Playing to win on the road

The streaking Iowa Cubs shrugged off a horrendous travel day in the Pacific Coast League and won their fifth straight game, securing an easy 12-2 victory over the Missions on Saturday night at Wolff Stadium.
After winning the fourth and final game to sweep a home series against the Omaha Storm Chasers on Friday night, the Cubs' ordeal commenced.
"We had a game last night, so we didn't get into bed until around 12:30," explained Iowa second baseman Trent Giambrone. "So, (we) woke up at 2:30 to be at the airport around 4, got some naps on the plane ride, and then when we got here, I was able to take another two-hour nap.
"Then we came out here, and we got after it."
Apparently, sleep in baseball is overrated, as the Chicago Cubs' Triple-A affiliate took charge early in the first game of a five-game series between PCL division leaders at the Wolff.
First, Jim Adduci pulled a solo home run to right field in the first inning off Missions newcomer Johan Belisario.
The Cubs added seven runs in the third inning and then four more in the fifth for a 12-1 lead on the Missions.
Giambrone highlighted the fifth inning with his 18^th home run of the season, a two-run blast that soared on a high arc and carried all the way to the top of the berm in left field.
It was his third home run in four games, sort of a startling development considering he stands only 5-feet-8 inches and 175 pounds.
"I'm just trying to get good pitches to hit, and get my 'A' swing off," he said. "If I can do that, I can't control where it lands. I just try to get up on it and see where it goes."
The setback was the second in two nights at home for the Missions, who have dropped three of their last four overall and three of five on the homestand.
Belisario, a right-hander from Venezuela, was summoned from Biloxi to Triple-A San Antonio to try to stabilize a pitching staff that needs some help.
But the Cubs hit him hard, roughing him up for eight runs on nine hits in two innings. In all, Missions pitching has yielded 21 runs on 27 hits in the last two nights.
Meanwhile, the Missions couldn't get going offensively, producing only eight hits.
Trent Grisham, who's also up from Biloxi, continued his surge in the PCL with a 2 of 3 night at the plate, pushing his totals to 10 of 32 in his 10 days with the club.
Veteran Jake Hager hit his eighth homer, a solo shot in the third.
Speaking in the postgame, Giambrone said the key to playing well on a tough travel day like Saturday starts with "believing in what you do. "
"You got to stick to your game plan, no matter if you're 100 percent, or you're not," Giambrone said. "It's all believing in what you do, having a plan. As a group it all starts with a couple of guys. Like we had a couple in that first inning that came out ready to play, and it kind of just sparked us all over."
Hosting the Cubs
The Missions' first home game against a Cubs affiliate in 35 years drew 6,116 fans. Many were decked out in the team's blue and red colors.
San Antonio hasn't hosted a Cubs team since the Midland Cubs came visiting in 1984 in the Texas League. That was the last year of Cubs player development contract with Midland.
Following the Brewers
Keston Hiura hit a single to center off Jordan Lyles and went 1-for-2 in the parent-club Brewers' 3-1 victory at home over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Hiura played second based and Tyler Saladino played shortstop for the Brewers each of the last two nights at Miller Park.
Both Hiura and Saladino were called up to the Brewers on Thursday, just before the Missions played the Round Rock Express. The Missions have lost two of three since their departure.
Taking a day off
Missions catcher/first baseman David Freitas (.367) and shortstop Mauricio Dubón (.307) had a day off on Saturday.
PCL standings
American Southern Division - San Antonio 50-32, Round Rock 47-34, New Orleans 45-37, Oklahoma City 33-47.
American Northern Division - Iowa 47-35, Omaha 38-44, Nashville 35-46, Memphis 33-49.