Iowa buzzes Bees in 13-2 rout

SALT LAKE CITY - Iowa exploded for 13 runs on 18 hits as the Cubs (69-56) roughed up the Salt Lake Bees (50-76) 13-2 in Pacific Coast League action Thursday night at Smith's Ballpark in Salt Lake City.

Iowa jumped on Bees starter Adam Wilk with two runs in the first inning. Javy Baez smacked a two-out double before Christian Villanueva clubbed a two-run home run, his 16th of the season, to give Iowa a quick 2-0 lead.

Tied 2-2 in the top of the fourth, Iowa erupted for six more runs, highlighted by Baez's two-RBI infield single. The I-Cubs added two more in the fifth, one in the sixth and two more in the eighth inning to put the game out of reach.

Right-hander Carlos Pimentel (11-5) tossed 5.0 innings and allowed two runs on six hits and six walks with three strikeouts to earn his 11th win. Left-hander Drake Britton spun 4.0 scoreless innings in relief to finish the game and earn an 11-run save.

Wilk (5-10) allowed a total of seven runs, two earned, on seven hits with three strikeouts over 3.2 innings to suffer the loss. Iowa tagged the Bees bullpen for six more runs on 11 hits the rest of the way.

Baez, Villanueva, Mike Olt and Taylor Teagarden each drove in two runs for Iowa. Villanueva and Tommy La Stella registered three hits each.

Colin Cowgill and Roger Kieschnick paced Salt Lake with two hits apiece. Kyle Kubitza drove in two with a solo homer and a sacrifice fly.

Iowa's victory drew it one game closer in the American Northern Division standings, as Oklahoma fell to Reno. The I-Cubs are 6.0 games back with 19 games to play.

The I-Cubs and Bees will play game three of their four-game set Friday evening. First pitch is set for 7:35 p.m. CT. Left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada (3-5, 3.74) will start for Iowa against Salt Lake lefty Nate Smith (0-3, 6.23). The game can be heard live on AM 940, 104.5 FM, and live-streamed at Iowacubs.com. The On-Deck Circle Pre-game Show will begin 7:10 p.m. CT.