in the four-game set and tied the season series, 6-6.
The Sounds got on the board first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Logan Schafer led off with a triple and scored on a double by Corey Patterson. Those were the only hits Cubs' starter Randy Wells would allow until the last man he faced in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Cubs came back to take the lead with two runs in the top of the third. Brett Jackson led off with an infield single and stole second base. Sounds' starter Mark Rogers then walked Alfredo Amezaga and Adrian Cardenas to load the bases. Josh Vitters picked up an RBI and advanced all three runners with a sacrifice fly to center. Blake DeWitt followed with a groundout that brought in Amezaga and the Cubs led 2-1. The Cubs added their final run in the top of the fifth. Amezaga walked, stole second, went to third in a flyout, and scored on a single by Vitters.
In the bottom of the fifth, Wells walked Caleb Gindl and Dayton Buller to start the inning. After a strikeout and a flyout, Patterson came up and grounded a sharp single into right field. Gindl tried to score from second base, but Dave Sappelt made a perfect throw to the plate to cut him down for the final out of the inning. Sappelt leads the team with eight outfield assists, but this was his first time throwing out a runner trying to score.
Ryan Rowland-Smith followed Wells with an inning and a third of scoreless relief. Jay Jackson finished the seventh and came back out for the top of the eighth. Patterson led off the eighth with a his fifth homer of the season to cut the Cubs' lead to 3-2. Jackson then walked Jeff Bianchi and Andy Gonzalez to put the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base. Jordan Brown moved the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt. With Eric Farris at the plate, Jackson threw a curveball that bounced off catcher Blake Lalli and kicked off to the right side of the plate area. Bianchi broke for the plate, but Lalli recovered to get the ball and flipped it to Jackson in time to tag Bianchi out at home. Jackson then got Farris to hit a comebacker and threw him out at first to end the inning.
Michael Bowden closed out ninth to earn his first save with the Cubs. With two outs, he walked pinch-hitter Jay Gibbons, but struck out Schafer to preserve the win. Wells (3-2) earned the win. Rogers (3-6) suffered the loss.
The Cubs open a five-game series against the Omaha Storm Chasers at Principal Park tomorrow night at 7:05. RH Rodrigo Lopez (2-3, 4.00) will start for the Cubs against LH Doug Davis (4-1, 2.51) for the Storm Chasers. There will be a huge 4th of July fireworks show following the game. The game will be broadcast live on AM 940 with the On-Deck Circle Pre-Game Show starting at 6:45.
Pacific Coast League Stories from July 4, 2012
- Colorado Springs Takes Opener over Reno, 19-4 - Reno Aces
- River Cats Blow out Fresno, 18-4 - Sacramento River Cats
- Round Rock Express Drop Opener at Albuquerque 8-2 - Round Rock Express
- Bees' Rally Falls Short - Salt Lake Bees
- Chasers Cruise to Win over Cubs - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Omaha Ignites Bats on Iowa - Iowa Cubs
- Zephyrs Rally But Lose 10-9 to Oklahoma City - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- RedHawks Rally in Eighth, Hold On for 10-9 Win - Oklahoma City Comets
- Sounds Slip by 'Birds - Memphis Redbirds
- Sounds Win 6-4 over Memphis on Independence Day - Nashville Sounds
- Round Rock Express - Game Notes at Albuquerque Isotopes - Round Rock Express
- RedHawks Game Notes: July 4, 2012 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Rainiers Blow Past Fresno, 8-2 - Tacoma Rainiers
- Salt Lake Pitching too Much for Padres - Tucson Padres
- Cubs Win, Spoil Sounds Attempt at Series Sweep - Iowa Cubs
- River Cats Lose 7-4 Before Record Crowd - Sacramento River Cats
- Martinez's Blast Wins it for RedHawks, 11-10 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Aces Top 51s in Front of Capacity Crowd - Reno Aces
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