Cubs bats stay hot, power past Memphis in finale

Memphis, Tenn. - Iowa used three home runs and stout pitching to blow past the Memphis Redbirds 7-2 on Sunday afternoon in Pacific Coast League action at AutoZone Park in Memphis, Tenn. Iowa won the final two games of the series to earn a season-opening split with the Redbirds.

 

Addison Russell, Jonathan Mota and Kris Bryant each homered in the victory. Already leading 1-0 in the third, Russell swatted a two-run home run off Redbirds started Tyler Lyons. The homer was his first of the season and it highlighted a 3-for-5 afternoon.

 

Mota came through with a solo shot as part of his own three-hit day to lead off the fourth inning against Lyons. Bryant smacked a two-run blast in the seventh inning, his second in as many nights, and added a sacrifice fly in the ninth.

 

Righty Barret Loux got the start for Iowa, his first since the 2013 season due to shoulder and Tommy John surgeries which forced him to miss the entire 2014 campaign. He allowed two runs on three hits and three walks and three strikeouts in 3.2 innings.

 

Memphis got on the board against Loux thanks to a Cody Stanley RBI single with two outs in the fourth. Loux then walked Rafael Ortega to load the bases before getting the hook. Left-hander Drake Britton came in and walked in a run before getting Dean Anna to fly out to escape the jam.

 

The Iowa bullpen was stellar on the afternoon, finishing the game with 5.1 scoreless innings. Britton (1-1) earned his first win of the year with 2.1 scoreless frames. Zac Rosscup, Armando Rivero, and Blake Parker each tossed scoreless innings for the Cubs to finish it out.

 

Lyons (0-1) earned the loss for Memphis, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 4.0 innings.

 

Scott Moore led the charge for Memphis, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. He went 5-for-7 with two RBI in the series against Iowa pitching.

The I-Cubs are back in action Monday as they start a four-game series with the New Orleans Zephyrs, Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT. Right-hander Yoanner Negrin toes the rubber in his first start of the season for Iowa. Righty Robert Morey is scheduled to make his first start for New Orleans. The game will be broadcast live on AM 940, 104.5 FM, and streamed live at iowacubs.com with the On-Deck Circle Pre-Game Show starting at 5:25 p.m CT.