PCL1 Iowa Cubs

Murphy Sparks Cubs Comeback Win over Express

Published on July 18, 2013 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Iowa Cubs News Release


Round Rock, TX - Donnie Murphy doubled, homered, and drove in four to lead the Iowa Cubs (49-50) to a 6-3 comeback win over the Round Rock Express (54-45) at Dell Diamond tonight. The Cubs have won four straight games against the Express and moved back into first place in the American Northern Division by a half game over Memphis. The Redbirds were rained out at home against Oklahoma City tonight.

The Express jumped out to an early lead against Cubs' starter Guillermo Moscoso. Leury Garcia drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a single by former Cub Jim Adduci. Greg Miclat added a two-run single in the second to extend the lead. The inning would end when Miclat was running on a pitch and got doubled up going back to first on a flyout by Adduci. Moscoso went on to retire the next seven in a row and worked through five innings without allowing another run.

Alexi Ogando started for the Express in the third game of his major league rehab assignment for the Texas Rangers. He retired the first 13 batters he faced before Edgar Gonzalez lined a double down the left field line in the fifth. The Cubs didn't score against Ogando until the sixth. With one out, Logan Watkins laid down a bunt single and Murphy laced his 11th home run of the season into left field to get the Cubs to within one run at 3-2.

Ogando retired the next five batters he faced to finish seven innings on 80 pitches. Josh Lindblom, just back with Round Rock from Texas, came into the game to pitch in the eighth. J.C. Boscan greeted him with a bunt single and Tim Torres ripped a base hit to right that moved Boscan to second. The Cubs loaded the bases when Lindblom hit Watkins in the foot with a breaking ball while Logan was squared around to bunt. Murphy gave the Cubs a 4-3 lead by hitting an 0-2 pitch into the left-center field gap for a two-run double. Ty Wright added two more runs by yanking a double down the left field line for his first hit of the game.

The Cubs got great work from the bullpen to finish the win. Marcus Hatley struck out two in the sixth inning, Yoanner Negrin struck out two in the seventh, Eduardo Sanchez struck out the side in the eighth, and Brian Schliiter did the same in the ninth to record his 12th save of the season. Negrin, Sanchez, and Schlitter combined to strike out the final seven Express hitters of the game. Five Cubs' pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts overall.

Negrin (3-3) earned the win while Lindblom (7-1) was charged with a blown save and the loss. Schlitter now has 25 saves in his Iowa career, tying Marcel Lachemann (1969-72) and Jermaine Van Buren (2004-05) for sixth on the franchise's career list.

The Cubs and Express continue this series tomorrow night at 7:05. LH Brooks Raley (6-6, 4.85) will start for the Cubs against RH Scott Richmond (2-3, 6.10) for the Express. The game will be broadcast live on AM 940, and streamed live at iowacubs.com, with the On-Deck Circle Pre-Game Show starting at 6:45.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 18, 2013


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