Iowa Evens Series with 4-3 Win in 11 Innings

Oklahoma City - The Iowa Cubs scored a run in the top of the 11th inning to break a tie on the way to a 4-3 win against the Oklahoma City Dodgers Saturday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
The teams played to a 3-3 tie through nine innings before extending into extra innings for the second straight night in front of a sellout crowd of 10,370.

The teams have now split their first two games of the four-game series between the American Northern Division teams.
Oklahoma City (64-58) jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead Saturday when outfielder Andrew Toles hit a two-run homer out to right-center field in the bottom of the first inning. It was the first hit of the game for either team and gave the Dodgers an early 2-0 advantage. The home run was Toles' sixth of the season and second in as many at-bats after he hit a walk-off homer in the 11th inning for Oklahoma City in the series opener Friday night.
Oklahoma City starting pitcher Zach Neal pitched six scoreless innings to keep the Dodgers in the lead. He held the I-Cubs to three hits and did not issue a walk, while racking up seven strikeouts.
Once Neal exited the game, Iowa was able to get on the scoreboard in the seventh inning. Jacob Hannemann hit a solo homer that landed in the Iowa bullpen in right-center field and cut Oklahoma City's lead to 2-1. The home run was just the second allowed by the Dodgers in the last nine games.
The Dodgers added to their lead in the bottom of the frame. Travis Taijeron returned from the disabled list and entered the game as a pinch-hitter with two outs, hitting a single into left field in his first at-bat. Tim Locastro followed and connected on a RBI single to extend the Dodgers' lead to 3-1.
Iowa (46-77) knotted the game, 3-3, in the eighth inning. The I-Cubs hit back-to-back one-out singles before Mike Freeman connected on a two-run double on a fly ball to the deepest part of the ballpark in left-center field to tie the game, 3-3.
The Dodgers loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth inning with none out, but were unable to bring home a run.
The game then extended into extra innings for the second straight night and marked the 15th extra-inning game of the season for the Dodgers.
After neither team scored in the 10th inning, Stephen Bruno started the top of the 11th inning on second base for Iowa per the new extra-inning rules in Minor League Baseball this season. Iowa went on to load the bases with one out. Bijan Rademacher came up to bat next and grounded into a fielder's choice to score Bruno for a 4-3 Iowa lead.
Iowa reliever James Norwood (1-0) then retired all three Oklahoma City batters he faced in the bottom of the inning to seal the win. He pitched 2.0 scoreless innings total, allowing one walk with three strikeouts.
Dodgers reliever Tyler Pill (3-4) allowed the eventual winning run in the 11th inning and was charged with the loss.
The series between the teams continues at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark with a doubleheader of two seven-inning games starting at 3:35 p.m. on a Chaparral Energy Family Sunday, featuring pregame player autographs, a mascot meet-and-greet, face painters, inflatables and postgame kids run the bases.
Live radio coverage begins 15 minutes before first pitch on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com, or through the free iHeartRadio mobile app.
Tickets are available through the OKC Dodgers ticket office located on South Mickey Mantle Drive, by phone at (405) 218-2182, or by visiting okcdodgers.com.