I-Cubs Earn Series Split with Third Straight Win

DES MOINES, IA – The Iowa Cubs (64-75) used a four-run first inning to beat the Memphis Redbirds (67-72) by a score of 7-6, Friday at Principal Park.

Memphis opened the scoring in the first on a wild pitch by Keegan Thompson, but Iowa immediately turned their one-run deficit into a three-run lead.

John Hicks started the scoring with an RBI double followed by an RBI groundout, another run scoring double from Alexander Canario and their four-run first was ended on an RBI single by Esteban Quiroz.

Thompson kept the Redbirds off the board for the rest of his Major League rehab start, throwing 2.1 innings of one-run ball. He allowed one hit and one walk while striking out four.

Iowa kept their three-run lead intact until the fourth, when Memphis scored a run on an RBI ground out. Jackson Frazier clubbed a solo home run to make it 5-2, but the scoring wouldn’t end there.

The two teams traded blows in each the sixth and seventh innings, both scoring one run in each frame. Quiroz was responsible for both of Iowa’s runs on a solo home run and an RBI single, while the Redbirds got an RBI ground out and a double.

Juan Yepez brought home another run for Memphis in the eighth with an RBI single to make it a 7-5 game. They scored again to make it 7-6, but Dakota Mekkes used two strikeouts to earn his first save of the year.

POSTGAME NOTES:

• Seven different players scored a single run for Iowa tonight, with not one player scoring more than once and just two starters not scoring.

• Keegan Thompson threw 26 of his 45 pitches for strikes tonight, allowing one earned run on one hit and one walk over his 2.1 innings. The right-hander struck out four batters along the way.

• All five of Iowa’s pitchers allowed an earned run tonight, with four of the five walking a batter. All five also struck out a batter, with four of the five fanning multiple hitters.

Iowa and Memphis will play game five of their six-game series tomorrow night, with first pitch scheduled for 6:08 PM from Principal Park. For more information and tickets, visit www.iowacubs.com.