Memphis Wins 4-2, Looks For Series Sweep

DES MOINES, Iowa - The Redbirds were held to only three hits but still found their way to a 4-2 win over Iowa in the first game of a doubleheader at Principal Park.

Memphis has now taken the first four games of the series and will look for the first five-game series sweep in franchise history in the second game of the twinbill. The win marked only the fourth victory of the season when an opponent had outhit Memphis, one of those coming in the second game of last night's doubleheader.

Just like yesterday's doubleheader, Memphis got on the scoreboard in the earlier innings. The 'Birds jumped ahead in the first when Shane Robinson led off with a single and eventually found his way home on a Scott Moore single.

Moore then generated another RBI in the second inning when the third baseman drew a bases-loaded walk. The free pass allowed Pete Kozma to score. Stephen Piscotty followed Moore by notching his ninth hit this season with the bases loaded, a single up the middle that score Robinson and Randal Grichuk. The hit improved the outfielder's average to .818 (9-for-11) with the bags packed and it gave the Redbirds all the runs they would need.

The Cubs made a run late in the game, scoring two runs on a Jorge Soler home run, but Eric Fornataro entered and recorded his sixth save in his last nine appearances.

Marco Gonzales breezed through the first five frames, surrendering only two singles until the sixth. The left-hander managed 5.1 innings of work, allowing two runs with three walks and six strikeouts for his second win at Triple-A. Right-hander Dallas Beeler suffered the loss for the Cubs, giving up four runs over six innings.