Comeback Attempt Falls Short in Ninth for Iowa and Drops 10-9 to St. Paul

ST. PAUL, MN. – The Iowa Cubs dropped the series with one game left in tonight’s 10-9 loss against the St. Paul.

In the fifth game of the series, the Saints jumped out to an early 2-0 lead as Emmanuel Rodriguez hit a single and plated two runs.

Then, Iowa scored three runs for a 3-2 lead as Christian Franklin hit his 15th double into left field. Moises Ballesteros followed with a walk and then Jonathon Long crushed an opposite-field three-run homer, his 14th of the season, for the one run lead.

But St. Paul jumped back on top as they hit back-to-back homers off left-hander Brandon Hughes as the lead was 4-3 in favor of the Saints.

After Rodriguez was hurt and Will Holland filled in, Holland crushed a three-run homer for a 7-3 lead in favor of St. Paul.

In the top of the sixth, Iowa cut the deficit down to two runs as a couple of walks and a base hit loaded the bases. Then, Darius HIll knocked in two RBIs for a 7-5 score.

St. Paul added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning as the score was 10-5 heading into the seventh.

But in the top of the ninth inning, the I-Cubs scored three runs as Long drove in his third RBI of the game. Then, Greg Allen crushed a two-run homer as the lead was cut to 10-8.

Chase Strumpf crushed a triple into left center field and drove Ben Cowles for a 10-9 game but the comeback attempt fell short by one batter as Hill flew out to left and the Saints took the series win with a 10-9 score.

The Iowa Cubs conclude this week’s series against the St. Paul Saints on Sunday, July 13 and first pitch is at 2:07 p.m. CT.