I-Cubs Earn Series Split with One-Run Win

DES MOINES, IA – The Iowa Cubs (50-61) scored five runs on six hits to take the series finale over the Louisville Bats (46-65) by a score of 5-4, Sunday at Principal Park.

Iowa took an early lead with two runs in the first inning on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly, holding a 2-0 lead until the third when Louisville got an RBI double from Lorenzo Cedrola. That is all they would score against starter Matt Swarmer, who spun 3.2 innings while striking out four.

The game stayed at 2-1 until David Bote brought in a run on a sacrifice fly to go back up by two. Spencer Steer hit a solo home run to make it 3-2, but Iowa got a two-out, two run single from Darius Hill, bringing the score to 5-2.

Louisville leaded the bases in the seventh and didn’t score, but with the bases loaded in the eighth pushed across two runs on an RBI single from Stuart Fairchild and a walk from Eric Yang.

Ben Leeper entered the game for Iowa with the 5-4 lead and just one out, striking out Isiah Gilliam and Cedrola to end the threat. He used two more strikeouts and a ground out in the ninth to keep the Bats off the board and earn Iowa their third win of the series.

POSTGAME NOTES:

• Iowa tied their season high using six pitchers in today’s game, marking the 12th time they have used six pitchers in one game all year. Two of the six had scoreless outings while the other four each gave up one run.

• Darius Hill recorded three hits out of the leadoff spot today, accounting for half of Iowa’s hits as a team. He scored two of their five runs and also drove in two of their five runs.

• Steven Brault threw 1.1 scoreless innings in his second game on Major League rehab with Iowa, working his way back from the Covid-19 IL. He struck out one in the outing.

Iowa will get the day off tomorrow and head to Indianapolis where they will take on the Indians. Game one of the six-game set at Victory Field is scheduled for Tuesday at 6:05 pm CT. For more information and tickets, visit www.iowacubs.com.