Jackson's Walk-Off Sends Cubs to Fourth Straight Win
Homer caps five-run eighth-inning rally
Iowa Cubs
Tuesday, Jul. 1 11:34 PM
Des Moines, IA - Brett Jackson hit a walk-off three-run home run in the eighth inning of a seven-inning scheduled game to finish a five-run rally that sent the Iowa Cubs (46-38) past the Omaha Storm Chasers (44-41) 7-4 in game two of a day/night double-header on Tuesday night at Principal Park. The Cubs have won four in a row, including the first three games of this series, and sit a season-best eight-games over .500
With the score tied at two going to the eighth inning, Cubs RH Armando Rivero served up a two-run homer to Carlos Peguero to give Omaha the lead in extra-innings. Those were the first runs Rivero has coughed up in 6.2 innings with Iowa this year (2.84). He struck out five in his two-inning stint, and has punched out 12 hitters without walking any this season at triple-A.
The I-Cubs offense bailed out Rivero by scoring five times in the bottom of the inning off RHs Ramon Troncoso and Spencer Patton. Javy Baez started the rally by drawing a walk, his second of the game, and his ninth in the last nine games after walking only 16 times in his first 65 games. Chris Valaika then fought off a two-strike pitch into right field to put runners at the corners. Bryant followed by hitting a dribbler that Troncoso couldn't handle for an infield hit to score Baez and cut the two-run deficit in half. After a sacrifice bunt, Matt Szczur stroked the game-tying single -- his second run-scoring hit of the game -- to the shortstop. One batter later, and after a pitching change, Jackson provided the heroics by hitting a mammoth three-run homer down the right field on a 2-0 offering from Patton. It was the first game-ending homer for an Iowa Cub since Brad Snyder launched one on May 7, 2011 against New Orleans. The Cubs now have 23 comeback wins on the year and are a perfect 5-0 in extra innings.
The Cubs offense was held in check for the first three innings off RH Clayton Mortensen, but they broke through for two runs in the fourth inning. Baez led off with a walk, and he scored on a ringing double by Bryant, his minor league-leading 52nd extra-base hit of the campaign. Bryant scored the tying run on a single through the right side of the infield by Szczur.
Iowa had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the next inning after loading the bases with no outs on a Jackson double, Arismendy Alcantara single and Ryan Kalish walk. The heart of the order was coming up, but Mortensen worked out of jam by inducing a pop up, strikeout and fly out.
RH Zak Hermans made his triple-A debut in a spot start for Iowa and retired six of the first seven hitters before giving up a run in the third inning. Whit Merrifield laced a double into the left-center field gap to plate Logan Davis to give the Storm Chasers a 1-0 lead. Hermans, who is making his first start in 10 outings this season, entered the fourth inning at 38 pitches, and allowed a triple to Matt Fields and two walks before exiting with the bases loaded and one out. RH Alberto Cabrera entered in relief and gave up a sacrifice fly to Francisco Pena before inducing a pop out to end the inning. Herman worked 3.1 innings, and was charged with two earned runs on four hits, two walks and two strikeouts in his 54-pitch debut.*
Cabrera stayed in the game and pitched 2.2 innings of scoreless relief. He walked three hitters in the sixth inning, but with the help of a double play and strikeout, got out of the frame unscathed. The right-hander has allowed only one run in his last 8.1 innings (1.11 ERA), covering five appearances.
Alcantara collected a pair of hits to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, which ties a career-high he set in May 2012 with high-A Daytona.
The Cubs and Storm Chasers play game four of their five-game series Wednesday night at 7:05 from Principal Park. LH Chris Rusin (5-10, 4.16) toes the slab for the Cubs against LH Ryan Verdugo (4-2, 4.29). The game will be broadcast live on AM 940 and streamed live at iowacubs.com with the On-Deck Circle Pre-Game Show starting at 6:45 p.m.
