Rainiers Rally to Beat Cubs in 14th Inning

Tacoma, WA - The Tacoma Rainiers (71-65) scored twice in the bottom of the 14th inning to beat the Iowa Cubs (68-69) 5-4 at Cheney Stadium on Sunday night. The game lasted a season-high five hours and 31 minutes. The Cubs are 1-4 on this road trip and have dropped nine of their 10 games.

The Cubs used the long ball to build a 3-0 lead against Rainiers' starter Forrest Snow. LF Junior Lake led off the game with a single, extending his hitting streak to six games. Two batters later, 3B Kris Bryant smacked a home run to right field. Bryant has homered in each of his last two games. Sunday's shot was his 21st in 63 games with Iowa and his minor league-leading 43rd overall this year. DH Jorge Soler added a solo homer against Snow in the fourth inning. It was Soler's seventh home run with Iowa this year.

Cubs' starter Dallas Beeler was impressive on the mound. He limited the Rainiers to five hits and struck out six through six shutout innings to record his 14th quality start in 19 outings with Iowa this year. He has pitched at least six innings in 15 consecutive starts.

The Rainiers broke through and tied the game on a pair of home runs off RH Marcus Hatley in the seventh. Ji-Man Choi led off with his third homer of the year. With two outs, Julio Morban singled in front of a blast from DH Corey Hart, who is with the Rainiers on a major league rehab assignment.

Neither team scored again until the 14th inning as the teams combined to go 0-for-18 with runners in scoring position before the final frame. Four Rainiers relievers combined to allow eight hits and strike out 11 over eight scoreless innings. RH Yoanner Negrin followed Hatley with two scoreless innings, RH Carlos Pimentel pitched three shutout frames, and LH Jeff Antigua set down the side in order in the 13th for the Cubs.

In the top of the 14th inning, CF Ryan Kalish led off with a double, Bryant walked, and Soler singled to give the Cubs a 4-3 lead against Andrew Carraway. Bryant would get thrown out at the plate in between a pair of strikeouts as Carraway was able to limit the damage. The Cubs had three runners thrown out at the plate over the final four innings.

Closer Blake Parker came in to pitch for the Cubs in the bottom of the 14th. Xavier Avery drew a leadoff walk and Ketel Marte singled. After a strikeout, Parker walked Justin Smoak and Ty Kelly to force in the tying run before pinch-hitter Stefen Romero drove in the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly to center field. Parker (0-1) was charged with just his second blown save in 25 opportunities this year and suffered the loss. The Cubs are 7-3 in extra-inning games this season.

The Cubs and Rainers play game two of this series on Monday night at 9:05 PM Central time. LH Eric Jokisch (9-10, 3.63) is scheduled to start for the Cubs against RH Taijuan Walker (6-3, 4.57). 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 8:40 PM.