Mud Hens Shutout I-Cubs for Series Lead

August 6, 2022

DES MOINES, IA – The Iowa Cubs (47-57) had their three-game winning streak snapped by the Toledo Mud Hens (52-51) on Saturday at Principal Park, losing by a score of 6-0. Both Toledo and Iowa were held scoreless through the first four frames, with each team getting great efforts from

DES MOINES, IA – The Iowa Cubs (47-57) had their three-game winning streak snapped by the Toledo Mud Hens (52-51) on Saturday at Principal Park, losing by a score of 6-0.

Both Toledo and Iowa were held scoreless through the first four frames, with each team getting great efforts from their starting pitchers. For Iowa, Javier Assad did not allow a single hit through the first four innings before surrendering a solo home run to Kerry Carpenter to open the scoring in the fifth.

Zack Short hit a solo blast of his own in the sixth to grow the lead to 2-0 and knock Assad out of the game. He was followed by Raynel Espinal, who allowed an RBI double from Josh Lester and a two-run single off the bat of Brendon Davis to grow Toledo’s lead to 5-0.

On the other side, Austin Bergner spun five scoreless innings in his Triple-A debut. He allowed just three hits and one walk while striking out five, throwing 68% (42-of-62) of his pitches for strikes.

Davis brought a sixth run in for Toledo in the eighth inning on an RBI double to grow their lead to 6-0, and the Mud Hens bullpen took over from there. Berger was followed by four relievers who combined to allow just three total hits over their four innings of work.

Their four scoreless innings completed the shutout, giving Toledo a 6-0 victory and 3-2 series lead over Iowa heading into the series finale tomorrow afternoon.

POSTGAME NOTES:

• Darius Hill had his career-high 12-game hitting streak snapped tonight, going 0-for-3 out of the leadoff spot. He was pinch-hit for in the eighth inning.

• Javier Assad struck out eight batters over his 5.1 innings of work, good for his Triple-A career high and just one off his season high of nine strikeouts done twice this year with Double-A Tennessee.

• Matt Mervis went 2-for-4 hitting out of the cleanup spot tonight, the only I-Cubs hitter to record a multi-hit game. He alone accounted for 33% of Iowa’s six hits.

Iowa and Toledo will play the series finale tomorrow, with first pitch scheduled for 1:08 PM. For more information and tickets, visit www.iowacubs.com.