Iowa Chases Storm, Falls Short in the Ninth

DES MOINES, IA - On a night when the ball was flying, an Iowa ninth-inning rally fell just short as the Omaha Storm Chasers (15-26) downed the Cubs (13-26) 8-6, Friday night at Principal Park.  

Omaha struck first in the first frame and held on to the lead until the third. Iowa answered back off a Wynton Bernard no-doubter to left field, a Mike Freeman walk and an Efren Navarro two-run home run to jump ahead 3-2. 
Iowa right-hander Duane Underwood Jr. hung on for 5.1 innings before surrendering a go-ahead solo home run to Cam Gallagher, a single and a Humberto Arteaga RBI double in the sixth. Underwood Jr. ended his night giving up six earned runs off 11 hits with one walk and three strikeouts in the loss. 
Omaha extended its lead to 7-4 off Brady Markey by way of an RBI double from Billy Burns. Overall, the I-Cub bullpen would combine to throw 3.2 innings between Markey and left-hander Rob Zastryzny.
The I-Cubs swung hot bats of their own, notching 13 hits on the night. Chris Gimenez owned two of those knocks to extend his hit streak to six, while Bernard dazzled on both sides of the baseball, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and reeling in a ball in deep center.
Chesny Young rounded out the Iowa production in the fifth with a liner to left field in the fifth to score Freeman. Freeman and Navarro would each jump in on the action with 2-for-4 nights and two RBI apiece. 
Freeman continued to prove clutch as he started a ninth inning rally by smoking a two-run home run to the power alley in left. The shot left the shortstop with three runs scored on the night and extended his hit streak to five games.
Iowa will kick off its 50th season celebration with a second set of fireworks after the third Omaha game tomorrow at 7:08 p.m. For more information, visit www.iowacubs.com.