E-Train Blanks I-Cubs 4-0 to Take 2-1 Series Lead

DES MOINES, Iowa - The Round Rock Express (55-41) held the Iowa Cubs (52-45) scoreless Wednesday night at Principal park to seize game three, 4-0. Round Rock's ninth shutout of the season gave the club a 2-1 lead in the series.

Express 2B Tommy Field ended a nine-game homerless streak by heaving his 12th of the season to left center with one out, giving Round Rock a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning. 1B Brett Nicholas and 3B Ed Lucas each followed with singles off Iowa starter Frank Batista, but the Cubs righty recorded consecutive ground outs to hush the E-Train surge.

The two clubs then went silent offensively as Batista and Express RHP Ross Wolf began to duel. Batista's (0-4, 7.64) outing was short lived as he went 3.0 innings with four hits, one run (earned), three walks and one strikeout before being replaced by southpaw Jeffry Antigua. Wolf (9-5, 5.51) began his 10th start of 2015 with three 1-2-3 innings and blanked the I-Cubs through 6.0 innings of work with five hits, one walks and four Ks. Wolf is the first Express pitcher to reach nine wins this year.

LHP Alex Claudio took responsibility for the shutout bid in the bottom of the seventh and surrendered a lead-off single to Cubs 3B Mike Olt. Round Rock C Chris Gimenez captured the first out by snagging a bunt pop-up in foul territory by Iowa RF Rubi Silva and Claudio used an inning-ending double play to send the contest into the eighth.

ML rehabber Ross Ohlendorf grabbed the reins from Claudio in the bottom of the eighth inning and immediately started his ninth rehab appearance by yielding a single to right. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second, but back-to-back strikeouts ended Ohlendorf's night and the eighth inning.

Iowa dug itself a deeper hole by committing a two-out throwing error that brought two Round Rock runs across the plate in the top of the ninth, making it a 3-0 game. Lucas added the fourth run of the game with a RBI single, but was tagged out on an 8-3-2-6 that summoned the I-Cubs for one final charge.

Round Rock closer Jon Edwards provided the dagger with a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out all three batters he faced.

The Express and I-Cubs wrap up the series tomorrow afternoon with game four as Express RHP Alec Asher (2-5, 5.13) takes the hill against I-Cubs RHP Felipe Paulino (2-5, 4.92) at 12:08 p.m. CDT.

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