PCL1 Iowa Cubs

Express Slam Cubs in Series Opener

Published on April 9, 2013 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Iowa Cubs News Release


Round Rock, TX - Chris McGuiness belted two home runs, including a grand slam as part of a six-run first inning, to lead the Round Rock Express (4-1) to a 13-5 win over the Iowa Cubs (0-5) at Dell Diamond tonight. The Cubs have lost five straight games to start the season for the first time since 2005.

The game turned on a couple of inches in the bottom of the first inning. Engel Beltre led off with a ground ball up the first base line that looked like a routine ground out until it hit the bag, jumped over Brad Nelson, and rolled down the right field line as Beltre legged out a double. Cubs' starter Barret Loux (0-1) retired the next two batters, but walked Aaron Cunningham. Yangervis Solarte followed with a double to the gap in right-center that rolled to the wall and drove in two runs. Loux was all around the zone, but didn't get some close calls and walked Joey Butler and Mike Olt to load the bases for McGuiness. The left-handed hitter got a ball up in the wind that was blowing out to left and it carried out for a grand slam. Loux got out of the inning, but had to come out of the game after throwing 43 pitches in the inning.

Jaye Chapman followed Loux and was charged with two runs in two and two-thirds innings. Former I-Cub Jim Adduci drove in the first off Chapman with an RBI triple in the second inning. In the third, Chapman issued a two-out walk to Cunningham before giving way to Cory Wade. Solarte greeted Wade with another home run in the wind to left, extending the Express lead to 9-1 at the time. Wade pitched three innings and held the Express in check until the seventh. With a man on and one out, McGuiness connected again for his second homer of the night. After two more singles, Jurickson Profar lined a pitch into the right field corner to drive in Round Rock's final two runs, but the Cubs put together a perfect relay to cut down Profar trying to stretch the hit to a triple. Blake Parker came in to finish the game on the mound for the Cubs and struck out two.

Express starter Collin Ballester (1-0) retired the first nine men that he faced to start the game before Logan Watkins led off the top of the fourth inning with his first triple-A home run. The Cubs added two more runs off Ballester in the fifth. Donnie Murphy led off with a double, went to third on a single by Brian Bogusevic, and scored on a double by J.C. Boscan. Bogusevic scored on a groundout by Edwin Maysonet.

Former Cub Neal Cotts followed Ballester with two scoreless innings in relief before Iowa added their final two runs off Johan Yan in the eighth. Maysonet singled, Watkins doubled, and both scored on a base hit by Brett Jackson.

The Cubs and Express continue this series tomorrow night at 7:05 at Dell Diamond. LH Chris Rusin (0-0, 3.60) will start the opener for the Cubs against RH Josh Lindblom (0-0, 0.00) for the Express. The game will be broadcast live on AM 940 and streamed at iowacubs.com with the pre-game show starting at 6:45.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 9, 2013


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