Iowa flies past Bees in series opener

SALT LAKE CITY - Iowa banged out 12 hits as the Cubs (68-56) stung the Salt Lake Bees (50-75) 8-2 in Pacific Coast League action Wednesday night at Smith's Ballpark in Salt Lake City.

Iowa struck first in the top of the first inning when Matt Szczur singled home John Andreoli to give the I-Cubs a quick 1-0 lead. They added four more runs in the second on five hits and a sac fly to open up the game.

Salt Lake got on the board in the third inning when Matt Joyce slugged a solo home run. The Bees got another run in the fourth when former I-Cub Rafael Lopez drove in Alex Yarbrough with a sac fly.

However, the I-Cubs pulled away with two more runs in the fifth inning on an RBI double by Christian Villanueva and a sac fly by Tommy La Stella. They tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning when Chris Valaika swatted and RBI double to make it 8-2.

Right-hander Felipe Paulino (4-7) tossed 5.0 innings and allowed two runs on four hits and three walks with one strikeout.

Righty Trevor Cahill made his I-Cubs debut and spun 3.0 scoreless innings in relief with two strikeouts. Lefty Ryan Buchter tossed a scoreless ninth inning to finish it out.

Bees left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes (5-8) labored through 4.1 innings and allowed seven runs, six earned, on nine hits and a walk with five strikeouts to suffer the loss.

Andreoli and Javy Baez led Iowa with three hits apiece. La Stella doubled, drove in a run and walked twice. Seven different I-Cubs drove in a run.

Valaika had two hits, drove in a run and scored once. The veteran's one-out single in the second inning was his 1,000th career minor league hit.

Roger Kieschnick paced Salt Lake with three of its seven hits. Efren Navarro went 2-for-4.

The I-Cubs and Bees will continue their four-game set Thursday evening. First pitch is set for 8:05 p.m. CT. Right-hander Carlos Pimentel (10-5, 2.95) is scheduled to start for Iowa against Bees left-hander Adam Wilk (5-9, 5.60). The game can be heard live on AM 940, 104.5 FM, and live-streamed at Iowacubs.com. The On-Deck Circle Pre-game Show will begin 7:40 p.m. CT.