Raley, Cubs Silence Sounds

Des Moines, IA - Brooks Raley didn't allow a run in six innings and the Iowa Cubs (4-9) took game one from the Nashville Sounds (4-8) by a score of 4-1 on Tuesday night at Principal Park. The Cubs have won three of their last four and beat the Sounds for the first time since July 3, 2012.

The Cubs were out-hit 10-3 on the evening but Raley didn't need much support to earn his first win of the season. The southpaw pitched six innings of scoreless baseball, allowing six hits while striking out seven.

The Cubs wasted little time getting on the board as Logan Watkins, Ryan Sweeney, and Brad Nelson each drew walks from former I-Cub Frankie De La Cruz in the first inning. With the bases loaded, Donnie Murphy hit a hard grounder to third sending Watkins home, as the Sounds were only able to force Sweeney out at third, and Iowa jumped on top 1-0.

J.C. Boscan increased the Iowa lead to three in the fourth after sending a rocket off the left field wall, scoring two runs. Murphy earned a walk in a tough at-bat and Edwin Maysonet was hit by a De La Cruz pitch to put two on with two out for the catcher. With the two-run RBI double, Boscan has now reached base safely in all seven games he has played to start the season.

The Sounds threatened to score in the fourth and again in the fifth getting a runner on third with just one out in both innings. Raley got back-to-back strikeouts in the fourth and a strikeout and groundout in the fifth to silence the Sounds.

Ryan Sweeney continued his hot start to the season, driving a ball down the right field line for an RBI triple in the fifth, pushing the I-Cub lead to 4-0. Ty Wright got the inning started, hitting a ball through the left side of the infield and scored from first after Sweeney sent one to the corner in right in the next at-bat. Sweeney has hit in six straight games for the longest hitting streak on the team this season. Over his last six games he is batting .348 (8-for-23) with a triple, a double, two home runs, and six RBI.

Yoanner Negrin pitched two scoreless innings in relief and has yet to allow a run in nine and two thirds innings this year. Cory Wade pitched the ninth, allowing the Sounds' only run but struck out two.

The Cubs will host Nashville in game two of the four-game series with the Sounds on Wednesday afternoon at Principal Park. RH Nick Struck (0-1, 6.00 ERA) will get the start for Iowa against Johnny Hellweg (1-1, 4.00 ERA) for Nashville. First pitch is set for 12:05. The game will be broadcast live on AM 940 and streamed at iowacubs.com with the pre-game show beginning at 11:45.