Cubs Offense Clicking in Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, CO - The Iowa Cubs (42-37) set a season-high with 19 hits in a 16-3 thumping of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (34-47) at Security Service Field on Friday night. 2B Arismendy Alcantara had four hits, including a home run, and drove in four to lead the attack. The Cubs lead this series 2-1 and lead the season series 10-4 over the Sky Sox. Tonight's win, combined with Omaha's loss at Oklahoma City, moved the Cubs to within a half-game of first place in the division race.

The Sky Sox scored the first run in the bottom of the second inning, but the Cubs answered quickly in the top of the third. Chris Rusin jumped on the first pitch from Pedro Hernandez and belted it over the right-center field wall for his first career home run. Rusin finished 2-for-4 at the plate and is hitting .375 (9-for-24) this season. Alcantara and Matt Szczur followed with base hits and Javy Baez drove in Alcantara with a line drive single of his own. The Cubs added two more runs on an error and a groundout to grab a 4-1 lead.

Alcantara picked up his first RBI with the last of three straight hits to open the top of the fourth. Szczur followed with a bunt up the first base line. Hernandez fielded the ball and flipped to first in time to get Szczur, but fell down as he made the toss to first and had to come out of the game with an injury. Former Cub Manny Corpas came in and got out of the jam, but the Cubs led 5-1.

The Cubs added another run in the fifth on an RBI single by Rafael Lopez and broke the game open in the top of the sixth when Chris Valaika blasted a grand slam off Corpas for a 10-1 advantage. It was Valaika's eighth home run of the season and the team's fourth grand slam this year.

The Sky Sox scored their final two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on a two-run single by Tim Wheeler, but Rusin (5-10) was able to finish the sixth and record his ninth quality start of the season. Four of Rusin's five wins this year have come against the Sky Sox.

Greg Burke followed Corpas to the mound for the Sky Sox and struck out the side in the top of the seventh. The eighth didn't go as well. Valaika singled and went to third on Kris Bryant's second double of the night. Bryant was 3-for-6 and has hit safely in six straight games. Josh Vitters followed with a two-run double to left-center for his second hit of the night. With two outs, Alcantara capped the night with a monstrous home run that hit off the tower that holds up the lights in right field for his 10th home run of the season. Alcantara is batting .442 (23-for-52) with three doubles, four triples, four home runs, 16 RBI, and 16 runs scored in 14 games against the Sky Sox this season. He has hit safely in six straight games to tie his season-high.

Armando Rivero pitched two perfect innings and struck out two before Blake Parker struck out the side to finish off the bottom of the ninth on the mound for the Cubs.  

The Cubs and Sky Sox continue this series on Saturday night at 7:05 PM Central time. The Cubs will send LH Eric Jokisch (5-7, 4.12) to the mound against RH Brett Tomko (0-0, 6.75) for the Sox. 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 PM.