PCL1 Iowa Cubs

History Made in Cubs First Win of the Season

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


Round Rock, TX - Blake Parker recorded the final four outs in the Iowa Cubs (1-6) 3-2 victory over the Round Rock Express (5-2) at Dell Diamond tonight. The right-hander earned his first save of the season and the 35th of his Iowa career to set a new franchise record. The win also ended Iowa's longest losing streak to open a season.

The Express claimed the early lead with two runs off Cubs' starter Drew Carpenter in the second inning. Yangervis Solarte drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a single by Joey Butler. After a strikeout, Chris McGuinness brought in Solarte with a soft chopper to second base and Eli Whiteside singled to drive in Butler. Carpenter retired the next seven men he faced and worked through the fifth inning.

Express starter Ross Wolf worked through four shutout innings in his first start since coming up from double-A, but the Iowa offense broke through against former Cub Neal Cotts in the fifth. Luis Flores led off and lined his first triple-A home run to left field to lead off the inning. Edwin Maysonet followed with a base hit and Cotts walked Logan Watkins and Brett Jackson to load the bases. Donnie Murphy recorded his first RBI with a sacrifice fly to deep right-center. Cotts struck out Brad Nelson and then the Express brought in Yoshi Tateyama to face Darnell McDonald. McDonald hit a bouncing ball to third that Mike Olt mishandled for an error, allowing Watkins to come in with the go-ahead run. Tateyama would work through the seventh without allowing another run and Cory Burns finished the final two innings in relief for the Express.

Yoanner Negrin followed Carpenter to the mound for the Cubs and was perfect through the sixth and seventh innings. With one out In the bottom of the eighth, Whiteside and Engel Beltre had back-to-back singles. Jurickson Profar followed with a ground ball in the hole between first and second base. Watkins made a sliding stop and got the ball to second base in time for the force out, leaving runners on the corners with two away. When Negrin walked Jim Adduci to load the bases, Cubs manager Marty Pevey made the move to Parker and the closer fanned Aaron Cunningham to end the threat. Parker has stranded all five runners he has inherited this year.

In the bottom of the ninth, Butler grounded a one-out single to right field that put the potential tying run on base, but Parker got Olt to popout and caught McGuinness looking at strike three to end the game. Parker began the season tied with Jim Bullinger (1991-93) and Michael Wuertz (2002-04, '06, and '08) with 34 career saves in an Iowa uniform, but now owns the mark on his own. Carpenter (1-1) earned the win and Cotts (0-1) suffered the loss.

The Cubs and Express wrap up this series tomorrow night at 7:05 at Dell Diamond. LH Brooks Raley (0-1, 9.00) will start the opener for the Cubs against LH Brad Mills (1-0, 1.50) 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 11, 2013


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