Zephyrs Fall To Iowa Cubs 9-8
The New Orleans Zephyrs fell to the visiting Iowa Cubs 9-8 in their regular season home finale.
The Zephyrs led the game 8-3 going into the seventh inning, but a five-run seventh by the I-Cubs tied the game at 8-8 and the game-winning run came in the eighth off the bat of third baseman Jeff Nelson, who crushed a solo homer off of Zephyrs reliever Ryan Cullen.
First baseman Geovany Soto led the I-Cubs overall offensively, going 2-5 with four RBI, three off of a third inning three-run homer.
The Zephyrs had a big sixth inning to put them in great position to win. New Orleans hit back-to-back home runs when third baseman Fernando Tatis hit a three-run bomb, followed by second baseman David Newhan's solo shot. But it wasn't enough, as Iowa would score four unanswered to get the win.
Cullen (2-4) takes the loss after giving up the Nelson homer. It was Cullen's only allowed run and hit in 1.1 innings of play.
Iowa reliever Neal Cotts (2-2) picks up the victory after allowing no runs on one hit in 1.2 innings. Reliever Rocky Cherry picks up his seventh save after allowing no runs on one hit in the final 1.1 innings of the game.
The Iowa Cubs win the five-game series 3-2. New Orleans will make a final playoff run with an eight-game road trip to finish the regular season. First they will play four games in Oklahoma against the RedHawks, followed by a trip to Round Rock to take on the Express. The trip begins Monday in a game scheduled for 7:05 PM in Oklahoma City.
8/25/07: ZEPHYRS (Mets) 1 I-CUBS (Cubs) 2
The New Orleans Zephyrs fell to the visiting Iowa Cubs on Saturday by a score of 2-1.
Iowa starting pitcher Kevin Hart (4-1) gets the win after allowing one run on six hits in six innings of play. Hart also got a single and scored a run offensively. Relief pitcher Rocky Cherry picked up his sixth save of the year after striking out two to in the final two outs of the game.
Shortstop Ronny Cedeno provided the only RBI for the I-Cubs, with the remaining margin of victory coming off of a throwing error in the third inning on the same play.
Zephyrs starting pitcher Dave Williams (2-4) had a solid start but recorded a loss after giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits in seven innings. Williams struck out eight Iowa batters in the game.
The only run the Zephyrs scored was driven in by catcher Shawn Wooten, who went 2-4 overall on the night.
The loss evens the series at 2-2. The teams will face complete their five-game set on Sunday in New Orleans with a game scheduled for 2:00 PM CT. It will be the final Zephyrs home game of the regular season.
8/24/07: ZEPHYRS (Mets) 7 I-CUBS (Cubs) 0
The New Orleans Zephyrs defeated the visiting Iowa Cubs by a score of 7-0.
Zephyrs starter Jason Vargas (8-7) got the win after pitching a shutout. Vargas gave up only four his in seven innings.
Right fielder Luis Matos hit his first homer as a Zephyr, a solo shot in the fifth inning.
Third baseman Fernando Tatis went 2-5 and drove in two runs on the night.
I-Cubs starting pitcher Les Walrond (10-5) gets the loss after going 5.2 innings and giving up six runs (three earned) on six hits.
The win gives the Zephyrs a 2-1 lead in the five-game series in New Orleans. The teams will face off again on Saturday in a game scheduled for 6:00 PM CT.
8/23/07: ZEPHYRS (Mets) 2 I-CUBS (Cubs) 10
The New Orleans Zephyrs fell to the visiting Iowa Cubs on Thursday by a score of 10-2.
Catcher Geovany Soto ripped two homers for the I-Cubs for three RBI overall in a 3-3 night to lead the visitors offensively.
Left fielder Scott Moore also drove in three runs, all on his fourth inning home run. He finished 1-2 overall.
Relief pitcher Neal Cotts (1-2) gets his first win of the season after giving up one run on two hits in 3.2 innings of play. Cotts also drove in a run with a single in the game.
Zephyrs starting pitcher Jose Santiago (6-8) records a loss after allowing eight runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings.
The loss ties the five-game series at 1-1. The teams will face off again on Friday in a game schedule for 7:00 PM CT.
8/22/07: ZEPHYRS (Mets) 4 I-CUBS (Cubs) 3
The New Orleans Zephyrs defeated the visiting Iowa Cubs by a score of 4-3 in 10 innings on Wednesday.
Zephyrs starting pitcher Philip Humber took a no-hitter into the top of the ninth inning for the Zephyrs, but gave up a hit to Iowa pinch hitter John Nelson. Humber came out of the game and was replaced by reliever Ambiorix Burgos immediately after giving up the hit. However, with Nelson later scoring off of a double by center fielder Eric Patterson, Humber was charged with giving up the run. Humber's final line was 8.1 innings pitched, giving up one run on one hit and striking out 10 batters.
Iowa got on a roll after breaking up the no-hitter, tying the game at 3-3 after Burgos gave up two additional runs. Burgos was replaced by Ivan Maldonado (2-1), who recorded the win after allowing no runs on one hit in the final inning.
Offensively the Zephyrs loaded the bases in the bottom of the 10th inning and won the game when Iowa reliever Clay Rapada walked in third baseman Fernando Tatis. Tatis had doubled to put the Zephyrs in position to win the game.
Rapada (6-2) gets the loss after giving up the Tatis double and walking him home in the final 1/3 inning.
The win gets the Zephyrs off to a 1-0 lead in the five game series with Iowa and breaks a two-game losing streak. The two teams will play again on Thursday in a game scheduled for 7:00 PM CT.
8/21/07: ZEPHYRS (Mets) 2 REDHAWKS (Rangers) 10
The New Orleans Zephyrs fell to the visiting Oklahoma RedHawks on Tuesday by a score of 10-2.
RedHawks starting pitcher Edinson Volquez (6-1) put in a masterful start, shutting out the Zephyrs and allowing only two hits in seven innings.
Volquez also got good run support offensively, as six different Oklahoma players drove in atleast one run, led by first baseman Nate Gold, who went 3-5 with two RBI and a home run for the second-straight game.
Former Zephyr Dave Matranga, playing third base for Oklahoma also went 3-5 with two RBI off of a home run.
The only offensive highlight for the Zephyrs was second baseman David Newhan, who set a new Zephyrs record after recording a hit in the 22nd straight game. The streak breaks that of former Zephyrs infielder Rick Short, who played with the Zephyrs in 2005.
Starting pitcher Adam Bostick (5-7) gets the loss after giving up six runs on eight hits in four innings for New Orleans.
The loss puts the Zephyrs two games back of the division lead and in third place overall in the PCL American South. The Zephyrs will finish their final homestand of the year with a five-game series against the Iowa Cubs beginning on Wednesday at 7:00 PM CT.
8/20/07: ZEPHYRS (Mets) 2 REDHAWKS (Rangers) 6
The New Orleans Zephyrs fell to the visiting Oklahoma RedHawks on Monday by a score of 6-2.
Oklahoma starting pitcher Chris Baker (4-3) got the win after allowing two runs on six hits in 5.1 innings.
The RedHawks were explosive offensively, with home runs in the game by first baseman Nate Gold, right fielder Kevin Mahar and catcher Chris Stewart. Mahar was 3-4 with the solo blast on the night.
All of the Zephyrs offense came off the bat of left fielder Chip Ambres, who had two solo home runs in the game on a 2-4 night.
Zephyrs starter Dave Williams (2-3) gets the loss after giving up five runs on seven hits in six innings of play.
With the loss the Zephyrs fall out of first place in the PCL American South division for the first time in 29 days. Coming into the game the Zephyrs had remained in first for 69 of the past 71 days as well.
The division rivals will wrap up their series in New Orleans on Tuesday with a game scheduled for 7:00 PM CT.
8/19/07: GAME 1 (conclusion of 6/18 game) ZEPHYRS (Mets) 4 REDHAWKS (Rangers) 8
GAME 2: ZEPHYRS (Mets) 3 REDHAWKS (Rangers) 1
The New Orleans Zephyrs and Oklahoma RedHawks split games on Sunday, with Oklahoma taking the first game 8-4 - the conclusion of a suspended game from June 18th - and the Zephyrs winning the second game 3-1.
In Game 1, Oklahoma relief pitcher Steve Rowe (6-3) gets the win after shutting out the Zephyrs and giving up two hits in one inning. Reliever Scott Feldman gets his second save of the season.
The RedHawks were led offensively by right fielder Nelson Cruz, who went 2-3 with two RBI.
In Game 2, which was a full nine-inning game played on Sunday, Zephyrs reliever Steve Schmoll (2-3) got the win in the 3-1 victory. Schmoll allowed one hit and no runs in 1.1 innings.
Reliever Willie Collazo got his fourth save of the year after shutting out the RedHawks in the final two thirds of the final inning.
Left fielder Robinson Cancel went 2-4 and drove in the game-winning RBI on a single in the eighth inning to lead the Zephyrs offensively.
Reliever Ezequiel Astacio (2-4) gets the loss after giving up two runs on three hits in the final inning.
With the Albuquerque Isotopes winning today and the Zephyrs and RedHawks splitting game on the day, the Zephyrs and Isotopes are now tied at the top of the PCL American South division. New Orleans will take on Oklahoma again on Monday in a game scheduled for 7:00 PM CT.
8/18/07: ZEPHYRS (Mets) 4 REDHAWKS (Rangers) 5
The New Orleans Zephyrs fell to the visiting Oklahoma RedHawks on Saturday by a score of 5-4.
Oklahoma starting pitcher Alfredo Simon (5-10) got the win after giving up three runs on seven hits in five innings.
First baseman Nate Gold led the RedHawks offensively, going 1-4 with three RBI - all on a first inning three-run homer.
Left fielder/catcher Robinson Cancel led the Zephyrs with two RBI on a 2-4 night.
Zephyrs starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey (3-6) records the loss after giving up five runs on five hits in 4.2 innings of play.
The Zephyrs start the home series against the division rival RedHawks down 1-0 after the loss. On Sunday at 2:00 PM CT, the teams will complete a suspended game from June 18th, immediately followed by their regularly scheduled nine-inning game. The suspended game picks up with Oklahoma leading 8-4 in the top of the 9th inning with Oklahoma batting and two outs.