Bats Best I-Cubs in Game Two

DES MOINES, IA – The Iowa Cubs (48-59) dropped game two against the Louisville Bats (44-63) on Wednesday night at Principal Park, falling 7-5 to even the series at one win each.

Through the first four frames, the game was a pitchers’ duel, with Wade Miley and Randy Wynne both holding their opponents scoreless. Miley limited the Bats to two singles and a walk through four, while Wynne kept the I-Cubs to a single, a double and two walks.

In the fifth inning, Louisville got on the board first. Stuart Fairchild led off the inning with a double, then Isiah Gilliam drove him in with a single. Gilliam himself scored a few batters later on a single from Lorenzo Cedrola, and Louisville took a 2-0 lead.

Iowa finally struck back against Wynne in the sixth. David Bote hit a solo home run - his first of the year with Iowa - to lead off the inning and cut Louisville’s lead in half. One batter later, Narciso Crook hit a double, then scored the tying run on an RBI single from John Hicks. With two runners on, Jared Young hit the second home run of the inning to give Iowa their first lead of the ballgame, at 5-2.

The lead didn’t last long, however. Again in the seventh, Fairchild led off with a hit, and this time scored on a home run from Gilliam. Michael De Leon walked and eventually scored on an RBI single from TJ Friedl, knotting the game up at five apiece.

That score held until the ninth, when Louisville retook the lead on a pair of hits from pinch hitter Colin Moran and Cedrola. Friedl added some insurance with a sacrifice fly, and the Bats took a 7-5 lead to the bottom half of the inning. The I-Cubs made some noise, putting two runners on with two outs, but Fernando Cruz stranded both men to close out the victory for Louisville.

POSTGAME NOTES:

• Jared Young’s home run was his 15th this season and his first since July 12.

• Cam Sanders was credited with his team-leading seventh loss of the season for Iowa.

• Seven of nine starters collected at least one hit tonight, but only one - David Bote - had a multi-hit game

• Dakota Mekkes pitched a scoreless third of an inning, extending his scoreless streak to 8.2 innings, dating back to July 7.

Iowa will play the third game of their six-game series against Louisville tomorrow. First pitch between the I-Cubs and the Bats is set for 12:08. For more information and tickets, visit www.iowacubs.com.