Power and Pitching Pace Cubs in Win over Zephyrs
July 31, 2014 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Iowa Cubs News Release
New Orleans, LA - Three pitchers combined to limit the New Orleans Zephrys (56-57) to five hits and the Iowa Cubs (60-54) hit three home runs in a 5-0 victory at Zephyr Field on Thursday night. Dan Straily pitched six innings to record his first win in an Iowa uniform. The Cubs lead this series 3-1 and lead the season series 10-5.
Straily (5-6) allowed four hits, one walk, and struck out five to post his first quality start and earn his first win since joining Iowa on July 7 when the Cubs acquired him in a trade from the Oakland A's. His last win was on June 14 against the I-Cubs while pitching for Sacramento. Arodys Vizcaino followed Straily with a season-high two innings and struck out two and Marcus Hatley completed the shutout with a perfect ninth. The Cubs have shutout the Zephyrs twice in the last three games and lead the league with 11 shutouts this season. This is the most shutouts for the Cubs in a single-season since 2004 when the Cubs blanked their opponents 12 times.
The Cubs relied on the long ball on offense. Javy Baez smashed a two-run homer in the fifth inning off Zephyrs' starter Elih Villanueva to get the Cubs on the board. It was Baez' third hit of the game, his 21st home run of the season, and his league-leading 10th in July. He is second in the league with 32 RBI this month, while increasing his season total to 78. Villanueva (9-7) allowed a season-high five walks, but just those two runs, while working five innings in the loss.
The Cubs added their final two runs on solo homers by Kris Bryant and Mike Olt off left-handed reliever Grant Dayton in the seventh inning. Bryant hit his down the right field line for his 13th home run with Iowa and his 35th overall this season. Olt lined his over the wall down the left field line and finished with two hits. It was his first home run since getting optioned from Chicago on July 23. Olt has hit safely in five straight games and seven of nine with Iowa this year.
The Cubs and Zephyrs wrap up this series on Friday night at 7:00 PM. RH Carlos Pimentel (2-7, 4.80) will start for the Cubs against LH Andrew Heaney (4-2, 3.80) for the Zephyrs. 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 6:40.
Pacific Coast League Stories from July 31, 2014
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