Iowa Cubs 9, Toledo Mud Hens 3 (box)
This was a nice, well played one-run game until the Hens bullpen fell apart in the late innings.
Dylan File got the start, and he was…fine. The right-hander allowed a run in the first and another in the third, but that was all over his six innings of work.
Meanwhile the offense blew a scoring opportunity in the first, and didn’t see another until the fifth. With two outs in the inning, Michael Siani reached on a James Triantos error at second, and then stole second base. Trei Cruz singled him in to make
it a 2-1 Iowa lead, but that was as close as they’d get.
Andre Granillo was mauled for four runs in the seventh, and Tanner Rainey gave up three more as the Cubs turned this into a rout.
Jace Jung singled off of Ethan Roberts to start off the ninth, and Corey Julks homered to left center field to make things a little more respectable.
Cruz: 1-2, RBI, 2 BB, CS
File: 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 9 H, 0 BB, 6 K
Coming Up Next:
Erie SeaWolves 6, Reading Fightin Phils 3 (box)
Joe Miller threw a good game and the SeaWolves outslugged the Phils to win with a surge in the late innings on Friday.
The left-hander gave up a run in the bottom of the first, but then locked down the Phils over the next five frames. Meanwhile, veteran lefty Adam Seminaris had the SeaWolves number as he scattered five hits without a walk over six scoreless frames.
Finally in the seventh, the SeaWolves broke through. Roberto Campos led off with a single and Seth Stephenson walked. A wild pitch advanced them both, and Viandel Pena lifted a sacrifice fly to score Campos. Patrick Lee and Peyton Graham walked to load the bases, and Woody Hadeen pulled a ground ball through the infield for a two-run single that made it 3-1 SeaWolves. E.J. Exposito was hit by a pitch, but Thayron Liranzo lined into a double play that caught Hadeen too far off of second base.
Zane Barnhart took over from Miller and with one out he walked former Tigers’ farmhand Austin Murr. Nick Biddison then cracked a two-run shot that tied the game 3-3.
Campos quickly untied it with a solo shot in the top of the eighth. Yosber Sanchez struck out two swinging in a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth. 4-3 SeaWolves.
Exposito walked with two outs in the top of the ninth, and Liranzo mashed a two-run shot to left center field to make it 6-3.
Moises Rodriguez was excellent, whiffing two batters in a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to earn the save. Stephenson stole two bases to get him to 65 stolen bases on the year, tying him for the team lead with Peyton Graham.
Campos: 3-4, 2 R, RBI, HR
Lee: 1-3, R, 2B, BB, K
Stephenson: 1-3, R, BB, 2 SB
Miller: 6.0 IP, ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: The series is knotted at two games apiece heading into a 6:45 p.m. ET start on Saturday.
