Iowa Keeps Rolling, Beats Sacramento 8-7

SACRAMENTO, CA - The Iowa Cubs (56-69) downed the Sacramento River Cats (58-67) 8-7, Wednesday at Raley Field to take their fifth-straight victory. Stephen Fife made his return to the rotation after almost three months on the disabled list and Jeimer Candelario crushed his seventh homer of the season. 

Fife, making his first start since May 23, gave Iowa four innings, allowing three runs on five hits and one walk while striking out four.

Iowa took a 3-2 deficit into the fifth inning, but broke the game wide open with a six-run inning. The I-Cubs sent 10 batters to the plate and recorded six hits. 

Logan Watkins and Kristopher Negrón started the offensive drive with back-to-back singles to open the frame. Jose Gonzalez, pinch-hitting for Fife, moved both runners up on a sacrifice bunt and John Andreoli skied a sacrifice fly to bring in the first run of the inning. 

Iowa then caught fire with two outs. Munenori Kawasaki drew a walk to put runners on the corners and Juan Perez brought in a run on a single. Candelario followed with a double to plate the third run of the inning. The two-out rally continued with a wild pitch that scored Perez from third. Bijan Rademacher took a free base on a hit-by-pitch and Taylor Davis kept the inning alive with an RBI single. Watkins capped it off with another RBI single, but Davis was caught in a rundown between second and third on the play and was tagged out to end the frame. 

Sacramento waited until the sixth to make its move. Five hits in the inning allowed the home team to score three and cut the I-Cubs' lead to two. The River Cats held the momentum into the seventh and quickly scored again and threatened to do more damage as they loaded the bases with one out on Armando Rivero. Felix Pena came out of the bullpen to inherit the sticky situation and forced a 4-6-3 double play to put an end to Sacramento's effort. 

Pena (3-4) remained in the game and did not allow a baserunner over 2.2 innings to earn the win. 

Candelario went 2-for-4 with a double, a second-inning homer, two runs and two RBI. Watkins helped with a 2-for-3 game with a run and a pair of RBI. Perez and Davis each contributed a couple of hits. 

Iowa and Sacramento meet again at 9:05 p.m. CT, Thursday at Raley Field. Listen live on AM 940 or online at www.iowacubs.com.