Making a stand against the Cubs

Leave it to the Missions to snap out of a losing streak in style.
Humbled by three straight losses in Oklahoma City last weekend, they returned home to Wolff Stadium Tuesday night and scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth for a dramatic, 4-3 decision over the Iowa Cubs.
Missions manager Rick Sweet said it was important to make a stand against the Cubs after getting outscored by a combined 32-19 on the road against the Dodgers.
"You hit it on the head," Sweet said. "We had won eight in a row (going into Oklahoma), and they pretty much handed it to us. You have to understand, that happens in this game.
"But for us to come back here and win, coming back the way we did (in the ninth), it just shows the character of the team."
Few in the crowd of 5,240 were shocked at the outcome.   The Missions, after all, own the best record in Triple-A baseball.
But this one was special in that they haven't had much success when they fall behind on the scoreboard after eight innings.
Coming into Tuesday night, the Missions held a 3-31 record this season in games they trailed entering the ninth.
Against the Cubs, they were down 3-1 after eight.
But in the end, facing reliever James Norwood (3-2), they manufactured a winning rally, sparked by a leadoff single from Nate Orf and a string of clutch plate appearances.
Trent Grisham ended it with a one-out ground ball that scored Jacob Nottingham from third.
Soon after the winning run crossed, the Missions piled out of the dugout with their seventh walk-off victory of the season and mobbed both Nottingham and Grisham.
"It was big," Nottingham said. "After getting swept at Oklahoma City, we played a good team over there. We came in today and our bats were a little quiet at first, but we put some big hits together and scored some runs when we needed (them).
"I thought we battled as a team great today."
Nottitngham, a .254 hitter on the season, was a clutch performer when it counted, smacking an RBI single up the middle to make it 3-2. Pinch-hitter Lucas Erceg followed with an RBI sacrifice fly to tie it, 3-3.
Later, with Nottingham at third and one out, all Grisham had to do was hit it to the right side, and he delivered with a chopper to first baseman Erick Castillo.
Running on contact, the 6-foot-2, 220-pound Nottingham charged toward home and dove, catching the plate with his left hand ahead of catcher Taylor Davis's swipe tag.
Nottingham credited the Missions pitchers, including starter Zack Brown and relievers Luke Barker, Alex Wilson and Jacob Barnes (2-0).
 "Most of all, our pitching staff was unbelievable," said Nottingham, the Missions' catcher. "It was awesome to have Zack Brown back. I thought he threw the ball very well today."
Brown hadn't pitched in a live game in nearly three weeks.
The Milwaukee Brewers minor league pitcher of the year in 2018 had been in Arizona at the Brewers' training complex working to refine his technique after a rough start to his first season in Triple-A.
Against Iowa, Brown gave up a second-inning solo home run to Johnny Field and a couple of doubles, but his control was good. He threw 47 strikes in 64 pitches and didn't walk a batter.
Brown finished with five innings, yielding three runs on six hits and no walks. He struck out four.   
"I thought he did a great job," Sweet said.
PCL standings
American Southern Division - San Antonio 63-39, Round Rock 58-43, New Orleans 53-48, Oklahoma City 47-54.
American Northern Division - Iowa 56-46, Omaha 47-55, Nashville 42-59, Memphis 42-60.
Note: Winners of the American Southern and Northern divisions meet in the first round of the playoffs.
Leading their divisions
The I-Cubs have held at least a share of their division lead for the entire season while the Missions have held the top spot since May 26.
Hamels' rehab start
Chicago Cubs veteran Cole Hamels, a former Major League Baseball all-star, worked 2 and 1/3 innings in a rehabilitation assignment.
He threw 35 pitches, including 17 for strikes, on a night when his workload was expected to be 30-50 pitches.
Hamels, a Southlake resident, went 2 and 1/3 innings and gave up no runs on one hit and three walks, with two strikeouts.
Freitas out of town
Missions all-star catcher David Freitas has returned home to California for a few days for personal reasons. Freitas left the ball club on Monday.
Comings and goings
Transactions announced before Tuesday's game included Freitas to the temporary inactive list, pitcher Johan Belisario to Double-A Biloxi and pitcher Zack Brown and outfielder Tyrone Taylor reinstated from the injured list.
Nelson, Burnes to return
Veteran pitcher Jimmy Nelson is scheduled to pitch out of the bullpen for the Missions Wednesday on a rehabilitation assignment, manager Rick Sweet said.
The assignment is Nelson's second this season with the Brewers' Triple-A team. Corbin Burnes is also expected to pitch on rehab, but his schedule hasn't been settled.