Cubs Sweep Rainiers With 7-3 Win
The Cubs were down 3-0 in front of 12,976 fans before tying the game in the third inning. Darwin Barney and Matt Camp led the offense with three hits each. Iowa out-hit Tacoma 13-5.
The Rainiers scored their first run of the game with a lead-off home run by Dustin Ackley. A second-inning lead-off homer by Mike Carp gave the team a 2-0 lead. In the third inning, Chris Woodward doubled and advanced to third on a line out. Woodward then scored Tacoma's third run on Brad Nelson's RBI single to right field.
However, Iowa answered back in the bottom of the third inning. Camp singled through the hole at second base and advanced to third on Sam Fuld's single. Fuld then stole second base and an error on Tacoma catcher Eliezer Alfonzo brought in Camp to get Iowa on the board. Barney singled and Fuld scored on Brad Snyder's single one batter later to come within one. Micah Hoffpauir then tied the game 3-3 with a sacrifice fly.
In the sixth inning with two outs, Camp and Fuld hit consecutive singles. Barney tripled, scoring the pair and giving Iowa a 5-3 lead. The Cubs extended their lead in the seventh when Ty Wright was struck by a pitch before Bobby Scales tripled for a 6-3 advantage. Welington Castillo was then hit by a pitch before Camp hit a sacrifice fly scoring Scales, making it 7-3, as it would remain.
Austin Bibens-Dirkx (3-0, 2.52) picked up his third win allowing three runs through six innings. Ryan Rowland-Smith (0-1, 7.94), on rehab from Seattle, got the loss. He allowed five runs on 11 hits in 5.2 innings.
Iowa relievers Jeff Stevens, Scott Maine and Marcos Mateo combined for three shutout innings to seal the victory.
Iowa plays the Portland Beavers for a four-game series starting Sunday at 1:05 p.m. at Principal Park.