I-Cubs Stifled by Express, Series Evens at One

Round Rock, TX - In game two of a weekend series at Dell Diamond, the Iowa Cubs (33-23) were held to just three hits in an 8-1 loss against the Round Rock Express on Friday night.

A night after shutting out a potent Express offense for just the second time this season, Round Rock got the scoring started in the third inning on a two-run homer by catcher Lorenzo Quintana. 
For Quintana, the homer was the first of his Triple-A career. He later went on to hit a solo homer in the eighth inning for his second multi-homer game of the season and fourth multi-homer game in the last two years. 
In addition to the night from Quintana, Round Rock scored a run in the fifth inning on a wild pitch, two more runs in the sixth inning on a pair of RBI singles by shortstop Alex De Goti and outfielder Drew Ferguson, and their final three runs in the eighth inning on the homer by Quintana and a pair of bases-loaded walks.
Aside from giving up the initial two-run homer to Quintana and uncorking the wild pitch in the fifth inning to allow a run to score, Iowa starter Trevor Clifton (L, 1-4) gave up just those three runs on four hits through five innings of work with six strikeouts. 
Offensively, the I-Cubs bats were stifled by Express starter Rogelio Armenteros (W, 2-4), who gave up just three hits and one run in six innings to cruise to a victory. They were then held without a hit over the final three innings by righty Gabriel Valdez to end the game. 
The only run of the game for Iowa came in the fourth inning, as Robel Garcia began the frame with a double and then scored two batters later on an RBI single by Mark Zagunis.
Garcia, Zagunis and Johnny Field were the only I-Cubs hitters to tally a hit on Friday night. 
Postgame Notes:
• I-Cubs pitchers intentionally walked Round Rock outfielder Yordan Alvarez three times, setting an Express franchise record. 
• Zagunis has hit safely in each of his four games since returning to the I-Cubs after being optioned by Chicago last week. He is hitting .333 (5-for-15) with three doubles and three runs batted in.  
• Junichi Tazawa came into to record the final out in the eighth inning, securing his seventh straight outing without giving up an earned run with Iowa. 
Iowa continues their series in Round Rock with game three of a four-game set at 7:05 p.m. tomorrow at Dell Diamond. Follow the action on AM 940, TuneIn Radio or www.iowacubs.com