Iowa Shutout for Third Straight Loss

PAPILLION, NE – The Iowa Cubs (10-17) registered just three hits in a 5-0 loss to the Omaha Storm Chasers (20-8), Saturday at Werner Park.

In his first career Triple-A start, Scott Effross threw well for the I-Cubs, allowing two earned runs on three hits over four innings of work. The righty didn’t walk anybody and struck out six Storm Chasers' batters.

The two runs Omaha did score came from a Sebastian Rivero RBI single in the second and a Kyle Isbel solo home run in the third. Dakota Mekkes entered in the fifth and threw two perfect innings including two strikeouts for the I-Cubs, lowering his ERA to 1.88.

Unfortunately for Iowa, Scott Blewett was even better than Effross and Mekkes. Blewett registered a quality start, tossing six scoreless innings of two-hit ball while striking out six I-Cubs batters.

The score stayed locked at 2-0 until the eighth, when the Storm Chasers would single five times and add three runs of insurance off of lefty Kyle Ryan. Grant Gavin, Jake Newberry and Gabe Speier kept Iowa off the board, securing the 5-0 win for Omaha and handing Iowa their third straight loss.

POSTGAME NOTES:

• Abiatal Avelino reached on a single in the top of the eighth inning and was the first batter to reach base for either team since the third inning.

• Iowa’s offense registered just five total base runners tonight on three singles, a walk and an error.

• With tonight’s loss, Iowa fell to 0-4 on the year in Saturday games. The I-Cubs also fell to 1-4 this series, officially losing their second straight series.

Iowa and Omaha are set to face-off in the series finale of the six-game set at Werner Park on Sunday. First pitch between the two teams is set for 5:05 pm. For more information and tickets, visit www.iowacubs.com.