Solid Pitching Leads Omaha Over Iowa

Des Moines, IA - Edwin Maysonet smacked a solo home run in the first inning but the Iowa Cubs (32-37) were shut out the rest of the way, losing 3-1 to the Omaha Storm Chasers (30-37) on a sun-kissed Sunday afternoon at Principal Park. The Cubs lead the series 2-1 and are 4-3 against the Storm Chasers this season.

Maysonet lined his sixth homer of the year into the giant, inflatable glove atop the Cub Club restaurant roof in left field with one out in the first, putting the Cubs on top 1-0. An Iowa player has now homered in 10 straight games, for a total of 19 during the stretch.

The Cubs mustered just four more hits the rest of the game and went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

Brad Nelson led off the ninth inning with a double to the corner in right field but couldn't get any further, suppressing any hope of a comeback.

Guillermo Moscoso (2-5) allowed three earned runs for the fifth straight start and lost his fifth straight decision for the Cubs. The right-hander allowed five hits in five innings, walked one and fanned four.

The Iowa bullpen came one walk away from four perfect innings of relief. Hisanori Takahashi, Michael Bowden, and Marcus Hatley combined to pitch four scoreless innings without allowing a hit. Takahashi walked the leadoff man in the sixth for the bullpen's only blemish.

Omaha starter Yordano Ventura (1-1) earned the win, allowing one run on three hits in five innings.

Junior Lake extended his current hitting streak to nine games with a bunt single in the seventh inning for the Cubs.

The Cubs and Storm Chasers finish the current four-game series with a 12:05 game on Monday afternoon. LH Chris Rusin (5-6, 3.38 ERA) will start for Iowa against LH Justin Marks (1-6, 7.04 ERA) for Omaha. The game will be broadcast live on AM 940, and streamed at iowacubs.com, with the pre-game show starting at 11:45.