Heaney's gem spoiled in 1-0 loss to I-Cubs

Andrew Heaney did not allow a baserunner through the first six innings Tuesday, but the Iowa Cubs scratched across a run in the seventh and dropped the New Orleans Zephyrs 1-0 at Principal Park in Des Moines, Iowa.

The Zephyrs also fell back to second place in the American South and now sit a half-game behind the Nashville Sounds, which beat the Colorado Springs Sky Sox 7-5 Tuesday in Nashville.

After he got through six innings with 54 pitches, Heaney (3-2) gave up his first two hits of the game to open the seventh inning, and Kris Bryant drew a walk to load the bases after Heaney had recorded his eighth strikeout of the night by getting Javier Baez swinging.

Chris Valaika then drew a walk in an eight-pitch at-bat to force home the deciding run, as the Zephyrs failed to produce a run in their only threat of the game in the top of the seventh against I-Cubs starter Dallas Beeler (7-3).

Rob Brantly and Matt Angle both hit one-out singles before Heaney laid down a sacrifice bunt to move them to second and third, but Beeler got Jake Marisnick to ground out to third base to end the inning.

Beeler held the Z's to six hits and a walk with seven strikeouts, and New Orleans did not have a batter reach base in the eighth against Zac Rosscup nor in the ninth against Blake Parker, who converted his 21st save of the season.

Edgar Olmos pitched a perfect eighth inning that included one strikeout, but the Zephyrs were shutout for the ninth time this season but first since a 13-0 loss June 28 at Nashville that was the team's second consecutive shutout and part of a 1-9 stretch.

The Z's and I-Cubs will play the third game of their four-game series at 12:05 p.m. Wednesday at Principal Park.