PCL1 Iowa Cubs

Mills and Iowa Offense Return the Favor

Published on June 1, 2018 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Iowa Cubs News Release


COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - The Iowa Cubs (21-31) evened the five-game set with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (28-24) on a 9-2 victory behind the arm of Alec Mills and an explosive offense, Thursday night at Security Service Field.

The early innings looked to be more of the same story from last night's 13-3 beating, as Iowa struck first in the opening frame off Mark Zagunis' RBI groundout, only to be matched by Colorado Springs in the bottom half.

The Sky Sox pushed ahead in the second with a run, before Iowa answered with two in the third by way of a David Bote double to score Mike Freeman. First baseman Efren Navarro continued to keep the line moving as he singled home Bote for the second run of the frame.

Meanwhile, right-hander Mills settled in after surrendering one earned run in the first and never looked back, as he held the Sky Sox to just two hits in his 5.2 innings of work. The righty dazzled in the power department as he fanned a season-high nine batters. Mills' last nine-strikeout game was two seasons ago with Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

The Iowa offense continued to tack on the runs after an early exit from starter Adrian Houser, who took a comebacker to the arm in the first. Iowa would tag Sky Sox Bubba Derby for one in the in the fifth as Victor Caratini continued his career success at Security Service Field with an RBI single to score a hot-hitting Bote.

Bote ended his night in front of a hometown crowd, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a double and RBI on a night when the offense combined for 12 hits.

The floodgates opened in the eighth, as Iowa rocked the Colorado Springs bullpen for five runs. The first four batters of the inning reached as a run scored on a Caratini RBI single. Lane Adams would later reach on a throwing error, scoring Zagunis, and Bijan Rademacher would blast a pinch-hit two-run single and break the game wide open at 8-2.

Stephen Bruno followed Rademacher with an RBI fielder's choice to close out the offensive outpour at 9-2, as Freeman, Zagunis and Caratini all finished the night 2-for-5 and combined for five of the nine runs.

The Iowa bullpen shut the door as Rob Zastryzny, Shae Simmons and newcomer Daury Torrez combined for 3.1 scoreless innings of one-hit ball.

The two teams are back in action tomorrow at Security Service Field at 7:40 p.m. CT. Follow the action on AM 940 or www.iowacubs.com.

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